Some eye q-school; others claim PGA TOUR cards

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Nicholas Thompson and Jimmy Walker earned their way into the top 125 on the money list at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. Here are a few other top-125 stories from the final event of the Fall Series:
MORE ON TOP 125: How the bubble boys fared | Money list | MONDAY BACKSPIN: Duval on outside looking in

Fowler

RICKIE FOWLER: Fowler wasn't able to work his way into the top 125 when he tied for 40th on Sunday. The talented 20-year-old did walk away with an added benefit, though.

As a Special Temporary Member of the PGA TOUR, Fowler maintained his spot inside 150 on the money list, so he gets a free pass into the final stage of q-school. His earnings in three TOUR starts totaled $571,090 and would have placed him No. 136.

So regardless of where he finishes after those six grueling, gut-check rounds of q-school at Bear Lakes in West Palm Beach, Fla., in December, Fowler has a job for 2010. The top 25 players and ties get their PGA TOUR cards and everyone else gets some degree of status on the Nationwide Tour.

Fowler, who was an All-American at Oklahoma State, turned pro in September after playing in his second Walker Cup.

His first TOUR event as a pro was at Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open where he tied for seventh and shot all four rounds in the 60s. He lost to Troy Matteson in a three-way playoff (that also included another wunderkid, Jamie Lovemark) at the Frys.Com Open in his next start, again shooting four sub-70 rounds.

That second straight top-10 landed Fowler in the Viking Classic. When that tournament was cancelled due to unplayable course conditions, he earned a spot in at Walt Disney World Resort for the PGA TOUR finale.

Hamilton

TODD HAMILTON: The former British Open champion has sent in a q-school entry form and would have a spot in the finals in early December.

At No. 133 on the money list, Hamilton would probably get 18-20 starts on TOUR in 2009, but if he can finish among the low 25 and ties at q-school, he'd probably get an additional seven starts.

"I like to play a lot, so that would be beneficial to me," Hamilton said. "But I may go play in Europe for a while. Who knows. I think I've got a 10-year deal for winning the Open over there."

Gronberg

MATHIAS GRONBERG: The Swede had secured his TOUR card for 2010 thanks to his status as one of "The 25" at the top of the Nationwide Tour money list.

Although he couldn't hold on after sharing the third-round lead at the Children's Miracle Network Classic -- he eventually finished sixth -- his confidence remains high.

"I think it'll be good," Gronberg said of 2010. "You never know, but I feel better. I started my year with having a bad left foot, and that was not a good start at all of the year. And then I struggled. But the win on Nationwide (Tour) was good."

With that sixth-place finish, Gronberg moved from 190 to 162nd on the final money list.

Frazar

HARRISON FRAZAR: The bubble boy at No. 125 when the Fall Series started, Frazar quickly moved up the money list thanks to a tie for seventh at the first Fall event, the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Frazar moved to 110th on the money list, and he maintained his place inside the top 125 despite a tie for 62nd at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, a missed cut at the Frys.com Open, and a tie for 47th at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. He eventually finished No. 112 on the money list.

"It's been a very long, very tough 2-1/2 years for me," said Frazar, who shot a 59 and won by eight shots in last year's q-school finals. "Physical issues, you know, psychological issues, doubting, you know, a lot of doubt, a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety. Trying to figure out where I belong in this giant rat race.

"You know, I had a plan for this year after q-school. Looked like I stuck to the plan. I deviated a little bit in the middle and didn't play very well. But really, I feel like I played better than the position that I ended up.

"However, given everything else that's happened and all things said and done, I'm happy with it."