Nationwide Tour players Kevin Stadler and Charlie Wi have enjoyed great success overseas in early 2006. Both have won PGA European Tour events. Stadler won the Johnnie Walker Classic in Australia and the following week, Wi won the Maybank Malaysian Open.

• Jim Rutledge earned his first career Nationwide Tour victory last week at the ING New Zealand PGA Championship and became the 10th Canadian player to win on the Tour. Overall, Canadian players have won 15 times since the Tour began in 1990.

• Rutledge earned his victory in dramatic fashion, too, holing a 111-yard wedge for eagle 3 on the 17th hole and sinking a 25-foot putt from the fringe for birdie on the final hole. He began the final round nine strokes behind, but a closing 64 did the trick for the 46-year-old.

• The Class of 2005 continues to impress on the PGA TOUR. Four members of the class finished in the top 10 last week in Tucson — Bubba Watson (tied for third), David Branshaw (6), Jason Gore (tied for seventh) and Charley Hoffman (tied for ninth).