Notes: No. 1 player acts as caddie before final event

text size

• Ryan Palmer's victory last week was the 237th by a former Nationwide Tour player on the PGA TOUR. It was the 20th win for Nationwide Tour alums this year and the fourth in a row.

Ferrey/Getty Images

Brendon de Jonge caddied for a friend the week before teeing it up in the Nationwide Tour Championship.

• The Tour's leading money Brendon de Jonge took a different approach to preparing for this week's Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch. He spent last week caddying for his friend Bruce McDonald at a first stage PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Unfortunately, McDonald failed to advance to the second stage.

• Peter Tomasulo enters this week's finale comfortably in 16th place on the money list and just one week away from earning his PGA TOUR card. He's had quite an interesting year. He's made not one, but two holes in one and has a double eagle. Only one other player in the 19-year history of the Nationwide Tour has made two aces and a double eagle in the same season -- David Hearn who did it last year.

• Chris Tidland enters the final event as the man in the 25th spot on the money list. He holds a narrow $469 lead over No. 26, Hunter Haas, in the race for the final PGA TOUR card that is awarded to the 25 top finishers on the money list.

• A mere $469 separates Chris Tidland, who is in 25th place on the money list and Hunter Haas, who is 26th. The top-25 money-winners at the conclusion of this week will earn their 2009 PGA TOUR cards.

• This week's field features the top-60 money winners on the 2008 Nationwide Tour. The field of 60 has been reduced to 59 with the withdrawl of Tee McCabe, No. 57 on the money list. McCabe has been bothered by an injury to his left wrist and will not participate.

• Brendon de Jonge, winner of the Xerox Classic, enters the tournament No. 1 on the money list with $415,835. That is the fourth-highest, single-season amount in Tour history, topping Roland Thatcher's 2007 earnings of $415,124 by $711. Troy Matteson holds the single-season money record, with $495,009 in 2005. De Jonge would need to finish first ($180,000), solo second ($108,000) or in a two-way tie for second ($88,000) in order to top Matteson's total.

• This week's purse of $1 million marks only the second time in Nationwide Tour history that a seven-figure purse has been offered. The Nationwide Tour Players Cup in July was the first event to offer that total. The first-place check of $180,000 this week will guarantee the tournament winner a spot among "The 25," the leading money-winners who earn exemptions to the 2009 PGA TOUR. Joe Daley comes into the event No. 60 on the money list, with $110,497.

• The player who finishes No. 1 on the final money list will earn full-exempt status for the 2009 PGA TOUR -- the equivalent of finishing among this year's top 125 PGA TOUR money-winners. In addition, the No. 1 player on the list will receive an exemption into THE PLAYERS Championship next May.

• Despite all the possibilities of potential changes to the money list at the Tour Championship over the years, no more than two players have ever been bumped out of the graduating class in any single year. Last season, Skip Kendall (No. 22) and David McKenzie (No. 23) were replaced in the class by Michael Letzig (finished second to move from No. 26 to No. 12) and Tom Scherrer (tied for third to move from No. 27 to No. 20).

• Several players come into the week on a high note. Arjun Atwal, a playoff winner of the Chattanooga Classic, hasn't missed a cut since the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic in August. Atwal is No. 17 on the money list. Matt Bettencourt has three top-five finishes in his last five starts, including a win at the Oregon Classic and a playoff loss to D.A. Points at the recent Miccosukee Championship. Bettencourt is No. 12 on the money list. Hunter Haas, No. 26 on the money list, has three top-10s and five top-25s in his last five starts. Spencer Levin comes into the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch at No. 21 on the money list, with five top-10s in his last nine starts.