NEWS

Nationwide Tour E-Notes: Week of July 23, 2007
 
Jul. 24, 2007
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  • Joe Ogilvie's win last week at the U.S. Bank Championship was the 208th on the PGA TOUR by a former Nationwide Tour player. It was the 12th this season and Ogilvie became the 95th different alum to win on the PGA TOUR.

  • Nick Flanagan will be looking for his third victory of the season and an automatic promotion to the PGA TOUR this week at the Cox Classic in Omaha. Seven players have earned automatic promotions to the TOUR since the Nationwide Tour began and three of them did so at the Cox Classic. Chris Smith was the first in 1997 followed by Heath Slocum in 2001 and Jason Gore in 2005. If Flanagan can pull off the feat, the Aussie will be the first international player to do so.

  • Daniel Summerhays, who became the first amateur in Nationwide Tour history to win an event with his recent triumph at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invtitational, will make his pro debut this week at the Cox Classic.

  • In 2005, Jason Gore posted eight consecutive birdies on his way to a final-round 63 and then defeated Roger Tambellini on the second extra hole for an unprecedented third consecutive win on Tour and an immediate ticket to the PGA TOUR. His path to the title was initially set up with a 12-under 59 in the second round?adding his name alongside Notah Begay III and Doug Dunakey, the other players with sub-60 rounds in Tour history.

  • Jason Gore's victory over Roger Tambellini in 2005 was one of just three playoffs in the history of the Cox Classic. The others came in 1998 when Matt Gogel defeated Jay Williamson on the fourth extra hole and in 2000 when David Berganio, Jr. outlasted Ahmad Bateman on the second playoff hole.

  • Two past Cox Classic champions are scheduled to tee it up this week at Champions Run, including 1997 winner Chris Smith and 2002 champion Jay Delsing. It will be the 10-year anniversary of Smith's astounding 11-stroke win in Omaha, still a Nationwide Tour record. The next-largest winning margin was eight strokes by Chris Nallen at the 2004 Gila River Classic.

  • Holding the lead heading into the final round at the Cox Classic isn't always a good sign. The 54-hole leader has won only four of 11 times in Omaha, with Jay Delsing the last to do so in 2002. Others to win with at least a share of the lead after three rounds include Heath Slocum (2001), Mathew Goggin (1999) and Chris Smith (1997).

  • Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey and Troy Martin are among the four players who will receive sponsor's exemptions into this week's tournament. Gainey gained notoriety for winning GOLF CHANNEL's "Big Break VII." He will be making his third Nationwide Tour start of the season. Gainey made his only cut when he tied for 30th at the BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs. Martin has missed the cut in all four career starts on Tour, and is perhaps best known for serving as the full-time caddie for Champions Tour member D.A. Weibring?the father of Nationwide Tour member Matt Weibring, who is also in the field.

  • As is usually the case, expect plenty of low scores this week at Champions Run. The average winning score at the Cox Classic since the first event in 1996 has been just under 22-under-par. Last year, the par-71 course ranked as the third-easiest of the season, with an average of 69.546. Despite that, the par-4 second hole stacked up fairly well, ranking as the 30th-toughest hole of the season, with a 4.319 average.

  • If the past is any indication, expect a previous winner on the Nationwide Tour to be the last man standing this week. The tournament has produced a first-time winner just twice in 11 years: Rocky Walcher in 1996 and Bo Van Pelt in 2003.