Rickie Fowler and co hoping for Kodak moment at Miracle Classic
The Children's Miracle Classic gets underway today at Disney's Magnolia and Palm courses in Florida, where Rickie Fowler is one of three players in the frame for a $1million bonus.
This week's event, the last of the season, gives the PGA Tour's hoi polloi a final chance to guarantee a place on the PGA Tour next year, with only those players finishing in the top 125 of the money list exempt from qualifying for a tour card for 2011.
That won't be a problem for Fowler, who sits at 23rd on the list - the 21-year-old has already earned more than $2.5million in his rookie season. And to make certain of that extra million this week, the Californian doesn't even need to win - although he will need to be at his best on the par-4 17th at the Magnolia course.
Fowler, Troy Merritt and Aaron Baddeley are all capable of claiming victory in the Kodak Challenge, a competition that's won by the player who racks up the best cumulative score across any 18 of 30 designated holes, spread across various courses on the PGA Tour schedule.
At 110th on that money list, Baddeley has also done enough to retain his tour card for 2011, and if he can card a good enough score on the 17th, the 29-year-old can make a handsome addition to the $869,682 he's earned so far this year on the PGA Tour. The Australian evidently believes the million is still up for grabs, deciding to forego his home nation's JBWere Masters this week in order to contest the event.
But it is Merritt who currently leads the challenge by a stroke, having eagled the appropriate hole in Las Vegas a fortnight ago. While that fine shot could well be enough to see the 25-year-old pocket the million buck bonus this week, it's no guarantee that Merritt will be back on the PGA tour next season, however.
Since the prize money from the Challenge doesn't count towards the official money list, the Iowa-born Merritt, who like Fowler is also playing his rookie season in 2010, could wind up finishing outside of the top 125 this week. He is currently 121st on the money list, but depending on how the players around him perform over the next few days, that placing could yet tumble.
One thing's for certain; if Merritt ends up missing out on a top 125 place and the Kodak Challenge, he won't be in the mood to say cheese come Sunday.
Tags: