Tight race for No. 1 spot into Korn Ferry Tour Championship

“It’s a pretty big deal.”

That’s Carl Yuan, who currently sits a mere 29.623 points behind Paul Haley II for tops on the Korn Ferry Tour’s season-long points race (The 25). And it’s a big deal because this year, for the first time, the person who wins the season-long race – combining the Regular Season and Finals – not only gets fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR for next season, but also into THE PLAYERS Championship and the U.S. Open.

It's a serious week with a serious prize, a worthy pursuit even if not in back-nine Sunday contention to win the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance title at Victoria National GC.

All players currently inside the top 16 on the season-long standings have a mathematical chance to earn the No. 1 spot at week's end.

“That’s what we fight for all year,” said Yuan. “Being able to have your own schedule for next season … It’s crucial you don’t need to go through a reshuffle or wait to be an alternate for tournaments. It’s a big deal if I can do that for my rookie year.”

Yuan, currently No. 2 on The 25, has secured a strong position on the TOUR Priority Ranking regardless of his finish this week, but he’s looking for more. He missed the cut at the Finals-opening Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron, but he rebounded with a T14 last week at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.

With 1,000 points to the winner this week, Yuan is firmly in the mix to overtake Haley, who has already secured a return to the PGA TOUR for the first time in a decade. With a solo 41st or better in Indiana, Yuan would surpass Haley's point total into the week. (Haley, of course, can build upon his point base, and a win would cement the No. 1 spot regardless of those around him.)

Haley has decided to keep a laser-like focus on his objective and not treat this week at Victoria National too much unlike any other – even though there is a pretty darned big prize waiting for him come Sunday afternoon.

“It’s not really something I’m worried about. Just treating it like any other week,” he said. “Just play the best I can and get a good game plan.”

Marty Dou, who sits third in the season-long standings into the final week – thanks to six top-10 results this season, including a third-place result last week – said he’s been inspired by his countryman Yuan.

“It’s been a great run for both of us,” said Dou, who won The Ascendant presented by Blue earlier this summer. “Having someone from the same country is almost like guys going to the same college and playing on the same team (or being friends) like Sam Burns and Scottie Scheffler. When we play good, we play good together.”

One player who has demonstrated particularly proficient form – certainly over the last few months, and definitely when he has needed to – is Robby Shelton.

Shelton finished second on the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List on the back of two wins, including the Regular Season finale, the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna. He’s fourth on the season-long standings and knows how important it would be to leapfrog into that top spot. He’s about 300 points back of Haley’s lead.

“That’s the goal the whole year. You’re trying to get that No. 1 spot,” he said. “Just to get in THE PLAYERS, get in the U.S. Open … it creates (a) stress-free environment because you can go out there and free-wheel it and know you have a full schedule.”

The final player inside the top five on The 25 into the Korn Ferry Tour season finale is MJ Daffue, who is about 350 points back of Haley’s lead.

He has taken an interesting approach to this final event of the season, calling it a “big Monday qualifier.”

“(You’re) trying to get into that top four, just for the whole week. You go out and try to not make any bogeys and you’re able to free up,” said Daffue. “It’s a big deal. Money aside, being able to play all the big events is what I want. I want to play against the best. When you’re No. 1, you’re always going to play against the best.”

It's the best-on-best with a big prize at the end.

It’s a big deal.

It’s the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.