To preview the 2013 PGA TOUR season, PGATOUR.COM is counting down the Top 100 Players to Watch in 2013. For an archive page with the top 100 players and for an explanation on how the list was compiled, click here .

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2013 PREVIEW: A nine-time winner around the world, Charlie Wi has five runner-up finishes in the last six seasons on the PGA TOUR. He'll need to improve his final-round scoring average -- Wi currently ranks 144th at 71.83, more than a stroke higher than his average before the cut -- to turn those seconds into wins.

2012 DEFINING MOMENT: Wi finished fifth or better four times in 2012 with the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am his best chance at that elusive breakthrough win. Aided by a opening 61 at Monterey Peninsula, Wi held at least a share of the lead in the first three rounds and was up by three as Sunday dawned. He tripled the first hole, though, and was overtaken by a hard-charging Phil Mickelson. – Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

ALBERS’ QUICK TAKE: He’s one of my favorite players on TOUR. Charlie is a journeyman who may not make the World Golf Hall Of Fame, but is part of a group of player who comprise the backbone of the PGA TOUR. Always a professional, he had a chance to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am but struggled in the final round. -- Fred Albers, SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio

BOLTON’S FANTASY OUTLOOK: ... In a word, commodity. In six seasons, he's banked $1.14-$1.85 million in each and posted a runner-up finish in all but one. All four of his top 10s in 2012 were top fives, and it was his age-40 season. His consistency limits him to the middle rounds of full-season formats, a value boosted by a full schedule. -- Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy expert

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2012 QUICK REVIEW

Regular Season ranking 36th

Final Playoffs ranking 60th

Best finishes

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AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

By the Numbers Starts: 25 Cuts made: 18 Rounds played: 52 Top-10 finishes: 4 Money List rank: N/A

TOUR ranking Driving distance: 134th Driving accuracy: 87th Greens in regulation: 184th Strokes gained-putting: 42nd Scoring average: 115th

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NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

