Price could take a big stride toward TOUR with two more solid rounds

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BRIDGEPORT, West Va. -- It's halfway down and an eternity to go in the inaugural Nationwide Tour Players Cup.

Victory this week would be the highlight of Rick Price's career. (Condon/PGA TOUR)

Inside the Numbers

Rick Price in 2008

Category Total Rank Driving Distance 281.6 yds. 120 Driving Accuracy 68.17% 75 Greens in Regulation 67.09% 95 Putting Average 1.815 87 Birdie Average 3.30 76 Sand Saves 45.83% 69 Scoring Average 71.78 74 Money Leaders $69,283 46

That's the situation through 36 holes at the Pete Dye Golf Club, where the weekend promises lots of suspense and the distinct possibility of some major surprises.

Journeymen Matt Bettencourt and Rick Price certainly have put themselves in position to provide one of the latter should either bring the same game and mindset they carried to this 7,308-yard, par-72 track during the first two rounds.

If truth is told, not one person outside of their immediate families would have called out Bettencourt's or Price's name had there been a pre-tournament poll inquiring who was this week's favorite in first $1 million event in the Nationwide Tour's 18-plus year history. But that's the beauty of this Tour, where the difference between No. 1 and No. 100 is as miniscule as the width of a hair follicle.

So there is Bettencourt, 33. He rests atop the leader board at 10-under-par 134 after shooting an 8-under-par 64 Friday that matched Price's tournament best from Thursday. And there is Price, 40, one stroke behind. Should either player win the $180,000 first prize it will match the front-running duo's career victory total of one, claimed by Price in 2005.

So needless to say a victory here would be the highlight of either man's career. Such is life when the leading pair shares 24 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament failures. Speaking of which, a victory also would punch the first ticket to The Big Show for Bettencourt or Price.

The leaders will do their level best to bury thoughts of a future in the lap of golf's luxury for the time being.

"This is a 72-hole tournament,'' said Price, who has had some agonizingly close calls in his 19 trips to q-school.

There never is an awards ceremony planned midway through the work week, but those who survive the cut are given the opportunity to succeed. And at the moment, Bettencourt and Price hold the biggest and best of the opportunities, which are all they want.

"Nine under is a good place to be any time after two rounds,'' said Price, a former club assistant professional in his ninth full season on the Nationwide Tour. "That's good golf anywhere.''

The last time Price, who has made 215 starts in 10 seasons, played better was in June of 2006 in Chattanooga, where he opened 66-65. He got on a quick roll to start the 2008 season, making his first five cuts with a best of solo third in the HSBC New Zealand PGA Championship. Of late, though, he has cleaned out his locker on the Friday of the last four tournaments, precipitating a drop to 46th on the money list.

That's why seeing that '64' in the big box on his scorecard Thursday was a welcome sight. Price didn't approach the same swing precision Friday, but he score could have been better if not for several lipouts.

"I still played solid and that's what I wanted,'' he said.

The opportunity to play golf is all Price ever wanted. He admits he loves "everything about the game.''

"When you love doing it, that makes it easier to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get back at it when the game knocks you down,'' he said. "That isn't easy to do if you don't. But the one thing I've learned about this game is you can always improve. That's my goal.''

Then there is the other goal, the one best left unspoken until achieved. But that's tough to do when everyone who sticks a peg in the teeing ground at a Nationwide Tour event shares it and that's moving up to golf's highest level.

"It would be really neat to see where my game stacks up, especially when you can finish 125th (on the money list) and everyone thinks you've had a great year,'' he said, smiling. "Out here, you finish 50th and you've had a bad year.

"At this stage of my career that would be a lot of fun. And out there you're ahead of the game before you start because of all the endorsements.''

There's no time like the present for Price, who spoke Friday like a man who still held a strong belief in himself and was in possession of a can-do spirit.

"I've just go to play good golf for the rest of the weekend,'' he said. "If someone plays great, good for them; that's out of my control. But I honestly believe if I can keep playing like I did here Thursday and Friday and can stay patient I'll be in good shape at the end of the year.''

Actually, he could find himself in that enticing position late Sunday afternoon. If he performs, that is, in a sport where there are no guarantees.