Big names on the money list bubble at Viking Classic

text size

Trotman/Getty Images

David Duval (125th on the money list) has used two money-list exemptions in the last three years to keep his card.

For some players competing in the final two events of the PGA TOUR's Fall Series, a calculator may come in as handy as a 60-degree wedge.

That's because time is running out for players hoping to finish inside the top 125 on the money list, which would make them fully exempt on TOUR for 2010. In addition to the job security, exempt status for 2010 comes with guaranteed invitations to THE PLAYERS, Verizon Heritage and AT&T National.

David Duval, who won the 2001 British Open, is currently the man on the 125th bubble as the Viking Classic gets under way on Thursday. The TOUR's season finale, the Children's Miracle Network Classic, will be held two weeks later, Nov. 12-15 at Walt Disney World Resort.

Duval is only $10,797 -- roughly a 40th place finish at Annadale on Sunday -- ahead of Chris Riley, who stands 126th. Both are playing in Mississippi this week. The last time Duval finished inside the top 125 was in 2002, which was the first year of the five-year exemption he earned for winning at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

But Duval has used his exemptions for top-25 all-time money, family crisis and top-50 all-time money in the last three years. So if he doesn't finish in the top 125, Duval will fall back into the 126-150 range on the money list category -- which is behind the q-school and Nationwide Tour grads in terms of eligibility, although Duval would be able to accept unlimited sponsor's exemptions.

There are several other former TOUR winners who now stand between 126th and 150th on the money list -- including four-time champ Tim Herron (No. 128), eight-time winner Stuart Appleby (134), three-time champ Chris DiMarco (138) and 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin, who has won 15 times (145).

Mediate

In each case, those players still have at least one all-time money list exemption to fall back on if they don't want to take their chances in the 126-150 category. No. 141 Rocco Mediate, who has four PGA TOUR titles, isn't so lucky, though. That's why he has entered q-school, where he will be exempt into the final stage if he maintains his spot in the top 150.

Other notables such as Johnson Wagner (No. 157), Carl Pettersson (151) and Parker McLachlin (173) find themselves even further on the outside looking in, but their two-year exemptions for winning in 2008 will still be in effect next year. Even so, all three are playing in Mississippi this week.

Ken Duke, on the other hand, ranks 158th on the money list a year after he finished 22nd in the FedExCup. He has no career money options, so he will enter q-school if he doesn't make some serious cash in the next two tournaments.

There's another less stressful -- but still significant -- race to finish in the top 30 on the money list.

The top 30 spots earn some pretty nice perks, including invites to the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational (which also extends to the top 70), Masters, Verizon Heritage (top 125), PLAYERS Championship (top 125), Crowne Plaza Invitational (top 80), Memorial Tournament (top 70), U.S. Open and AT&T National (top 125).

And of course, the winners of the Viking Classic and Children's Miracle Network Classic are exempt through the 2011 season and also gain a spot in the season-opening SBS Championship, the 2010 PGA Championship and the other invitationals.