Storylines: Longest course on Tour, Nicklaus history, sweepstakes

text size

Longest course in Nationwide Tour history
This week's host site, Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, will once again be the longest course played in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event (PGA TOUR, Nationwide Tour, Champions Tour). It measures 7,781 yards. In 2007, the par-72 course ranked sixth toughest among Nationwide Tour layouts with a 73.55 stroke average. Kinderlou Forest was recently ranked No. 14 on Golfweek magazine's "Best Courses You Can Play" list. Prior to 2007, the longest course to host a TOUR event was the 7,702-yard Whistle Bear Golf Club in 2005 when Jon Mills won the Canadian PGA Championship in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

Chalmers

Aussies remain on a roll
On Sunday, Greg Chalmers became the fifth Australian to win on the Nationwide Tour this year in just eight events when he captured the Henrico County Open. This equals the Aussies' own mark of most international winners in a single season -- five in both 2005 and 2006. Chalmers is joined by Jarrod Lyle, Ewan Porter, Gavin Coles and Aron Price, all of whom find themselves inside the top 10 on the money list as well as "THE 25". The top-25 money winners at season's end will earn PGA TOUR cards for 2009.

Touring the Southeast
The South Georgia Classic is the third leg of the Nationwide Tour's five-event swing through the Southeast. Events were played in Athens, Ga., then Richmond, Va., last week before heading to Valdosta, Ga., this week. From there it's west to Ft. Smith, Ark., and back to the Greenville, S.C., area in two weeks.

Nicklaus

Nicklaus family makes history five years ago this week
The Nicklaus family made golf history five years ago on May 1st when Jack and his four sons -- Jack II, Steve, Gary and Michael -- teed off in the first round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am. It marked the first time the Golden Bear and his four boys played in the same tournament. At age 63, Jack shot 71-67-75-70?283 over the two host Cliffs courses outside Greenville, S.C., finishing tied for 45th.

Keith Nolan / "The man with a Sharpie"
Last year's ironman on the Nationwide Tour was Keith Nolan, 37, who teed it up in all 31 regular-season events. A recent PGATOUR.COM feature revealed the Irishman's love of people -- kids, in particular. The former Walker Cup team member and current resident of Knoxville, Tenn., is never too busy to sign an autograph, sometimes even during play. And as is so often the case, Nolan's personality was shaped around personal experience. Dave Lagarde's feature retold of the day that Nolan, as a child, and his mother attended the Irish Open. Despite persistent attempts to secure the signature from one of his favorite players both before and after a tournament round, he was repeatedly rebuffed. His mother took matters into her own hands, following the player into the clubhouse and emerging within a few minutes with the autograph in hand. "I can't repeat what my mother said," Nolan said, "but she did come back with an autograph." The episode stays with Nolan to this day and clearly played a role in making him "very caring, very affable and a credit to his sport."

Haas

BMW event's junior golf day to feature Greenville's Haas, Warren and Thompson
Three TOUR players who live at the host Thornblade Club in Greenville, S.C., will headline the kickoff event to the 2008 BMW Charity Pro-Am on Monday, May 12. Jay Haas of the Champions Tour and Charles Warren and Kyle Thompson of the PGA TOUR will help conduct the "Mike Creery First Tee Love for the Game Junior Golf Day" from 4-5 p.m. Deaf golfer and Nationwide Tour competitor Kevin Hall will join them in the clinic that will focus on short-game shots.

GOLF CHANNEL kicks off sweepstakes promotion
Nationwide Insurance and GOLF CHANNEL launched a consumer promotion last week whereby the grand prize will be a private golf outing with Nationwide Tour alums Brandt Snedeker and Jeff Quinney. "Nationwide Tour Play with the Pros" kicked off last week at the Henrico County Open and will consist of individual sweepstakes held in conjunction with each tournament that will be televised on GOLF CHANNEL. To enter, viewers will complete a question/answer entry via GOLFCHANNEL.COM based on information from on-air features involving a player in that week's field. In addition to the Grand Prize, 13 weekly prize winners will receive a Nickent 4DX Hybrid golf club.

Next week
The Nationwide Tour will be in Arkansas for the Ft. Smith Classic presented by Stephens, Inc. Last year, PGA TOUR veteran Jay Williamson revived his fortunes with a win at the 6,783-yard Hardscrabble Country Club. The Classic is the 10th of 30 events this year, marking the 1/3 point in the 2008 season.