Week 25 Power Rankings: WNB Golf Classic

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Editor's note: Adam Wallace is a media assistant for the Nationwide Tour. Each week, Wallace will size up the field and provide his top five players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc.

The Nationwide Tour is in Texas this week for the 18th WNB Golf Classic in Midland. With only three events left on the 2009 schedule before the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island, where only the top 60 money leaders can play, each week is growing in a sense of urgency and importance.

Midland Country Club (par 72, 7,380 yards), host club since 2002, was the 13th most difficult course on Tour in 2008 with a scoring average of 72.515. The main reason for the level of difficulty is likely the fairways' being so tough to find. Only 56 percent of the field found the short grass last year. And while there were a high number of eagles in 2008 -- 46 -- there were also quite a few double bogeys -- 158 -- and triple bogeys or worse -- 28.

Marc Leishman posted four rounds in the 60s last year, a feat not matched by anyone else, en route to an 11-stroke victory. It was the largest margin of victory in 2008. He averaged 333.1 yards off the tee (second) and was first in putting, averaging an astonishing 1.585 putts.

Four of the past five WNB Golf Classic winners are now on the PGA TOUR -- Charley Hoffman (2004), Brandt Snedeker (2006), Brad Adamonis (2007) and Leishman (2008). Leishman is the only one playing in the TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola this week, where the 2009 FedExCup champion will be crowned.

Power Rankings: WNB Golf Classic

Rank Player   Comment Blake ADAMS Adams finished second last week at the Albertsons Boise Open, even after shooting 1 over on the weekend. He has 10 top-25 finishes this year and is second on the money list ($369,499) without a win. B.J. STATEN Staten has been rather stagnant this year, but he has played well in his last two events. With last week's solid play, he jumped from 92nd 55th in money. Another good week would guarantee a spot in the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island. Jeff GOVE He has made 16 cuts in a row, and eight were top-25 finishes. In the 21 events Gove has played this year, he has only missed two cuts. With $204,441, he's a near lock for earning his 2010 PGA TOUR card. The only thing he hasn't done this year is win. Fabian GOMEZ Gomez has been rather quiet after losing to Michael Sim in a playoff at the BMW Charity Pro-Am, but he's starting to make some noise. In his last event, he tied for 17th (Albertsons Boise Open). He's No. 38 on the money list. Craig BOWDEN Bowden has made six cuts in a row with the last four being top-25 finishes. He's a lock for the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island with $134,358 (31st), but he needs a few top finishes to be in contention for "THE 25."