What is you prediction for Charlie Wi in 2013? Fill out the form below and let us know.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM Leaderboard | Projected Money List LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- One round down, three to go -- at least for those looking to land a spot in the all-important top 125 on the money list. As Jonas Blixt, who is already well inside that number, put it earlier this week, guys playing for a card is where all the stress lies because they’re playing for their jobs. Others, meanwhile, are eyeing the top 30 or top 70, which gets players into the Masters or invitational events. With that in mind, here’s a look at who moved up, and who fell down, in the opening round of the season-ending Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. WHO’S UP>>> Camilo Villegas: He made the biggest jump of anyone on Thursday. Entering the week, Villegas was 150th on the money list and faced with the possibility of having to go to the second stage of q-school if he fell any further. He responded with a 7-under 65 to sit just one shot off the lead. As such, he’s now projected to climb more than 50 spots should he hold that position. Villegas has struggled since winning two years ago at The Honda Classic, falling outside the top 200 in the world. But he’s played much better of late with three straight finishes in the top 30. Villegas attributes the turnaround, in part, to a more positive outlook. “The biggest change is definitely mental and attitude,” Villegas said. Case in point: He three-putted his opening hole, No. 10 on the Palm Course, only to have nine one-putts the rest of the round. Started: 150th. Projected: 107th. Kevin Chappell: The Californian began the week inside the bubble, but just barely. A 67 gave him a little more cushion. It was also a good sign given his recent play. Chappell came here having missed three of his last four cuts. He also hadn’t broken 70 in any of his opening rounds during that stretch. Another good omen for Chappell: He tied for third here a year ago. If he does that again, his future status will be more thn secure. As for his round, he tallied a half-dozen birdies and just one bogey. He also took just 24 putts, which included 10 one-putts (though that number is a bit skewed since he hit just 10 greens in regulation).  Started: 123rd. Projected: 118th. Chez Reavie: If not for a playoff loss in Boston last year, Reavie wouldn’t even have to worry about his status for next year. As it is, he came to Disney on the outside looking in. A 68, however, puts him right on the bubble (replacing previous bubble boy Billy Mayfair). One big upside for Reavie: His 68 Thursday matched the low score on the much more difficult Magnolia Course here. That will put him in very good position going into the second round. Started: 132nd. Projected: 125th. Charlie Wi: He’s never won in 183 starts on TOUR. A victory this week, though, would have double meaning since it would move him inside the top 30 on the money list and get him into the Masters. This is the eighth first-round lead of Wi’s career and third this year -- he opened with a 61 at Pebble Beach’s Monterey Peninsula CC and a 66 at Bay Hill. Started: 45th. Projected: 29th. Charles Howell III: He began the week 73rd on the money list. He’s now projected to move up to 69th after one of just five 68s on the Magnolia Course. Howell had a pair of eagles in his round, on the par-5 fourth and par-5 10th. He also missed just three greens in regulation. Started: 73rd. Projected: 69th. WHO’S DOWN>>> Rod Pampling: The Aussie came into this week precariously perched just two spots inside the number. After a disappointing 70 on the Palm Course, which played nearly two strokes under par and two strokes easier than the Magnolia Course, Pampling is now projected to finish 126th. Pampling’s 31 putts certainly didn’t help. Neither did a bogey on his final hole of the day, the par-4 ninth. A year ago, Pampling shot 76-69 to miss the cut here. Started: 124th. Projected: 126th. Boo Weekley: The two-time TOUR winner came into the week flirting with the magic number. A 2-under 70 on the Magnolia dropped him one spot in the projections. He’s still safe for now, and he got the more difficult course out of the way on a breezy afternoon, but he’ll need to be careful. Weekley missed four of his last five cuts coming into this week. Started: 121st. Projected: 122nd. Jeff Maggert: The veteran crept closer to the bubble, dropping two places in the projected money following a 72 on the Palm Course. He still has another season before he’s eligible for the Champions Tour, so being fully exempt is important to Maggert. Started: 122nd. Projected: 124th. Billy Mayfair: A year ago, Mayfair entered this week on the wrong side of the number before tying for sixth to finish inside the top 125. Thursday, he shot a 72 on the Palm Course to fall off the bubble. Things started off well enough for Mayfair with three birdies through his first seven holes on the back nine. Then he double bogeyed the 18th and added three more bogeys on the front nine to close in 1 over.  Started: 125th. Projected: 127th. Gary Christian: The 41-year-old rookie said this week he’s just enjoying the ride. It could be a short one if he doesn’t move inside the top 125. He came to Disney two spots outside the number and fell one more after opening with a 71 on the Palm Course. Part of the problem: He had just three birdies on a course that played a couple of strokes under par. He didn’t give himself many opportunities, though, hitting just nine greens and still taking 28 putts. Started: 127th. Projected: 128th. NOTABLES Robert Karlsson: He came into the week 161st on the money list and is projected to drop a spot after opening with a 1-under 71 on the Magnolia Course, which has him in a tie for 48th. Justin Leonard: The 12-time winner entered 138th and fell a half-dozen spots following a 73 on the Magnolia Course. He does have a career money exemption for next season if needed, however. Stuart Appleby: A 74 on the Magnolia Couse has the Aussie projected to tumble four more spots to 166th. In three of his last four starts, Appleby has finished over par.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Charlie Wi is in a familiar position: In the lead after the first round.

Wi shot an 8-under 64 Thursday on the Palm Course at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. It is the eighth time in his career he has been atop the leaderboard after the opening day.

Whether he can stay there is another matter. The 40-year-old has yet to win in 183 starts on the PGA TOUR.

For now, though, Wi owns a one-shot lead over Tommy Gainey and Camilo Villegas. Gainey is trying to win for a second straight start, while Villegas is looking for his first win since 2010.

“The Palm Course is a course where you need to score,” Wi said. “All the par 5s are reachable so I felt like I took advantage of them.”

Specifically the seventh hole, where Wi sank an eagle putt from 15 feet. “When I made [that], I felt like I had something special going today,” said Wi, who took just 22 putts Thursday.

