Mathis and Klauk move up, Tour heads to Chicago...

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Wins put David Mathis, Jeff Klauk 1st, 2nd and PGA TOUR bound
There's not much doubt that the Nationwide Tour's two most recent winners are headed to the PGA TOUR in 2009. David Mathis of Raleigh, N.C., ($223,679) and Jeff Klauk ($221,433) of St. Augustine, Fla., are now first and second on the Nationwide Tour money list. Both have been playing very solid golf of late. Mathis has recorded a tie for sixth, a win and a tie for second in the last three events as well as six top 25s in his last six starts. Klauk's win was preceded by four top-20 finishes in five starts. He is the son of recently retired TPC Sawgrass superintendent Fred Klauk. The top-25 money winners at the end of the year will earn a PGA TOUR card. Neither Mathis nor Klauk has been a PGA TOUR member yet. Last year, when there were 32 tournaments, the 25th player on the final money list earned $196,896 (Jimmy Walker). Two other players, Darron Stiles and Greg Chalmers, join Mathis and Klauk in having surpassed the $200,000 mark this year.

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The 12th hole at Cog Hill -- the host of last year's BMW Championship.

The only PGA TOUR show in town
This week's Bank of America Open is the only PGA TOUR-sanctioned golf event in the Chicago area this year. Golf fans will get to watch the stars of the future as they compete on the TOUR's "official proving ground" and for a spot within "THE 25" and the 2009 PGA TOUR card that comes with it. The PGA TOUR's FedExCup Playoff event, the BMW Championship, returns to Cog Hill in 2009, '10 and '11.

Ricky Barnes coming on strong
In his last three starts, Ricky Barnes has jumped inside "THE 25" with finishes of tied for fifth (Fort Smith), tied for 10th (BMW) and tied for seventh (Melwood). He had two other top 10s earlier in the year giving him five in 10 events. The three-time All American out of the University of Arizona was 45th on the money list heading to Fort Smith and is now 20th. Barnes' second-round 63 on Saturday in the Melwood Prince George's County Open broke the course record. He came closest to earning his PGA TOUR card in 2006 when he was one spot outside the number.

Matt Weibring knocking on victory's door
Matt Weibring had another good performance last week in the Melwood Prince George's County Open, a tie for ninth. It was the Georgia Tech grad's third top-10 finish in a row (tie for fifth, third, tie for ninth). It was also the third straight tournament Weibring was paired in the final group on Sunday. His scores the last three Sundays have been 75, 71 and 73.

Plenty of Windy City connections
The Chicago area has a rich golf tradition dating back to the formation of Chicago Golf Club and the Western Golf Association near the turn of the last century, among other things. Golf's connection with the city is carried on by the Nationwide Tour. Players in this week's Bank of America Open field with Chicago and Illinois roots include D.A. Points (Pekin, Ill. and the University of Illinois), Tom Johnson (Northwestern), Jason Enloe (Decatur, Ill.), Fran Quinn (Northwestern), Gary Hallberg (Berwyn, Ill.) and Jess Daley (Northwestern).

Big purse
The Bank of America Open purse of $750,000 is the third largest on the Nationwide Tour (joined by the Moonah Classic and the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational). The Nationwide Tour Players Cup in West Virginia in July and the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in November are the only events with larger purses. They offer record $1 million payouts.

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Colt Knost's victory at the Fort Smith Classic is all the defense he needs for why he chose to turn pro.

The right decision for Colt
Colt Knost was subject to a lot of second-guessing when he elected to turn pro last fall and turn away from Masters, U.S. Open and British Open invitations that were on the table for his 2007 wins in the U.S. Public Links and U.S. Amateur. With a win now under his belt and four top-25 finishes in just seven starts, the SMU grad is not regretting things one bit. In speaking to the media at last week's PGA TOUR Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in his native Texas, Knost commented on his decision and Nationwide Tour experience to date. "I got off to a rough start early on ... but everything finally clicked two weeks ago in Fort Smith. I got some big relief to get that first win out of the way and get some of that Masters talk out of the way," he said. "The competition (on the Nationwide Tour) is unbelievable. Any of the guys out there that are in the top 25 can compete out here (PGA TOUR). There are so many that belong out here. It's just tough getting here. It's definitely preparing me for what I think I need to do in the future." Knost won his first professional event on May 11 on the Nationwide Tour, the Fort Smith Classic presented by Stephens, Inc.

International money list
Nine of "THE 25" leading money winners on the Nationwide Tour hail from outside the U.S.A. Australia leads the pack with five, while Canada, England, India and Norway each have one.

This week in Nationwide Tour history
On May 28, 1995 David Toms wins his first Tour title when he defeats Tom Scherrer in a playoff at the Nike Greater Greenville Classic (now BMW Charity Pro-Am). Toms went on to win one more Nationwide Tour title that year before heading to the PGA TOUR where he has collected 12 victories to date, including the 2001 PGA Championship.

Next week
The Nationwide Tour travels south to Raleigh, N.C. for The Rex Hospital Open at the TPC Wakefield Plantation, a Hale Irwin design. Kyle Thompson captured one of his two 2007 titles in the event.