Nationwide Tour Insider: Projections for 'THE 25'

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The race for "THE 25" is beginning to shape up on the Nationwide Tour. With 10 events remaining in the season, six players have ostensibly secured their positions in the top 25 and a PGA TOUR card for 2010.

Last year, Ricky Barnes held the 25th position on final money list with earnings of $218,902. Players currently within a safe margin of this mark in 2009 are the top six -- Michael Sim ($414,579), Chris Tidland ($293,680), Tom Gillis ($270,796), Blake Adams ($255,906), Kevin Johnson ($255,123) and Roger Tambellini ($250,760).

The table below provides estimated earnings for players currently ranked seventh to 30th on the money list who have played eight or more events on Tour this year. Players' average earnings per event are multiplied by 10, assuming they enter all of the events left on the schedule. This is a very rough projection, as varying purse sizes, uncertainty as to what the final 25 cutoff will be and the dramatic impact of a victory are not considered. However, it does provide a rough benchmark for how these players need to perform down the final stretch to position themselves to finish inside "THE 25".

The final column indicates "PACE" (player is on pace with current average earnings) and "IMPROVE" (player must improve their average earnings to finish in the top 25)