10 Nationwide alums with a shot at first Green Jacket

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Nick Watney won earlier this season at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.

Nationwide Tour graduates are no strangers when it comes to winning on the PGA TOUR, but taking that next step and winning a major isn't as given.

In the 22-year history of the Nationwide Tour, alumni have won majors 13 times. Leading the way for alumni is Ernie Els with three majors.

With the Masters getting underway on Thursday the chance is there for a former Nationwide Tour player to break through and win another major.

The Tour reached a milestone last month when Martin Laird won the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It was the 300th time a former Nationwide Tour player won on the PGA TOUR. (Look back at all 300 wins.)

The last Nationwide Tour graduate to win a major was Lucas Glover, who won the 2009 U.S. Open at soggy Bethpage. Earlier that year former Nationwide Tour player Stewart Cink won the British Open.

The last time a former Nationwide Tour player won the Masters was in 2007 when Zach Johnson's steady play led to his first major championship.

Here is a look at the top 10 former Nationwide Tour players who have a chance to break through and win their first major this year.

Nick Watney -- It seems now that it's just a formality before Watney, 29, wins his first major. He took down a strong field to win the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship to prove he is ready for that breakthrough. Here's another stat that might be worthwhile -- he finished seventh last year at the Masters throwing up a tidy 65 in the final round.

Bubba Watson -- He's one of the best feel players around and Augusta National is best suited for guys that can improvise shots. Watson's got the length and is real close to moving into the upper echelon on TOUR. He has a win this season and is headed toward his best season on TOUR. He didn't play in the Masters last year but made the cut in 2009 and finished 42nd.

Stuart Appleby -- He hasn't set the world on fire this season, but he's capable of breaking through at some point to win a major. Like Watson, he wasn't in the Masters last year but in 2009 tied for 30th. In 2007 he tied for seventh at Augusta for his best showing there.

Steve Stricker -- Mr. Consistency has been Stricker's calling card for the last several years. While he won't wow many folks with his game, it's more than good enough to win a major. With the success he's had of late it seems the only thing missing from his resume is a major. Two years ago he quietly tied for sixth at Augusta National.

Matt Kuchar -- It's hard to believe it's been 12 years since a barely-shaving Kuchar, who was an amateur at Georgia Tech, thrilled the galleries as he tied for 21st. This season he has five top 10s and in last year's Masters tied for 24th. If his putting is on the mark, watch out.

Bill Haas -- The former Wake Forest star has only one year of experience at the Masters, and that was last year when he tied for 26th. He had a solid start to the season but has tailed off some with two missed cuts heading into this week. His length off the tee bodes well for Augusta National and the experience of playing last year should help.

Jerry Kelly -- With the 25-year anniversary of Jack Nicklaus winning the Masters at age 46, maybe a 44-year-old will win his first major. Kelly was fifth in 2007 at the Masters and has plenty of experience at Augusta National. He was third at the Honda Classic earlier this season.

Tim Clark -- He always seems to be hanging around the leaderboard at majors, especially at the Masters. Clark has battled some injuries this season, so it's hard to say if he'll be ready this week. In nine Masters he's finished inside the top 25 four times and was second in 2006.

Camilo Villegas -- He's had a disappointing 2011 and is just 144th on the FedExCup points list. His best showing is a tie for 33rd at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, but sometimes a major can get a player going in the right direction. In 2009, he tied for 13th at the Masters. This will be his fifth Masters so he knows the course.

Jhonattan Vegas -- The 'odds' on Vegas winning in his first Masters appearance are pretty slim because noone since Fuzzy Zoellar in 1979 has ever won the tournament in his first attempt. Vegas has taken the PGA TOUR by storm this season in his rookie year and won the Bob Hope Classic.

John Dell has covered golf for the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina for the last 17 years. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR. You can reach him at johndell@triad.rr.com.