Twice this year Wi has been similarly special. He opened with a 61 in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and a 66 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard. He finished second and 29th, respectively, in those events.

Thursday, Wi played the par 5s in 5 under. He also made eight birdies and an eagle, which included a chip-in on No. 9 to go out in 30 before closing out his round with back-to-back birdies.

Should Wi go on to win, he would move inside the top 30 on the money list, which would earn him a spot in next year’s Masters.

“I wasn’t showing up just to play,” Wi said. “I wanted to finish strong.”

That’s been easier said than done. Wi ranks 157th and 146th, respectively, in third and fourth-round scoring average.

Editor’s note: Charlie Wi didn’t learn he was in the CIMB Classic field until less than two weeks before the first round of the event, when Rickie Fowler withdrew due to back issues. But that hasn’t dampened Wi’s enthusiasm for returning to the CIMB Classic after a one-year hiatus as part of the elite 48-man field. The trip to the Malaysia brings Wi to a place he is quite familiar with and one where he has found tremendous success. Born in Seoul, Korea, the California resident has two victories in Malaysia – the 1997 Kuala Lumpur Open, his first win as a professional, and the 2006 Malaysian Open.

Wi is hoping for some more Malaysian magic to help boost his up-and-down 2012 season. Wi finished 60th in the FedExCup standing on the strength of a runner-up finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am as well as two other top-four finishes (T4-Valero Texas Open, T3 The Greenbrier Classic).

PGATOUR.COM sat down with Wi to talk about his return to Malaysia and expectations for the 2012 event.

Q. You've won two tournaments in Malaysia - what do you think accounts for your tremendous success here?

Wi: I am very comfortable in the warm weather and playing Bermuda greens. I think that is what accounts for my success, not only in Malaysia, but also when I play in Florida and Texas.

Q. What are some of the more memorable moments from your two wins in Malaysia?

Wi: Well, the 1997 Mild Seven Kuala Lumpur Open was my very first professional win, so that will always be the one I cherish the most. As a side note, the week I won, there was a huge fire in Indonesia and all of the smoke and ash was blown toward Malaysia. It made it difficult to see and our faces became covered in soot and ash as we played.

Q. You tied for 18th at the inaugural CIMB Classic but did not play last year. Talk about how important it was to you to make the field and return this year?

Wi: I really love playing in Asia and, more specifically, playing in Malaysia. Because of that, I really wanted to be a part of this field. I love the culture and the people I have met here over the years.

Q. As a player who has traveled, played and won around the world, what sorts of things do you enjoy about Malaysia?

Wi: It is a very multi-cultural country where you can find all different types of food and people. I really love sightseeing there because the architecture is amazing. I especially love visiting the twin towers.

Q. Next year, the CIMB Classic will be elevated to a FedExCup event, with official money/official win status.  What are your thoughts on this change and what it means to the players, as well as to the importance of golf in the region?

Wi: I think it is excellent for all players involved, as the field will be expanded. It will allow more PGA TOUR-based players to visit Asia and experience the great culture that Malaysia has to offer. Many U.S.-born players have not had the opportunity to travel the world to play golf as I have. I think making the CIMB Classic an official PGA TOUR event will entice more players to participate and, once they’ve had the experience of playing here, it will expand the way they look at Asian golf.

KUALA LUMPUR -- Rickie Fowler announced Thursday that he has withdrawn from the CIMB Classic, citing back issues. Charlie Wi, a two-time winner in Malaysia, will replace Fowler in the lucrative U.S. $6.1 million showpiece to be played at the Mines Resort and Golf Club from Oct. 25-28.

“I am sorry to confirm, but I will not be competing in the KOLON Korea Open next week, nor the CIMB Classic the following week in Malaysia as planned,” Fowler said in a statement. “Unfortunately, while not serious, I have battled a back issue for the past few months, and my doctors have instructed me that international travel and any tournament play is not in my best interest at this time.

"They have instructed me rather to focus on a therapy regimen in order to find relief as well as prevent potential issues in the future.”

