Fall Series primer: The inside scoop for next five events

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Autumn leaves, sweater weather -- the Fall Series is the time to secure that spot in the top 125 on the money list.

With the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup completed, the Fall Series begins this week with the Turning Stone Resort Championship at Atunyote Golf Club in Verona, N.Y.

The Fall Series features five events, with players battling to finish inside the top 125 on the money list as well as decide the Kodak Challenge, with each Fall Series event hosting a Kodak Challenge hole for the year-long competition.

The Fall Series was created in 2007 to provide golf action after the FedExCup Playoffs. For the third year in a row, the Fall Series begins at Turning Stone, which features the biggest purse of the five-tournament home stretch.

Five players who could get their first win

Steve Marino
15th in FedExCup
29th on the money list
Why he'll break through: Marino has had a solid 2009 season, highlighted by sharing the British Open lead through 36 holes and losing in a playoff to Steve Stricker at Colonial. Lately, he has been on a roll with ties for 10th, 15th, 27th, 18th and seventh in his last five starts. Marino was the second-highest finisher in the FedExCup standings without a victory, trailing only No. 11 Jason Dufner.

Fall Series Highlights: 2008: T3 at Children's Miracle Network Classic. 2007: T20 at Children's Miracle Network Classic.

Marc Leishman
20th in FedExCup
41st on the money list
Why he'll break through: He's the overwhelming favorite for Rookie of the Year, which means he has the best chance to become the first rookie to win in 2009. He got hot in the Playoffs, finishing tied for 15th at the Deutsche Bank Championship and tied for second behind Tiger Woods at the BMW Championship. Don't forget, two rookies won Fall Series events in 2008, Dustin Johnson and Marc Turnesa.

Fall Series Highlights: This will be Leishman's Fall Series debut.

Bill Haas
41st in FedExCup
58th on the money list
Why he'll break through: Haas finished in the top 25 in his last five events before being knocked out of the FedExCup Playoffs. He enters the Fall Series playing the most consistent golf of his PGA TOUR career. For the year, he has been a real all-or-nothing player, missing 14 cuts yet finishing in the top 10 one out of every three made cuts. He's got a great record at the Viking Classic, where he posted two of his four career top-fives.

Fall Series Highlights: 2008: T4 at Viking Classic. 2007: T3 at Viking Classic.

Mathew Goggin
74th in FedExCup
72nd on the money list
Why he'll break through: The Australian has put together the two best years of his PGA TOUR career in 2008 and 2009. He posted three top-sixes so far this season, including a tie for fifth at the British Open. Goggin has made 13 cuts in 23 events so far this year, but his Fall Series history is sterling, especially at Turning Stone. Goggin could easily steal headlines from fellow Aussie Adam Scott at the first Fall Series event in New York.

Fall Series Highlights: 2008: T3 at Turning Stone Resort Championship, 3 at Frys.com Open, T24 at Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. 2007: T5 at Turning Stone Resort Championship, T21 at Frys.com Open, T20 at Children's Miracle Network Classic. 2006: T11 at Frys.com Open.

Michael Sim
N/A in FedExCup
201st on the money list
Why he'll break through: Sim has already won three times this year on the Nationwide Tour to earn an automatic promotion to the PGA TOUR for the Fall Series. Any perceived pressure shouldn't faze Sim given his results in the last two majors. He finished tied for 18th at the U.S. Open and tied for 51st at the PGA Championship. Sim turns 25 on Oct. 23. His first PGA TOUR victory in the Fall Series would be a great early (or belated) birthday present.

Fall Series Highlights: 2008: T7 at Frys.com Open.

Ten players who must perform

Stuart APPLEBY Stuey didn't qualify for the Playoffs, and his PGA TOUR card runs out after this year. At 129th in the standings, he's under a lot less pressure than other players, but his fall to 111th in the Official World Golf Rankings is a surprise.

