By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Not everyone was sold on the belly putter.

Mark Anderson, who opened the year using one, shelved it midseason for a conventional one. That decision didn’t last long, though, with Anderson putting it back in his bag last week.

It turned out to be a timely move. Anderson shot 67 Friday at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, where he’s one of a number of players hovering near the lead at 9 under halfway through the season-ending tournament.

”I went back to the short putter because it felt really great and I made a lot of putts with it,” Anderson said. “The last month or two I've hit the ball very well, but I just haven't made the putts. So it was kind of a last minute do or die deal.”

At 170th on the money list coming into the week, Anderson needed a big week to have any hope of securing his card for next year.

The last time Anderson, who hasn’t always used a belly putter, put one in his bag was at the end of last year’s Web.com Tour season. He finished second at the Miccosukee Championship, then tied for seventh a week later at the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters.

“I know I can putt well with it,” he said.

Friday, he missed just two putts inside 10 feet, and he made a couple beyond that range, too, on his way to 27 total putts after hitting 14 greens in regulation.

Said Anderson: ”I know I can putt well with the short putter, but in the meantime while I can still putt with it, I'm going to use it.”

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- This season started out promising enough for Charles Howell III.

Howell tied for second at the Sony Open in Hawaii and looked like his first win in five years might not be far behind. Not so much.

“I played like a dog the rest of the year pretty much,” said Howell, who at one point in the middle of the year missed nine of 14 cuts.

That changed a few weeks ago, though. Howell tied for 11th at the Frys.com Open and followed with a tie for seventh at The McGladrey Classic.

“I went into the Fall Series to try to get some confidence going to prepare in the off season to play better for next year,” Howell said.

He seems to have found some.

Friday, Howell shot a 67 to get to 9 under halfway through the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic. Through the first two rounds here, Howell has hit 29 of 36 fairways. 

“It was a struggle this year,” Howell admitted. “I've played a little bit better than I thought I would the last few weeks, but I'm getting some confidence back, which is always good. And I'm much more positive going into my off-season practice than I was if I had ended just right after the FedExCup.”

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A day after shooting an 8-under 64 to take the overnight lead, Charlie Wi is just 1 under through his first 15 holes here in the second round. In other words, he’s playing the more difficult Magnolia Course.

The difference between the Palm and Magnolia Courses in the opening round was just over two strokes. Today, there’s less than a half-stroke difference between the two.

The latter makes the 66 Ryuji Imada shot on the Magnolia in Round 2 all the more impressive. Imada is 9 under through the first two rounds, along with Matt Jones, who shot 64 on the Palm Course.

Four others, including Wi, are also at 9 under, though they all have holes left to play. Among that group? Charles Howell III.

For whatever reason, Howell always seems to play some of his best golf this time of year. He tied for 11th at the Frys.com Open and seventh at The McGladrey Classic, and he’s in contention here again,  where he’s tied for ninth twice since 2006.

As for the top 125 on the money list, you can track the live projected standings here .

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.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- There are more than spots in the top 125 on the money list on the line this week, at least for Brian Harman.

Harman entered the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic 85th in money. After a 66, however, he’s projected to move up 20 spots, which would guarantee him a spot in all the invitationals next year.

The rookie out of the University of Georgia has had an impressive season so far -- he tied for fifth at The Barclays, 10th at the CIMB Classic, 11th at the AT&T National and posted back-to-back T-15s at the John Deere Classic and RBC Canadian Open in mid-summer.

“It’s been the most fun year of my life,” Harman said Thursday.

After five birdies, an eagle and no bogeys on the Palm Course in the opening round, next season could be even more fun.