The Battle for 2011 Tour Cards is Down to 72 Holes

It’s all about getting inside the top 125 on the money list this week as the PGA Tour winds down its 2010 schedule at the Children’s Miracle Network Classic.

This week will not headline Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson, but rather we’ll be hearing about Robert Garrigus, Troy Matteson and Briny Baird.  These three men are part of a group of players who will be battling the ultimate pressure over 4 rounds at Disneyworld: playing for their jobs.

That’s where the drama lies.  For one week, we worry about those who for a full season have just been hanging on.  However, don’t mistake this for a weak field.  Firstly, this is the PGA Tour so even man #125 can blow your mind.  Furthermore, we’ve got major winners and Ryder Cuppers littering this field.  It’s setting up to be a grand finale.

The bookmakers had plenty to choose from this week, but in the end they’re sending Rickie Fowler off as the tournament favourite at (14-1).  You could consider him the most talented in the field, but the question really is what does he have left after a season of high finishes that culminated with a painful Ryder Cup loss?

Sitting close behind Fowler are Ryder Cup teammates Jeff Overton and Stewart Cink who both begin round one at (20-1).  Overton might just take his final opportunity of the season to notch his first victory.  Despite having earned over $3.4-million USD, he hasn’t lifted a trophy in 2010 having recorded three excruciating second place finishes.

Cink, meanwhile, has failed to win this year and if he can’t take down the field this week it’ll be the first time he’s failed to post a win since 2007.  With no top-3’s and just 3 top-10’s, this could wind up being his worst season on tour.  It’s hard to believe he’ll factor in this week.

There is a group of players sitting near the top of the book that stand a good chance of wearing Mickey’s ‘victory’ ears on Sunday.  Heath Slocum, currently at (25-1), won in his last start in North America at the inaugural McGladrey Classic, while Ryan Palmer (25-1) is putting together his best year on Tour that included his 2nd career win at the season opening Sony Open in Hawaii.

Regardless of who lifts the trophy at the end, this is going to be a week of jubilation for some and anguish for others.  The end is here and it’s time to shine or else face a year on the outside looking in.

They say golf is like life, but don't believe them.  Golf is more complicated than that  - Gardner Dickinson