Week 25 Approach Shots: WNB Golf Classic

text size

Beginning this week with the WNB Golf Classic in Midland, Texas, there are only four full-field events remaining on the Nationwide Tour schedule. The top-60 money-winners following the Miccosukee Championship (Oct. 15-18) will qualify for the Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C. Marc Leishman, who is playing in the thick of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, won last year's event by a Tour record-tying 11 strokes.

Quick Facts

WHAT: 25th of 29 Nationwide Tour events WHEN: Sept. 24-27 WHERE: Midland, Texas COURSE: Midland Country Club WHAT'S AT STAKE: $525,000 purse ($94,500 for winner) KEY LINKS: Tee times | Leaderboard | Tournament page | "THE 25"

ON THE COURSE: Midland Country Club was originally founded in 1927 when 84 residents of Midland purchased stock shares at $200 per share to establish the club. The club was originally located in "Old Midland" just north of the downtown area and featured a nine-hole golf course with sand greens. In the early 1950s the club leadership had a greater vision for an 18-hole championship course. The 18-hole Ralph Plummer-designed course opened in 1951.

LAST YEAR: Marc Leishman gradually pulled away from the field as the week progressed and coasted to a record-tying 11-stroke win over Keoke Cotner a year ago. Leishman's winning margin equaled the Nationwide Tour record set by Chris Smith at the 1997 Omaha Classic. Leishman posted scores of 67-66 and grabbed a three-stroke lead at the halfway mark. A third-round 66 upped his lead to five shots heading into the last round. Sunday's finale featured winds of 20 mph and gusts to 35 mph. Leishman countered the winds by repeatedly using a 2-iron off the tee and wound up hitting 10 of 14 fairways en route to a 4-under 68 and a 21-under total of 267. At one point on the back nine, the lanky Australian led by 13 but stumbled home with bogeys at Nos. 15 and 18 to reduce his winning margin.

ADAMS CHASING SIM: Despite not having a victory in 2009, Blake Adams has had one very impressive season thus far. The Georgian is second on the money list even though the nine players who follow him have all won events. Adams, who led after the first, second and third rounds last week in Boise, was a bridesmaid for the second time this year when Fran Quinn overtook him on Sunday. In addition to his runner-up finishes, the 34-year-old has two T3s, a 4th, a T6, a T7 and an 8th. He has only missed two cuts in 16 starts, both coming within his first five events. Statistically, Adams has been a powerhouse much like Australian Michael Sim, who won his third event of the year last month to earn a promotion to the PGA TOUR. Adams is first in Total Driving, second in Driving Distance, third in Scoring Average and All-Around Ranking and sixth in Putting Average. With earnings of $369,499, Adams stands a realistic chance of catching Sim on the money list. He trails Sim by $157,580. Five tournaments remain, including two which offer $1 million purses and $180,000 first-place money.

MAYFAIR DEBUTS: Seeking to stay sharp for the PGA TOUR Fall Series which begins next week, five-time TOUR winner Billy Mayfair will compete in his first Nationwide Tour event this week in Midland. The Arizona native has made 643 PGA TOUR starts dating back to 1987. In 2009, Mayfair has missed the cut in 13 of 24 events. His game, however, has been on the upswing of late as he has played on the weekend in seven of his last eight tournaments. Four-time PGA TOUR winner Joe Durant joins Mayfair in Midland. He will be playing his first Nationwide Tour event since 1996. Last week, 31 PGA TOUR players with exempt status competed in the Albertsons Boise Open.

TEXAS TOAST: The Nationwide Tour has maintained a presence in West Texas since when the Tour first arrived in 1992 for the inaugural Permian Basin Open. The Club at Mission Dorado in Odessa was the site of Taylor Smith's playoff victory over Pete Jordan and Andrew Morse. The Tour returned to Odessa for the next nine years, ending its run in 2001 when local favorite Chad Campbell of Andrews, Texas, cruised to a four-stroke win over Australian Mark Hensby. The tournament moved 20 miles to the east in 2002 where it has established its own history at Midland Country Club.

KEY STAT: Since the tournament moved to Midland Country Club in 2002, one statistic has been consistent with tournament winners -- greens in regulation. Six of the past seven champions have ranked among the top-16 in that category. Brandt Snedeker tied for first in that category in 2006, and Brad Adamonis tied for second the following year. Marc Leishman tied for eighth in GIR last year. The only player not in the top 16 was Kris Cox, who wound up tied for 32nd in 2005.

Weather forecast for the WNB Golf Classic

THURSDAY, Rd. 1 FRIDAY, Rd. 2 SATURDAY, Rd. 3 SUNDAY, Rd. 4 Partly cloudy Temp: 76 high/49 low Sunny Temp: 83 high/54 low Sunny Temp: 88 high/60 low Sunny Temp: 92 high/60 low

DTN/Meteorlogix is the official weather provider of the PGA TOUR. For more information, click here

WNB Golf Classic snippets

GIVING BACK Jeff Sanders Promotions, the tournament management firm of the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft, announced that charity donations for this year's event will be $1.3 million, bringing the tournament's 20-year total to $10.6 million. The $1.3 million leads all Nationwide Tour events on the charity front this year. CHAPPELL ON A ROLL 2008 NCAA Championship medalist and Jack Nicklaus Award winner Kevin Chappell had no status on the Nationwide Tour to start the year. The former UCLA star has finished T5, 11th, 9th and T43 (Boise) in his last four starts. His first check at Scranton on Aug. 30th put him on the money list at No. 151. He is now 93rd. At season's end, the top 100 earn conditional status for 2010. THIS WEEK IN HISTORY In 2002, former Nationwide Tour player John Daly contributes $25,000 to increase the State Farm Open purse in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Daly played the event in 1990 and has an affiliation with its automotive sponsor.