Wi was eager to get the opportunity to play in the CIMB Classic. Born in Seoul, Korea, the California resident has two victories in Malaysia (1997 Kuala Lumpur Open and the 2006 Maybank Malaysian Open). In an up-and-down 2012 season, Wi finished 60th in the FedExCup standings. His year included a runner-up finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am as well as a tie for fourth at the Valero Texas Open and a share of third at The Greenbrier Classic.

Fowler said he had been "very much looking forward" to defending his first professional victory at the KOLON Korean Open. "My friends and fans there made me feel very welcome and Korea will always have special meaning for me as the place I won my first pro trophy," he said.

Fowler did not play in Malaysia last year but he tied for fifth in 2010 so he has history there, as well. "(I) was hoping to enjoy Malaysian kindness and hospitality once again," Fowler said, adding he looked forward to competing in both events in the future.

The CIMB Classic will feature 30 players from the PGA TOUR and the top 10 available players from the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit. Eight sponsor exemptions will make up the rest of the field, with two places reserved for Malaysian professionals – Danny Chia and Shaaban Hussin.

There will be no halfway cut for the event and as such all players will play all four days of golf, with the winner earning $1.3 million. The CIMB Classic is sanctioned by the PGA TOUR, Asian Tour and Professional Golf Association of Malaysia. 

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Charlie Wi said he’s never seen TPC Sawgrass in better condition and on Friday he played like it.

”You can tell always by when you get to the 11th tee box, usually there's no grass there,” said Wi, who had eight birdies en route to a 67 that leaves him near the lead at 6 under heading to the weekend. “But this year, it's just perfect.”

Wi was nearly perfect on the front nine, going out in 31 with five birdies and no bogeys.

Spurred on by a hot putter, Wi had 11 putts through his first nine holes and ended the day with a dozen one-putts. His only slip-up came on the 18th, where he slid his 3 1/2-footer for par past the hole.

Still, Wi is in good position as he tries for his first career victory on the PGA TOUR. This certainly isn’t the first time he’s put himself in contention.

At Pebble Beach, Wi opened with a 61 and led going into the final round before shooting 72 to finish second to Phil Mickelson, who closed with a 64. Wi also tied for fourth last month in San Antonio.

Wi has finished second five times in his career and has 18 top 10s.

“I think the more you put yourself in position to win, I think that it just becomes habit,” Wi said. “One day, I'm going to break the door down.”

Whether it’s this week, we’ll see. This is just the fourth PLAYERS Championship for Wi, who has twice missed the cut and never finished in the top 40.

On the flip side, Wi doesn’t have to look back very far to find a player who made THE PLAYERS his first career win on TOUR: Tim Clark did it two years ago.

The final group is off; now can anyone catch Ben Curtis ? Here’s a look at the contenders.

Matt Every

Every, a 2006 University of Florida graduate, is having the best year of his young career since becoming a member of the PGA TOUR in 2010 with three top-10 finishes in 10 starts this season. One of those came just last week with a tie for eighth at the RBC Heritage.

This also marks the 40th start of Every’s career, and he’s in search of his first win. His best finish so far was a tie for third earlier this year in Mexico.

He’ll need to play better than he has the last two days, however, when he failed to break par in the second or third rounds. Overall, though, he’s driving it well -- T9 in fairways hit -- and hitting a lot of greens -- T3 in greens in regulation. He is, however, just 46th in strokes gained-putting.

Charlie Wi
Five strokes will be awfully hard to make up on a golf course that has played two strokes over par through the first three rounds, unless Curtis starts going backwards.

But Wi has played well in this tournament in the past, tying for second in 2008 after a career-low tying 61 in the final round.

He probably won’t need to go quite that low here in the final round, but something in the mid-60s would go a long way.

John Huh
In search of his second win, 21-year-old rookie Huh is coming off his best round of the week, a 5-under 67.

Earlier this year, Huh defeated Robert Allenby in sudden death at the Mayakoba Golf Classic to become 2012’s first rookie winner. Should he win this week, he would become fifth rookie to win multiple times in a season, dating to 1990. Most recently, Keegan Bradley achieved the feat last year, having won the HP Byron Nelson Championship and PGA Championship.

