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Chris Smith was the first. Then it was a four-year wait before Heath Slocum and Chad Campbell did it in 2001.

Nick Flanagan knows its vital to make the cut in every event he can -- the extra two rounds will decrease his learning curve for 2008. (WireImage)

Since then it has been done four more times. Jason Gore did it with the most flair two years ago.

It was that year that Jason imploded at Pinehurst in the U.S. Open, only to go out and win back-to-back on the Nationwide Tour a couple of weeks later. The performance promotion to the PGA TOUR was completed when he won the 84 Lumber Classic in his fourth week back on TOUR.

Jason is the only player to win three Nationwide Tour events and turn that promotion into a victory on the PGA TOUR in the same year. Although, of the seven players who have earned the performance promotion, four can now call themselves PGA TOUR winners.

It is very likely to happen again. It may be sooner than you think.

Nick Flanagan is the latest young stud to move to the head of the class on the Nationwide Tour. The 2003 U.S. Amateur Champion earned his third victory of the year at the Xerox Championship, about an hour south of Turning Stone last month. The 23-year-old Aussie is primed and ready for a run at the big boys.

He is the first internationally born player to earn the Nationwide Tour promotion. That is fitting when you consider that his U.S. Amateur victory was the first by a non American since 1971.

But Nick is not exactly an outsider. He is part of the ever-growing group of Aussies that are raking it in on the PGA TOUR. He credits Stuart Appleby and Adam Scott as mentors and inspiration.

For Nick, this is a very interesting time. He has accomplished all feasible goals on the Nationwide Tour. He has the opportunity to get comfortable on the grander stage before playing his first full season on the PGA TOUR. All previous visits to the big leagues have been tough for Nick.

He missed the cut in all three of the majors following his U.S. Amateur victory. The following year he played seven PGA TOUR events on sponsors exemptions and only made the cut in one.

Jason Gore's sad U.S. Open story had a happy ending when he won the 84 Lumber Classic four months after collapsing at Pinehurst. (WireImage)

But that is all in the past -- part of the maturation process.

The journey back to the TOUR has undoubtedly seasoned Nick beyond his years. The Fall Series presents a unique opportunity for Nick. In his debut as a member, Nick managed to stick around for the weekend with a birdie at the final hole on Friday.

He took advantage of difficult playing conditions on Sunday and moved into the top 20. That finish is the best debut by any recipient of the performance promotion. Ten years ago, Chris Smith finished 31st in Vancouver in his first start after winning three Nationwide Tour events.

PGA TOUR careers are built day by day, and shot by shot. Every day this fall that Nick Flanagan tees it up with the big boys is one more than he had any right to expect coming into the year. But now, he has the opportunity to free-wheel it for the rest of the year.

Regardless of whether or not he wins the money list on the Nationwide Tour, he will be fully exempt on the PGA TOUR next year and not subject to the reshuffle. He can pick and choose his schedule.

As for the rest of this year, there is something more valuable in store for Nick than the multimillion dollar purses.

There is free experience.

In his prior stints on the PGA TOUR, Nick was a visitor. Now, he is a member, and membership does come with significant benefits.