Notebook: Money title still very much up in the air

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J.J. Killeen is one of four players with two Nationwide Tour victories this season.

SEASON CULMINATES WITH 25 CARDS AT STAKE -- After 25 full-field tournaments, the Nationwide Tour Championship takes center stage at Daniel Island Club in Charleston, S.C. this week with its 60-man field in the Tour's season finale. The 60 leading money winners coming out of Sunday's Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters are vying to become members of this year's class of "25" graduates who will head to the PGA TOUR in January. Every player in the field has a mathematical chance to earn a card. First prize is $180,000 and second prize $108,000. The difference between No. 25 Billy Hurley and No. 60 Roger Tambellini is $69,844. Two years ago, Matt Every came to Daniel Island 49th and left with the trophy and in 10th spot. Hurley maintains a $3,151 edge over No. 26 Brett Wetterich.

Oct. 27-30 Daniel Island Club / Ralston Creek Course, Charleston, S.C. Purse: $1,000,000 First Prize: $180,000 2010 Champion: Brendan Steele 60 Leading Money Winners 26th and final event of 2011 All four rounds televised on Golf Channel / 2:30 -- 5:00 p.m. ET (reairs at 7:30 -- 9:30 p.m. ET) Card Ceremony on Sunday will be streamed live on PGATOUR.COM beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET

GAVIN COLES AND DYE'S VALLEY CLEARCUT WINNERS LAST WEEK -- Australian Gavin Coles outlasted 143 players and the toughest golf course of the year on the Nationwide Tour on Sunday when he claimed his fifth Tour title. Coles improved 30 spots to 15th on the money list, putting himself in position to rejoin the PGA TOUR where he has made 99 starts since 2003. Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass gave the field at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open presented by Planters fits. Coles' winning score of 6-under par was the highest this year. David Mathis' 8-under-par winning effort last year was 2010's highest. The week's scoring average of 72.368 (+2.368) was also the highest this year.

TALE OF TWO SEASONS -- What a year it's been for Gavin Coles! He opened the season with a T6 in the Panama Claro Championship, then proceeded to reel off 12 missed cuts in a row, attributable, according to Coles, to a cracked driver he had problems replacing. His form returned in August when the 5'4" Aussie posted a runner-up at the Price Cutter Charity Championship in Wichita. In his two of his last three events, Coles posted a T4 and Sunday's win.

MONEY TITLE STILL VERY MUCH UP IN THE AIR -- J.J. Killeen has owned the top spot on the Nationwide Tour money list for the last seven weeks, but he has several players nipping at his heels who would love to be the Tour's leading money winner come Sunday. Chasing him are No. 2 Ted Potter, Jr., No. 3 Mathew Goggin, who led for 16 weeks in a row and 18 in all this year, and No. 4 Jason Kokrak. Killeen has a $26,603 advantage over Potter. The four money leaders have all won two tournaments this year. Winning the money title brings two significant rewards -- fully-exempt status on the PGA TOUR in 2012 and a spot in 2012 THE PLAYERS Championship.

TWO IN, TWO OUT -- Golf can be a cruel occupation. Charles Warren (No. 59) and Andrew Buckle (No. 60) were inside the top 60 starting last week's Winn-Dixie event and prepared to go to Daniel Island. Missed cuts by the pair at TPC Sawgrass were offset by strong performances by David Lingmerth (3rd) and John Kimbell (T7). Warren and Buckle dropped to 62nd and 64th, respectively, while Lingmerth jumped from 75th to 50th and Kimbell from 67th to 57th.

TUESDAY CELEBRITY PRO-AM AND CAROLINA STUDIOS PRO-AM JAM TO BENEFIT LOCAL YOUTH -- Mark Bryan will entertain along with Branford Marsalis, Pat Green and other guest performers at the Carolina Studios Pro-Am Jam on Tuesday at Daniel Island Club in conjunction with the Nationwide Tour Championship. Prior to the concert, Bryan and 23 other celebrities will participate in a pro-am at Daniel Island. Proceeds from the concert will benefit Carolina Studios, a non-profit youth music and media arts program based in Charleston and spearheaded by Bryan of Hootie & The Blowfish. Celebrity participants in the pro-am include Darius Rucker, Bill Murray, Ralph Friedgen, George Rogers, Ahmad Rashad, Charlie Rymer, Sterling Sharpe and Mickey Tettleton, as well as a number of Nationwide Tour professionals.

CARD CEREMONY TO BE STREAMED LIVE ON PGATOUR.COM -- After Sunday's last putt drops and the winner receives the Nationwide Tour Championship trophy, the 25 graduates will be feted at a card ceremony on the grounds of Daniel Island. PGATOUR.COM will begin streaming the always lively event at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET. The ceremony will feature the graduates, PGA TOUR commissioner Tim Finchem, Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee and Nationwide Insurance's chief marketing officer Matt Jauchius, with player family, friends and associates in the audience.

CHAMPIONSHIP OFFERS MOBILE WEBSITE -- Fans interested in following the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island may now do so via a mobile website the event has launched. Live tournament data (leader board updates, player stats, off-course activities, etc.) is available on any web-enabled phone, anywhere, by visiting www.nationwidetourchampionship.com. Two other Nationwide Tour events introduced a similar service this year -- the Stonebrae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in California and the Mylan Classic near Pittsburgh.

"GETAWAY" PROMOTION ENTERS FINAL WEEK -- Golf Channel's "Nationwide Tour Hawaii Getaway" promotion enters its final week. One person will win a trip for two to the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii where the Nationwide Tour class of 2011 which will be identified this week will make its 2012 PGA TOUR debut. Fans may enter online by answering player trivia questions at www.golfchannel.com/the25trivia.

NEXT WEEK -- A much deserved week of rest.....