Top 60 set, fiery finish, Halloween memories ...

text size

The Nationwide Tour's top 60 take a breather this week before heading to Texas next week (Nov. 6-9) for the season-ending $1 million Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney.

Every player in the field will have a chance to play their way into "THE 25" and earn a spot on the PGA TOUR in 2009. A win and the $180,000 that goes with it would ensure a spot. A runner-up and its $108,000 prize offers a very good possibility as well, depending on the play of others who are inside and around No. 25.

A FINISH TO REMEMBER
In case you missed it, wins don't get much more dramatic than the one D.A. Points pulled off on Sunday in the Miccosukee Championship in Miami. The University of Illinois graduate trailed playing companion Matt Bettencourt by one shot as the last group approached the landing area of their drives on the par-4 18th. Bettencourt hit first leaving himself a 15-footer for birdie. Points then slam-dunked a 52-degree wedge shot from 125 yards.

During an exuberant celebration, the gentlemanly Bettencourt congratulated his opponent. But his afternoon was not over as he calmly rolled in his putt to force overtime. Playing the 18th hole again, Points struck another shot with the same club, this one from 122 yards, to within four feet. When Bettencourt missed his birdie putt from 14 feet, Points had his fourth Nationwide Tour trophy in hand. Caught in the midst of all the drama was Points' move from 40th to 15th on the money list, which secured his return to the PGA TOUR. Similarly, Bettencourt jumped 10 spots to 12th, paving the way for his new PGA TOUR career.

IT'S ALL ON THE LINE
The difference in making it to the PGA TOUR next year could boil down to a careless three-footer missed by someone as long ago as April. Professional golf can be that cruel. If past Nationwide Tour Championships are any measure, a player or two will face that kind of disappointment next week. Here's where things stand for those who are really in the heat of "THE 25" race.

THREE IN AND HEADING TO TEXAS, THREE OUT AND GOING HOME
As the last full-field event of 2008, the Miccosukee Championship, finalized who made the top 60, three players played their way in -- Gavin Coles (68th to 50th), Chad Ginn (62nd to 53rd) and Chris Nallen (72nd to 59th), at the expense of David Hearn (60th to 64th), Cameron Percy (57th to 62nd) and Henrik Bjornstad (56th to 61st). Joe Daley edged Bjornstad for the 60th spot by $109. Only $1,663 separated Fran Quinn at No. 56 and Cameron Percy at No. 62 -- roughly the equivalent of last-place money in Miami last week. Bjornstad and Percy missed the cut by four and two shots, respectively.

BIRDIE-BIRDIE FINISH PUTS NALLEN IN NATIONWIDE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP
In all likelihood, Chris Nallen was hanging his head as walked to the 17th tee on Sunday in Miami. He had just made a bogey and appeared to have blown his chance to get inside the top 60. A birdie-birdie finish changed everything. The four-time University of Arizona All-American started the week 70th, thus was a long shot to make the TPC Craig Ranch field. He tied for eighth and earned $18,125 to get the job done.

CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD TO FEATURE 13 INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS
Of the 60 qualifiers for next week's Nationwide Tour Championship, 13 were born outside of the U.S., including four of the top-six money leaders (1-Brendon de Jonge/Zimbabwe, 2-Jarrod Lyle/Australia, 5-Greg Chalmers/Australia and 6-Greg Owen/England). This year's Nationwide Tour player roster features 65 international players representing 19 countries outside of America

BECKMAN'S WIN IS NO. 236
For the third week in a row, and the fifth time in September and October, a former Nationwide Tour member has won on the PGA TOUR. Cameron Beckman's win on Sunday in the Frys.com Open was the 236th alumni win on TOUR.

NEXT EVENT
The pressure-packed Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, will conclude the 2008 season and determine which 25 players get their PGA TOUR cards for 2009. The purse for the season-ending event is $1 million for the first time. First prize is $180,000.

THIS WEEK IN NATIONWIDE TOUR HISTORY
Oct. 31, 2003: David Morland IV of Canada enjoyed some Halloween fun at the end of the second round of the Nationwide Tour Championship in Prattville, Ala. After hitting his second shot to the 18th green, Morland disappeared right of the fairway for a few minutes and returned donning an Austin Powers costume, complete with frilly shirt and fake teeth. Morland strolled the final 150 yards, then canned a 15-foot birdie putt for a 69, delighting the fans with a Powers-like "Yea, baby!" as the ball disappeared in the hole.