Seung-yul Noh
Rookie Seung-yul Noh made seven birdies on his way to a 4-under 68 in the third round, but like Wi and Huh, has five shots to make up.

Noh has won twice, overseas, however. On TOUR, his best finish of the year was a tie for 16th in Mexico.

One thing he’s had going for him this week: Putting. He’s fifth in the field in putts per green in regulation.

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

ORLANDO -- Charlie Wi fielded the questions about the 13 he made last Sunday on the fifth hole at Innisbrook  with characteristic good humor.

"Actually I figured I should have gone for some TOUR record so at least I could be remembered," Wi said with a wry smile.

For the record, he was five shots shy of the dubious mark that John Daly set on the sixth hole at Bay Hill in 1998. And besides, Wi had much better things to discuss on Thursday after firing a 66 at Bay Hill to share the lead with Jason Dufner at the Arnold Palmer Invitation presented by MasterCard.
 
"The golf course is playing very difficult," Wi said. "It was really windy this morning starting right off the bat and I was able to control the ball really well.  I gave myself a lot of opportunities and I was able to make some putts I'm very pleased with 66."

Given his track record at Bay Hill, the round of 6 under was even more special. Granted, it matched his career-best here -- but it also marked just the second time he'd broken par in 10 rounds at Palmer's personal playground.

"I haven't had too many strong finishes and I've never really done well here," said Wi, who has missed two cuts, withdrawn once and tied for 24th last year. "If I had shot a couple under today before I teed off, I would have been very pleased so to shoot 66 is a pleasant surprise."

Don't think he didn't come to Bay Hill with high hopes, though. "I'm still a competitor," Wi said. "I want to do well, so when the birdies are going in, I was making sure that I kept pressing myself to make some more."

Wi, who finished second at Pebble Beach earlier this year as Phil Mickelson tried to lap the field, was solid  overall, hitting 10 fairways and 14 greens while using just 28 putts. The 40-year-old made seven birdies and dropped just one shot to par on Thursday.

At one point, though, Bay Hill wasn't exactly on Wi's list of favorite courses. Two par 5s -- Nos. 4 and 16 -- were converted to par 4s for the tournament, and "I told my caddie, I said this course isn't for me," Wi recalled. "... I just thought it was too much of a bomber's golf course and I just couldn't compete."

Once the holes were restored to par 5s, Wi's attitude changed. Someone suggested the par was just a number, but he simply grinned. "Yeah, but I was immature back then," Wi said, smiling again.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

PALM HARBOR, Fla. -- Charlie Wi made a 13 Sunday on the par-5 fifth hole at the Transitions Championship.

The trouble began when Wi’s drive landed in the right rough and came to rest next to a woodchip. Wi tried to hit 6-iron, but the woodchip caused the ball to shoot dead right and into the tress.

Wi tried to hit his third shot through a 5-6 foot v-shaped opening in the tree in front of him but instead his 5-iron hit the stump and the ball ricocheted into the driving range. He took a drop, hit 5-iron and again watched as his ball again went into the range.

“That’s not getting up so give me 6-iron,” Wi said he told his caddie.

Whack. The same thing happened.

“The range just stopped,” Wi said. “Everyone was looking at me.”

By this point, Wi had dug such a divot he couldn’t attempt the same shot again, so he chipped out -- only his ball landed behind a tree, forcing him to chip out again.

Once he got out of the trees in 10, Wi hit onto the green and two-putted for the 13.

“I should have just gone [Kevin] Na and beat him,” Wi joked afterward, referring to the 16 Na made during last year’s Valero Texas Open.

Adding to the problem was that Wi started the day with only six golf balls in his bag. “I was going to ask for one back from the standard bearer,” his caddie joked.

This was the second straight week a player made an unusually high number. In the final round of the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship, Sergio Garcia made a 12.

Wi finished his round strong, though, playing his last four holes in one less stroke with four straight 3s, including two birdies on Nos. 16 and 18 to shoot 78.