For the complete list of 10 notable players on the hot seat in the Fall Series, please click here

About the courses in the Fall Series

Event Course Yardage Winning score ('08) Avg. green Bunkers Water hazards Turning Stone Atunyote 7,482 9 under 5,550 sq. feet 63 8 Timberlake TPC Summerlin 7,243 25 under 7,570 sq. feet 105 4 *Frys.com Open Greyhawk G.C. 7,135 18 under N/A N/A N/A/ Viking Classic Annandale G.C. 7,199 19 under 5,500 sq. feet 69 8 Children's Miracle Magnolia G.C. 7,516 25 under 6,850 sq. feet 107 15 Children's Miracle Palm G.C. 7,010 25 under 6,850 sq. feet 95 10

*data unavailable

Birdies in the Fall

You can expect to see plenty of low scores in the Fall Series. Just one of the six courses in this year's Fall Series played over par last year (courses listed by rank in difficulty): Tournament Course 2008 rank in difficulty Par 2008 stroke average Turning Stone Report Championship Atunyote G.C 16 of 54 72 72.968 Frys.com Open Greyhawk G.C. 41 of 54 70 68.959 Viking Classic Annandale G.C. 45 of 54 72 70.735 Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart Magnolia G.C. 49 of 54 72 70.378 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open TPC Summerlin 53 of 54 72 69.070 Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart Palm G.C. 54 of 54 72 68.930

Maginnes: The pressure of the Fall Series

DREAMS, NIGHTMARES WILL BE REALIZED: While the top 30 players were dreaming very real dreams of unfathomable riches at East Lake last week, a much larger group of their colleagues were searching and dreaming of something else entirely. Some of those later dreams were of reaching new heights in careers, but far more of them were nightmares. Like most nightmares they were accompanied by instant, wide-awake panic and cold sweats. These nightmares are not about gremlins under the bed or intruders in the closet. They are not of endless falling or being attacked by a vicious clown at the circus. They are far more real than that. These dreams are about lip outs, chunks, bogeys and, worst of all, q-school. The rest of the best will be playing for the first time in more than a month this week at the Turning Stone Resort Championship in a bid to save their jobs.

To read the full column from John Maginnes, please click here

History of the Fall Series

2007

Tournament Winner Comment Turning Stone Steve Flesch Flesch's victory was his second of the season and earned him a three-year exemption on the PGA TOUR. Michael Allen finished second and secured his card for 2008. Viking Classic Chad Campbell Campbell was going through an off-year on the PGA TOUR before he rolled into Madison, Miss., and beat Johnson Wagner by a shot at Annandale. Valero Texas Open Justin Leonard Leonard downed Jesper Parnevik in a playoff for his lone win of the year. The victory helped Leonard jump-start a solid 2008. Frys.com Open George McNeill McNeill went from q-school medalist to PGA TOUR winner with a dominant victory over D.J. Trahan. The event was renamed the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in 2008. Fry's Electronics Open Mike Weir Weir beat Mark Hensby by a stroke, helping the Canadian break a three-year win drought. The victory came after Weir's heroics in the 2007 Presidents Cup. Ginn Sur Mer Classic Daniel Chopra Chopra nailed down his first PGA TOUR win by a single shot. The victory allowed Chopra entry into the 2008 Mercedes-Benz Championship, which he won. Children's Miracle Classic Stephen Ames Ames became the second Canadian of the 2007 Fall Series to win on TOUR when he beat Tim Clark by a shot. The event is the only one in the Fall Series to be played over two courses in a pro-am format.

2008

Tournament Winner Comment Viking Classic Will MacKenzie MacKenzie birdied the first two playoff holes to top Marc Turnesa and Brian Gay for his second PGA TOUR victory. MacKenzie rallied to birdie four of his last six holes in his final round to join the playoff. Turning Stone Dustin Johnson Johnson birdied the 72nd hole to beat Robert Allenby by a shot for his first PGA TOUR win. The victory helped Johnson jump-start a sophomore year that saw him emerge as one of the best young players in the game. Valero Texas Open* Zach Johnson Johnson blazed through La Cantera 62-64 on the weekend to beat Charlie Wi, who shot 61, by two shots. Johnson went on to win the tournament again in 2009 when it was moved to a new date in the spring. JT Shriners Hospitals Marc Turnesa Turnesa, owner of one of the finest pedigrees in golf, broke through on the PGA TOUR by shooting 25 under. Turnesa led after all four rounds at TPC Summerlin. Frys.com Open Cameron Beckman Beckman surprised everyone in the field by shooting 63 on the final day to earn a playoff with Kevin Sutherland, which he won on the second playoff hole. Ginn Sur Mer Classic Ryan Palmer Palmer won for the first time in four years with a birdie on the final hole at the Conservatory Course at Palm Coast. Michael Letzig finished second after failing to birdie the same hole in regulation. Children's Miracle Classic Davis Love III The well-liked veteran spoiled Tommy Gainey's bid to win for the first time on the PGA TOUR by shooting 64 in the final round. Gainey, a rookie, was bidding to win after starring on THE GOLF Channel's "The Big Break," but he finished one shot back and failed to keep his card for 2009.

*-event moved to May for 2009 season