Tight race for 'THE 25,' strong field in Utah ...

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ONLY $174 SEPARATES NOS. 25 AND 26
With just $174 separating Nos. 25 and 26 on the money list, every shot has increased importance as the 2008 Nationwide Tour season enters its stretch drive. Heading to Utah this week, Cox Classic champion Ryan Hietala is 25th on the money list with $155,323. Former University of Florida All-American Matt Every is next in line with $155,149. When the 30th and final event of the year, the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, is over in early November, only the top 25 money winners will be awarded PGA TOUR cards for 2009.

Barnes

SPEAKING OF DOLLAR DIFFERENCES
With just seven events left, the difference between 20th on the money list (Ricky Barnes) and 30th (Bob May) is only $16,455. How big a difference is that? A tie for solo eighth in the Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank is worth $17,050. Look for a lot of movement in the chase for "THE 25" between now and the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch.

24 OF TOP 25 IN UTAH
New No. 1 Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe will have a lot of talented players chasing him this week. Of the top-25 money winners, 24 will be at Willow Creek. The lone exception is Australian Greg Chalmers (No. 3).

"FINS & PINS" AND BALL-SKIPPING CONTEST
Nationwide Tour players who like to fish and/or bowl will have some extra-curricular activities to look forward to on Tuesday afternoon. The Utah Championship will stock the eighth and ninth holes at host Willow Creek CC with rainbow trout. For the bowlers on Tour, there will be a tournament at Willow Creek's private lanes for 16 player/caddie teams. One other competition for caddies only will be the golf ball-skipping contest at the pond adjacent to the 18th green. A BBQ will follow at 6 p.m. Players who wish to compete in both events will have that opportunity.

Reavie

GRADUATES THOMPSON, REAVIE, LAIRD MOVE ON IN PGA TOUR PLAYOFFS FOR THE FEDEXCUP
Three members of the Nationwide Tour Class of 2007 remain in the hunt for the FedExCup. Nicholas Thompson (40th in points), Chez Reavie (54th) and Martin Laird (61st) will all be at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis at the third Playoff event They'll be looking for a big week in order to make the top 30 and earn a spot in THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola (Sept. 22-28). Ken Duke, the Nationwide Tour's 2006 Player of the Year, continues his strong season. He's 18th on the FedExCup points list after a tie for 10th in the Deutsche Bank Championship, a jump of ten spots.

NEXT WEEK
The Nationwide Tour heads to Boise, Idaho, and Hillcrest Country Club for the 19th playing of the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft (Sept. 8-14). Canadian Jon Mills won the event last year.

THIS WEEK IN NATIONWIDE TOUR HISTORY
Aug. 26, 1990: Tom Lehman records only two bogeys in 54 holes to win the Reflection Ridge Open in Wichita, Kan., his first Nationwide Tour title. Aug. 30, 1998: The late Stiles Mitchell (he passed away on July 19th) tops Woody Austin and Jeff Barlow in a playoff at the Permian Basin Open. "Big Daddy" Mitchell leads the tournament in driving distance with an average of 335.7 yards on his measured tee shots and ties for fifth in greens in regulation.