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PGA TOUR staff

Recent quotes from Fred Funk and Nationwide Tour President Bill Calfee:

Fred Funk: "The guys that come off the Nationwide are really strong players and hit the ball miles. They are ready to play golf right now. The new breed, the new age of golf is at a super-high level. And it's going to continue to get better and better."

Bill Calfee: "The heart and soul of the Nationwide Tour is its players. When you read about these guys, they're either doing something very positive on the golf course or doing something very positive off the golf course. Competitively, they are very, very good and are terrific role models. I hear this tour referred to as developmental and minor league and those sorts of things but I can tell you, the Nationwide Tour is not minor league. These guys have the game to compete at the highest level. Unfortunately, we don't have room for all the great players on the PGA TOUR. The PGA TOUR can only play 144 or 156 players each week and that's it. There are all kinds of indicators that tell us how good they are. Of the 2005 Nationwide Tour graduates, 12 of the top 21 graduates retained their card last year. Our 2006 graduates like Jeff Quinney, Brendt Snedeker, Andrew Buckle, Craig Kanada and others are off to a fabulous start this year. These guys aren't developing their game on the Nationwide Tour. They bring plenty of game already. They're just waiting for the opportunity to showcase it on the PGA TOUR stage."

HOW THEY'RE DOING? At least one former Nationwide Tour player has finished in the top-10 in 525 of the last 528 PGA TOUR events.

DID YOU KNOW? Boo Weekley holds the Nationwide Tour record for most greens hit-in-regulation....he hit 68 of 72 in the 2006 Chattanooga Classic.

• Forty of the top 100 players in the Official World Golf Ranking are former players on the Nationwide Tour.

• The U.S. Presidents Cup team standings display a distinct Nationwide Tour feel with alumni holding down 14 of the top 20 spots, including five of the top 10.

• After a break from the two events held Down Under, the Nationwide Tour will open its domestic portion of the schedule next week just outside Lafayette, La., at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open.