The annual Nationwide Tour tournament, a staple at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport since 2004, has stepped up considerably in stature.
The annual Nationwide Tour tournament, a staple at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport since 2004, has stepped up considerably in stature.
It's now known as the Nationwide Tour Players Cup, matching the top 144 Nationwide money-winners this season, and it runs Thursday through Sunday at the Pete Dye course.
The televised event offers the first $1 million purse in Nationwide history, including a $180,000 prize to the winner. Last year, the tournament known as the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic had a $600,000 purse and a $108,000 first prize.
The tournament's increased stature commands greater attention, but it no longer offers an opportunity for West Virginia's leading pros and amateurs to enter the field. In the past, such prominent state golfers as David Bradshaw, Barry Evans, Pat Carter and Brad Westfall have used sponsors' exemptions, but exemptions are a thing of the past.
"There's an obvious trade-off,'' said tournament director Tim McNeely, a former West Virginia University basketball player. "We're not able to have local players, but we're able to host this much bigger championship and the first-ever $1 million purse on this tour.''
Added assistant director Chase McClain, "It's structured differently. It's more of a championship event now with a limited field at 144. There are no sponsor exemptions and no qualifiers. It's the best of the best.''
If a tournament favorite has emerged, it's Jarrod Lyle, a 26-year-old Australian who's the only golfer to win two Nationwide events this year. He captured the Mexico Open Feb. 3 and the Knoxville Open June 22 and, having earned $284,619 this year, is the tour's leading money-winner.
If there's a tournament favorite with West Virginia connections, it's Ricky Barnes, a 27-year-old native of Stockton, Calif., who makes occasional visits to the Bridgeport area to stay with friends and make use of the Pete Dye course.
In 2002, he won the U.S. Amateur championship and, having earned an exemption to The Masters, finished as low amateur and the 21st overall finisher at Augusta the following year. He was also low amateur in the British Open. On the Nationwide Tour this year, he's No. 24 with $110,527 in 13 tournaments.
"He loves West Virginia,'' said McNeely. "He comes and stays here. He played in the U.S. Open last year at Oakmont. He didn't make the cut, but he's played in several U.S. Opens after he won the Amateur.''
The annual Nationwide Tour tournament, a staple at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport since 2004, has stepped up considerably in stature.
It's now known as the Nationwide Tour Players Cup, matching the top 144 Nationwide money-winners this season, and it runs Thursday through Sunday at the Pete Dye course.
The televised event offers the first $1 million purse in Nationwide history, including a $180,000 prize to the winner. Last year, the tournament known as the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic had a $600,000 purse and a $108,000 first prize.
The tournament's increased stature commands greater attention, but it no longer offers an opportunity for West Virginia's leading pros and amateurs to enter the field. In the past, such prominent state golfers as David Bradshaw, Barry Evans, Pat Carter and Brad Westfall have used sponsors' exemptions, but exemptions are a thing of the past.
"There's an obvious trade-off,'' said tournament director Tim McNeely, a former West Virginia University basketball player. "We're not able to have local players, but we're able to host this much bigger championship and the first-ever $1 million purse on this tour.''
Added assistant director Chase McClain, "It's structured differently. It's more of a championship event now with a limited field at 144. There are no sponsor exemptions and no qualifiers. It's the best of the best.''
If a tournament favorite has emerged, it's Jarrod Lyle, a 26-year-old Australian who's the only golfer to win two Nationwide events this year. He captured the Mexico Open Feb. 3 and the Knoxville Open June 22 and, having earned $284,619 this year, is the tour's leading money-winner.
If there's a tournament favorite with West Virginia connections, it's Ricky Barnes, a 27-year-old native of Stockton, Calif., who makes occasional visits to the Bridgeport area to stay with friends and make use of the Pete Dye course.
In 2002, he won the U.S. Amateur championship and, having earned an exemption to The Masters, finished as low amateur and the 21st overall finisher at Augusta the following year. He was also low amateur in the British Open. On the Nationwide Tour this year, he's No. 24 with $110,527 in 13 tournaments.
"He loves West Virginia,'' said McNeely. "He comes and stays here. He played in the U.S. Open last year at Oakmont. He didn't make the cut, but he's played in several U.S. Opens after he won the Amateur.''
Here's a look at some of the tournament's top contenders:
Lyle: He's a leukemia survivor who's earned $555,569 in four seasons and 40 tournaments on the Nationwide Tour. He's played in 26 PGA Tour events in three years - and finished in the top 25 three times - and has earned $414,288.
Jeff Klauk: A 30-year-old native of Boynton Beach, Fla., he's fifth in Nationwide money this season with $224,267. In five years on the tour, he's played in 117 events and accumulated $879,645. He won the Melwood Prince George's County Open in Mitchellville, Md., on May 25 and picked up $117,000.
David Mathis: He's second on the money list with $238,903 in 14 tournaments, of which he's finished in the top 25 on seven occasions. The Winston-Salem, N.C., native won the BMW Charity Pro-Am May 18 in Spartanburg, S.C., and picked up $121,500. In four years on the Nationwide Tour, he's played in 72 events and earned $425,424.
Colt Knost: The 23-year-old Cleveland native won the Fort Smith (Ark.) Classic on May 11 and earned $99,000. He's 15th on the Nationwide money list with $145,628 in 10 tournaments. In three years, he's played in nine PGA Tour events, made the cut in four and collected $43,612.
Justin Hicks: A 1997 Michigan graduate with a degree in political science, Hicks, 33, won the most recent Nationwide event, the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic in Clarksburg, Ontario, on June 29. First prize was $144,017. He's No. 13 on the money list with $152,481 in eight tournaments.
Reach Mike Whiteford at 348-7948 or mikewhitef...@wvgazette.com.
Post a comment