Sheehan's victory solves one problem, creates another

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Patrick Sheehan has some decisions to make.

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He earned his second career victory on the Nationwide Tour on Sunday at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic -- jumping to seventh on the money list in the process. Winning anywhere is a good thing, but this victory might cloud the waters in terms of scheduling for Patrick going forward.

A year ago, the 39-year-old finished 128th on the PGA TOUR money list, which earned him entry on a space-available basis to TOUR events in 2009. He's in the field this week at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, but he likely won't get another start until the Valero Texas Open the week after THE PLAYERS Championship. Incidentally, his best career finish was at La Cantera back in 2004, when he was runner-up to Bart Bryant.

The dilemma and the goal for Patrick is simple, but the solution is far more complex. The goal is to avoid q-school and be exempt next year on the PGA TOUR. But what path should he take? If Patrick can finish in the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list, he will earn his return trip. Patrick is well aware of the level of dedication required -- he finished 12th on that money list back in 2002. As a PGA TOUR rookie the next year, he kept his card by finishing 102nd on the money list.

It has been an up-and-down journey for Patrick. From the Canadian Tour back in the early 1990s to the mini-tours of Florida and everywhere else, Patrick was the model of perseverance -- playing in obscurity for a comparative pittance. Those long hours of dedication and interminable weeks of frustration all paid off when Patrick landed on the PGA TOUR in 2003. Since then, he has made nearly $4 million but has yet to fight his way into the winner's circle there.

Will that quest be put on hold for another year? The simple answer is: He doesn't know yet. If he has some success in his starts on the PGA TOUR, he will most certainly focus all of his efforts there. So far in four starts, though, he has only made two cuts and is 172nd on the money list. The win in Athens puts him in great position to finish in the Nationwide Tour top 25, though.

Following Sunday's win, Patrick said he felt like he would need to make a decision on where to dedicate his time by early summer. It is very difficult for a player to pass up the opportunity to play on the PGA TOUR. Yet, it's the goal for every Nationwide Tour player, too. Set aside the money, if you can, and logic says that if you are playing well enough to win on the Nationwide Tour, you are playing well enough to at the very least contend on the PGA TOUR.

We will soon see how things fall for Patrick. In 1996, Paul Stankowski won on the Nationwide Tour one week and on the PGA TOUR the next. Jason Gore won three times in 2005 to earn an immediate promotion to the PGA TOUR that year, as well. Could Patrick Sheehan be next? It would certainly solve a lot of problems if he could somehow pull the rare double.

The one thing we know for sure is that Patrick has a lot of experience. There was a time when he didn't have anywhere to play other than in the minor leagues. For the rest of this season each week he will have to make the tough decision of whether to play in the big leagues or put the time in and try to get called up from Triple-A.

Patrick is now exempt for the rest of this year -- and next -- on the Nationwide Tour. He would prefer not to play a single event, though. That is just the nature of things for the journeyman TOUR player. The good news is that Patrick likes to play a lot of golf tournaments. In his five full years on TOUR, he has played an average of 33 events a year. No player had more starts than Patrick between 2003 and 2008. I didn't even look to see if anyone came close. Patrick had 169 starts in five years, which is playing basically every week that you get into the event.

The irony of the situation is not lost on Patrick. He may have to turn down spots on the PGA TOUR going forward in an effort to ensure that he gets to play there later.

And you thought playing professional golf was easy.

John Maginnes is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.