Storylines: 95 of the top 100 in West Virginia

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NATIONWIDE TOUR MAKES HISTORY THIS WEEK WITH FIRST $1 MILLION PURSE -- the Nationwide Tour reaches a milestone this week with its first $1 million event, the Nationwide Tour Players Cup. The Pete Dye Golf Club in West Virginia is the host venue where the current 144 leading money winners will compete for the biggest first prize in the Tour's 19-year history, $180,000. This is more money than the average purses were in the Tour's first four years. The largest previous first prize check was $148,248 at this year's Moonah Classic. The Nationwide Tour Players Cup is the Tour's 554th event. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin will help kick off the big week with his participation in Monday's pro-am.

THEY'RE ALL IN WEST VIRGINIA / 95 OF TOP 100 ON HAND -- With the biggest purse in Tour history, you'd expect nothing less, but 95 of the current top-100 money winners are entered in this week's Nationwide Tour Players Cup. The five who are not are Gavin Coles (No. 31), Kyle Thompson (55), David Lutterus (68), Ryan Palmer (97) and Michael Letzig (99). All are full-time members of the PGA TOUR this year and are entered in this week's John Deere Classic in Illinois.

A LOOK AT THE TOP 10 -- With $1 million on the line this week, it's a good time to take a look at the current top 10 on the money list. Expect to see some changes within the top 10 on Sunday and throughout the money list. Last year Jimmy Walker was the last player to make "The 25" at season's end. His earnings were $196,896. This year with two fewer events but almost $1 million more in prize money available, the minimum earnings mark to secure a card via "The 25" should surpass $200,000. Currently the first eight money winners have reached that mark. Tee McCabe is the man on the No. 25 bubble with $106,418 in earnings.

PETE DYE ON PETE DYE GOLF CLUB -- Opened in 1995, the Pete Dye Golf Club has consistently ranked among the nation's top courses. Architect Pete Dye, in conjunction with the LaRosa family, transformed 500 acres of abandoned, coal-mined land into a private golf retreat that Dye refers to as "18 of the most exciting and memorable holes I have ever built on one course."

AS ONLY CHARLES BARKLEY COULD SAY IT -- At the recent Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, Charles Barkley visited with PGATOUR.com's Dave Lagarde and offered the following as a reason why he can't seem to cure the yips in his swing: "Some teacher who's glad I can't remember his name told me to stop at the top of my swing to help with balance. Now I can't stop stopping." Barkley also professed his admiration for the Nationwide Tour players when he said, "They can all play. Some of these guys have won on the PGA TOUR. Some are U.S. Amateur champions and NCAA champions......People who want to compare this to the CBA (Continental Basketball League) or some AAA baseball league aren't paying attention."

NEXT WEEK -- the Tour heads west to Springfield, Mo., and Highland Country Club for the 19th consecutive playing of the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr. Pepper. It is one of the Tour's four original events still on the Nationwide Tour schedule. Tom Scherrer won the 2007 title.

THIS WEEK IN NATIONWIDE TOUR HISTORY -- July 8, 2007 -- Australian Jason Day, 19 at the time, becomes the youngest player to win a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event when he takes the Legend Financial Group Classic in suburban Cleveland. July 10, 2005 -- Three weeks after gaining fame at the U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., Jason Gore wins the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic at Pete Dye Golf Club in West Virginia. July 12, 2002 -- PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announces that insurance giant Nationwide will become the Tour's umbrella sponsor beginning in 2003.