Notes: Killeen heads home to chase victory No. 3 of 2011

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Nationwide Tour money winner J.J. Killeen will try to win near his hometown of San Diego this week.

SIX AND COUNTING -- The Soboba Golf Classic is one of only five full-field events remaining on the 2011 Nationwide Tour schedule. With time running out on the season and a healthy $750,000 purse available this week, 90 of the Tour's top-100 money winners are entered. Soboba is the only 2011 tournament with perfect attendance among the top 60 thus far. The season capper is the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C., where the field is limited to the top 60.

CONGRATULATIONS, JASON KOKRAK -- Having competed in only four Nationwide Tour events prior to this year, Jason Kokrak (COKE-rack) is truly a fresh new face on Tour in 2011. Here is some background to get to know Sunday's Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft winner better -- grew up in Warren, Ohio...voted Ohio high school golfer of the year in 2003...four-year letter winner and 2007 Communications graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati...currently lives in Charlotte, N.C.... at 6-foot-4, 225 lbs., he is a big bomber of the golf ball...earned conditional status on the Nationwide Tour this year via 2010 Q-School....Albertsons Boise Open win came in his 11th event of 2011...he moved from 70th on the money list to 13th...leads the Tour in Driving Distance at 320.3 yards. Perhaps the best part of Kokrak's story last week -- he was an alternate until Tuesday morning and was the last player to get in the field.

RUSSELL HENLEY JOINS TEAMMATE HARRIS ENGLISH IN MAKING PRO DEBUT AT SOBOBA -- University of Georgia standout Russell Henley will make his professional debut this week at the Soboba Golf Classic alongside his former college teammate and friend Harris English. Henley (Stadion Classic at UGA) and English (Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational) became only the second and third amateurs to win a Nationwide Tour event, having done so in May and July, respectively. The 22-year-olds played four years together on the UGA golf team, both achieving All-American status, and capped their amateur careers competing for the U.S. in the recent Walker Cup in Aberdeen, Scotland. Henley received a sponsor exemption. Last week, English accepted Nationwide Tour membership for 2011 and 2012 that became available when he won in Columbus. He had until Sept. 24th to declare his intentions. The duo has five events to make the top 60 on the money list and earn a spot in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C. If successful, they'll have a chance to earn a 2012 PGA TOUR card via "The 25".

SO CAL HOMECOMING FOR J.J. KILLEEN -- While J.J. Killeen spent much of his teen years in Texas and remained in Fort Worth after attending TCU there, part of his heart remains in San Diego where he was born and raised. Killeen, who turns 30 on Oct. 22nd, is sitting on two wins, along with Aussie Mathew Goggin, meaning both are one win away from immediately becoming PGA TOUR members. The Country Club of Soboba Springs could very well be the scene of win number three for Killeen. The avid Chargers fan finished fifth in his last two visits at the southern California venue. A T11 in Boise on Sunday padded Killeens's lead over Goggin (missed cut) to just under $30,000.

SOLID NATIONWIDE TOUR RUN FOR JOHN MALLINGER -- Ineligible for The Playoffs for the FedExCup, John Mallinger has played his last three events on the Nationwide Tour, finishing T3, 2nd and 2nd, to move to 12th on the money list. The Tour alumnus is 187th on the PGA TOUR money list having made 14 starts this year.

JAMIE SADLOWSKI -- RE/MAX World Long Drive champion Jamie Sadlowski made the cut in his first Nationwide Tour event last week in Boise. He shot 73-66 to make the cut on the number. Weekend rounds of 73-75 led a T75 finish. Not surprisingly, Sadlowski lead the field in Driving Distance (349.8 yards), but was only 6.2 yards longer than No. 2 Jason Kokrak (343.6).

CONFIDENT KIDS -- Asked last week about the logjam of players competing in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, former Nationwide Tour member Steve Stricker said: "There are so many good players that are capable of winning. These younger kids come out with a lot of confidence, and the ability to win. They've won on the Nationwide Tour and around the world. So I think it's tough to win out here."

CHARITY ON TOP IN BOISE -- On Sunday tournament officials for the Albertsons Boise Open announced another huge charity donation from this year's tournament....$1,076,000 to charity, which included approximately $725,000 to other area charities via TICKETS Fore CHARITY?. Both figures surpassed last year's totals. Congratulations to all in Boise!

THANK YOU, ADAM WALLACE -- Adam Wallace, who has been a key member of the Nationwide Tour communications team the last four years, is leaving the TOUR next week, having accepted a position in business development with the TBC Retail Group. He will remain in the Ponte Vedra Beach area. We thank Adam for his contributions and wish him well in his new endeavor.

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT -- Sweden's Jonas Blixt continues his fine form of the summer. The third-year Nationwide Tour member out of Florida State University bagged his third top-three finish of the summer in Boise (T3) to climb two spots up the money list to No. 10. Blixt, 27, has only missed one cut since late June. He was 68th on the list at the time

DID YOU KNOW? -- Last year at this time the Nationwide Tour's current No. 3 on the money list, Troy Kelly, underwent hip-replacement surgery. The Tacoma, Wash. native/resident and University of Washington grad (2003) has made 11 cuts in 14 starts in 2011. His best finishes are a 2nd, a T2 and a T3. Only once in his 11 cuts made has he finished outside the top 30. Kelly was a member of the PGA TOUR in 2009, making just three cuts in 17 events. "For me, it's been a good thing to play on this tour for a year or two," Kelly said. "It prepares you way more to be successful than going right out there (via Q-School) like I did."

"GETAWAY" PROMOTION ENTERS 7th WEEK -- Golf Channel's "Nationwide Tour Hawaii Getaway" promotion enters its seventh week. One person will win a trip for two to the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii where the Nationwide Tour class of 2011 will make its 2012 PGA TOUR debut. Fans may enter online by answering player trivia questions at www.golfchannel.com/the25trivia. Last week's featured player was Jeff Gove.

BIRTHDAY BOYS -- Celebrating birthdays this week in California are Trevor Murphy (19th / turns 27), B.J. Staten (22nd / 34), Andrew Buckle (24th / 29), David Branshaw (25th / 42) and John Mallinger (25th / 32).

NEXT WEEK -- The Tour is in Midland, Texas (Sept. 29 -- Oct. 2) for the 20th playing of the WNB Golf Classic at Midland Country Club where Nate Smith won last year.