Sips of Maginnes: Haas may be hottest player in U.S. right now

text size

Cohen/Getty Images

Rookie Brendon de Jonge has played in 31 tournaments on the PGA TOUR this year.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Bo Van Pelt has had a very solid season. Although he hasn't won he has amassed six top-10 finishes and 12 top-25s. He played in THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola and is assured a spot in the first three majors next year. He put himself in contention once again at The McGladrey Classic, too. Early in the week when asked if his father, a former NFL player, gave him any advice when he was younger Bo smiled and said, "Wake up every day like you are broke and hungry and you will never be either." Great advice no matter what you do for a living.

WHEN I WAS A ROOKIE, a veteran said to me, "The fastest way to lose your PGA TOUR card is to play more than 30 tournaments in a season." Well, someone forgot tell that to Brendon de Jonge. It wouldn't have mattered anyway -- he probably wouldn't have listened. I didn't. I thought that there had to be an exception to every rule. I was right, I just wasn't it. Well, Brendon has played 31 tournaments on TOUR this year and for a while, there didn't seem to be any stopping him. He has earned more than $2 million and is ranked 34th on the money list. He has only missed one cut in his last 15 starts and was close to moving into the top 30 where he could earn a spot in the Masters and the U.S. Open next year. This old veteran's advice to Brendon: keep playing young man, keep playing. But alas, Brendon says that he is calling it a year and heading home for some well deserved rest.

DAVID TOMS WAS IN THE PENULTIMATE group on Sunday and came to the driving range before the round with a smile on his face. His beloved LSU Tigers had won a barnburner on Saturday night. David said he was so wired after the game that he couldn't fall asleep until well after midnight. He and his wife watched the game with David's sister and her husband who came up to Sea Island for a little celebration. It was David's sister's 40th birthday. The only thing that could have made the weekend any better would have been a Toms victory, but he ended up finishing third.

BILL HAAS MAY BE THE HOTTEST player in America right. He followed up his victory at the Viking Classic -- his second win of the season -- with a second-place finish at The McGladrey Classic. The runner-up finish took Haas from 26th on the money list to 18th and safely inside the top 30 for the season. With the now inevitable top-30 finish Haas will be in the Masters and the U.S. Open next year.

HIS WIN AT THE MCGLADREY CLASSIC moved Heath Slocum from 43rd to 29th on the money list. The win guarantees him a spot in the SBS Championship and the PGA Championship. However, he will likely need one more good finish this year to remain in the top 30 and gain entry into the Masters and U.S. Open. The way that he is rolling his rock right now, though, it seems likely that he will stay there with just minimal effort.

TROY MERRITT WAS IN A VERY DIFFICULT situation on Sunday. Playing in the final group in any TOUR event is a test for a rookie. Now imagine that rookie is 123rd on the money list and the pressure is immeasurable. For Troy, Sunday could have been the day that he broke through and won for the first time on TOUR. Short of that it could have been the day that he secured his exempt status for 2011 with a decent finish and a small jump on the money list. Neither one of those things happened. "I just couldn't find my swing for the first seven holes," he said after the round. Troy will need to get past the disappointment of Sunday's disaster quickly. The 75 on Sunday not only dropped Troy from second to 33rd in the final accounting, he also lost three spots on the money list and is now outside the top 125.

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SPECTRUM in age, stage of career and experience was Joe Durant, who came into The McGladrey Classic ranked No. 131 on the money list. Joe was a factor in the event throughout the week until Heath Slocum made a bomb at the 16th on Sunday to seize control of the event. Joe held on to finish tied for sixth and move 16 spots up the money list. At 115th Joe should be safe for next year but the top-10 finish guarantees that he will play at least two of the last three events. As a past champion he is already in the field at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. The top-10 gets him into the Frys.com Open this week. Although he didn't win it was a huge move in the right direction for Joe.

THERE WERE THREE RYDER CUPPERS in the field at The McGladrey Classic. Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar were on the U.S. team, while tournament host Davis Love III was an assistant captain. All three looked a little drained when they were paired together on Thursday morning. Although they didn't contend on Sunday they all enjoyed a fabulous week. More importantly they were all able to sleep in their own beds. All three live on St. Simons Island.

CONGRATULATIONS TO McGLADREY, SEA ISLAND and everyone involved in the event for having what I think was the most successful debut for a PGA TOUR event since the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte nearly a decade ago. Every glowing word that you heard about Sea Island is true. Every facet of hospitality is covered every week of the year there. The tournament host, Davis Love III and his brother Mark, along with all others involved, should be extremely proud of everything that happened last week in South Georgia.