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Nationwide Tour reaches the three-quarter mark

With Jimmy Walker's come-from-behind victory in last week's National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic, the Nationwide Tour reached the 3/4 mark (24 of 32 events) in the 2007 season. Three players -- Roland Thatcher, Nick Flanagan and Jason Day -- have clearly stood out above the rest. A statistical comparison of the three bears this out:

No. 1 Roland Thatcher

Projecting "The 25" with eight events left

In 2006, there were 21 players inside the top 25 on the money list with eight events remaining who maintained their top-25 status by season's end, thus earning a 2007 PGA TOUR card. Four players played their way out of the top 25 over the last eight tournaments. Only 22 cards (including two to non-members who earned enough money to finish inside the top 20) were issued in 2006. There will be a record 25 PGA TOUR cards issued at the Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek Card Ceremony on Nov. 4th. Note: There were 31 events last year. The 2006 stats above are based on the first 23 events.

Nick Flanagan

Nick Flanagan and Justin Bolli named August's co-Players of the Month

With the vote of participating media split down the middle, Nick Flanagan and Justin Bolli were named co-Players of the Month for August. Flanagan earned his three-win promotion to the PGA TOUR when he won the Xerox Classic in Rochester, NY on August 19th. Bolli captured the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic on August 12th and finished T4 the following week in Rochester to move to fourth place on the money list.

Chris Baryla

An eye on the Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek

Next week's Utah EnergySolutions Championship begins the seven-event run-up to the season-culminating Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek (Nov. 1-4). The Championship will feature the top-60 money winners through the preceding 31 tournaments, ending at the Miccosukee Championship in Miami, FL on Oct. 28th. Todd Fischer currently holds the 60th position with $73,688. Last year Chris Baryla nailed down the last spot with $101,479 in 30 events. Baryla is in the neighborhood again this year. The Canadian is 69th this week. Those players who finish outside the top-25 (Nos. 26 - 60) on the final 2007 official money list will be fully-exempt on the Nationwide Tour in 2008.

Finaus/Summerhays/Pappas Brothers in Utah field

Long-hitting Utah natives, Tony and Gipper Finau, will be in this week's field as sponsor invitees. Both played last year as amateurs, with Gipper (16 years, 20 days) becoming the youngest player in Nationwide Tour history to make the cut (T58). The brothers turned professional earlier this year. Since turning pro, Tony has played in one PGA TOUR event (Milwaukee) and two European Tour events in August (Sweden and The Netherlands). Gipper joined Tony in the Scandinavian Masters (Sweden). Another pair of Utah natives, Boyd and Daniel Summerhays, will be in the field too, with Daniel making his professional debut in his home state. South Africans Brenden and Deane Pappas, Nationwide Tour regulars, round out the brother tandems.

Tee McCabe

Tee McCabe/Card Trickster

There's nothing like a rain delay to test a TV producer's creativity to fill air time. Tee McCabe may be GOLF CHANNEL's answer the next time they encounter rain on the Nationwide Tour. The 30-year-old Ohio native -- whose dad, Terry, formerly designed clubs for Titleist, including the 975D driver -- is a genius when it comes to entertaining with his card tricks. He assembled a group in the media center in Rochester, N.Y., a few weeks ago and made believers on the spot with his sleight of hand talents.

Kyle McCarthy

And don't forget Kyle McCarthy's swing imitations

We all know Peter Jacobsen of the Champions Tour has a pretty darn good repertoire of imitations of his fellow players. Not to be outdone is 24-year-old Floridian and Knoxville Open runner-up Kyle McCarthy. He's got the challenging Jim Furyk swing down pat, among others, and a spot-on voice imitation of Bobby Jones from the World Golf Hall of Famer's 1930's series of lessons we've all seen on GOLF CHANNEL. If you don't believe us, just ask Kyle for a little demonstration.

Win No. 212

Steve Stricker's emotional PGA TOUR Playoffs win nine days ago in The Barclays was the 212th by a former Nationwide Tour member.

BMW Charity Pro-Am names Bright's Creek as third course

Bright's Creek Golf Club, located outside Tryon, N.C., in Mill Spring, has been named the third host course for the 2008 BMW Charity Pro-Am. Last week the tournament announced the Haas' family's home club, Thornblade Club in Greenville, SC, and Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg, S.C. as new host courses for the highly successfully celebrity event that will be played May 15-18.