Fall Series: Ten who must shine in final five events

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When the FedExCup format was created before the 2007 season, it did more than simply create a Playoff system within the game of golf: It was also designed to create emphasis on strong play during the Regular Season. Consequently, it brought a sense of urgency to make the roster for the Playoffs.

Preview: 2009 Fall Series

For those players who are on the cusp of keeping -- or losing -- their PGA TOUR cards, missing the Playoffs is the worst of both worlds. Players must sit idly by for more than a month, waiting for the Fall Series and the chance to earn enough to keep a PGA TOUR card.

It's not as simple as that. Making the top 125 on the money list grows more difficult with each passing year, and the ramifications for missing the magic number are great.

Steve Allen and Rich Beem are good examples. Allen and Beem each fell $100,000 short of retaining their cards for 2009, and, as a result, they were forced to sit back and hope for playing opportunities. It's a process of writing letters to tournaments, asking for sponsor exemptions and waiting for players to withdraw. It brings a whole new meaning to the term "vicious cycle."

It's an unsettling experience that makes it hard to gather momentum, and even the most seasoned veterans have a hard time adjusting to the fact that they no longer control their schedules. It's a simple problem that can be avoided with a few solid weeks of play in the fall. That's why the Fall Series is so important.

With that being said, here are the 10 notable players under the gun for the Fall Series:

Fall Series: 10 players who must perform

Rank Player   Comment Stuart APPLEBY Stuey didn't qualify for the Playoffs, and his PGA TOUR card runs out after this year. At 129th in the standings, he's under a lot less pressure than other players, but his fall to 111th in the Official World Golf Ranking is a surprise. Peter LONARD Lonard is 186th on the money list after cracking the top 80 in both 2007 and 2008. In 2007, he was 18th in total driving; in 2009, that number slipped all the way to 148th, and that stat affects every part of your game. Brian BATEMAN Bateman's two-year exemption for winning the 2007 Buick Open runs out this year. He's 232nd on the money list and has only made three cuts in 21 starts. Like Lonard, total driving (197th on TOUR) has hurt him. Eric AXLEY Axley is one of the TOUR's iron men -- he plays any week he's eligible -- but he's made it to the weekend only seven times in 2009. Axley is without a top-10 on TOUR since his strong run in mid 2008, when he had three top-10s in eight starts. Joe OGILVIE Like Bateman, Ogilvie is a winner from 2007 at the end of his two-year exemption. Ogilvie made the first round of the Playoffs, and at 127th on the money list, he's under less pressure than others outside the top 125. Rocco MEDIATE Here's a stat for you: Mediate has missed just one cut in 18 starts this year -- and he's 146th on the money list. He's 17th in second-round scoring average, but he's 184th in third-round scoring average. That has cost him a lot of money. Cliff KRESGE Kresge enjoyed a career year in 2008, topping the $1 million mark for the first time, but his game has retracted in 2009. His lone top-10 came when he tied for 10th at the FBR Open. Vaughn TAYLOR Taylor is another player who qualified for the FedExCup, but at 131st on the money list, he's under some pressure this fall. He has played well in spots this year, but his final-round scoring average (72.00, 149th) has hurt him. Chris DIMARCO DiMarco has missed only nine cuts, but his iron play (139th in greens in regulation) has limited his birdie opportunities. He has played this season by using his status on the top 25 on the career money list, which may be used only once. Nicolas THOMPSON Thompson enjoyed a monster 2008 -- he racked up $1.8 million on the strength of six top-10s -- but he has made only 13 cuts this year. He's still one of the best ballstrikers on TOUR, but his putting (148th in putting average) has gone south in 2009.