The top 25 finishers on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list earned PGA Tour cards for the 2008 season. Of the 25 graduates, 11 will be playing their first year as fully-exempt members on the big tour. CBSSports.com Senior Writer Steve Elling provides his insight into this batch of rookies.
Richard Johnson
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: First place Age: 35 Nationality: Wales  Résumé: Four career Nationwide Tour titles in seven seasons; Two victories in 2007 alone Steve Elling's take: It doesn't seem quite fair, but Johnson jumped past longtime season money leader Roland Thatcher and four others by winning the Nationwide season finale in the last weekend and into the top spot in earnings, which also secured him an automatic berth in the Players Championship. This could get confusing. He's not to be confused with the Richard Johnson who just reclaimed his card via Q-school. The latter is a Swede. With all these Johnsons, including Masters winner Zach, golf's starting to sound like the NBA. |
Nick Flanagan
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: Third place Age: 23 Nationality: Australian  Résumé: Nationwide Tour from 2006-07; Three Nationwide Tour wins in 2007; Australasian Tour from 2004-06 Steve Elling's take: Was named the Nationwide player of the year Dec. 11 after earning a battlefield promotion to the big tour in midseason, automatically awarded to any player who wins three times in a single season. Flanagan first made a splash on the national scene in 2003 when he became the first Aussie to win the U.S. Amateur in a century. As a result, he got a taste of the PGA Tour, thanks to invitations to the Masters and Bay Hill. He's small in stature (5-10, 145) but a real scrapper who averaged 297 yards off the tee this year. |
Jason Day
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: Fifth place Age: 20 Nationality: Australian Résumé: Turned pro in 2006, when he played in seven PGA Tour events; Natiownide Tour member in 2006-07; Won the 2007 Legend Financial Group Classic. Steve Elling's take: Day certainly hasn't sneaked up on anybody. He just turned 20 and will stand as the youngest player on tour next year, though he is hardly coming aboard as a deferential rookie. He popped off in December about eventually unseating Tiger Woods, which sounds a bit premature coming from a player who is 11 years his junior. But confidence is always a component in making it to the top, so who knows? At some point, somebody has to topple Woods, right? Day had battled a wrist injury that has sidelined him for weeks, leaving the timing of his 2008 debut in question. |
Matt Jones
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: Seventh place Age: 27 Nationality: Australian Résumé: Member of the Nationwide Tour since 2004; No victories to show, but collected four runner-up finishes in 2007 (including two playoff loses). Steve Elling's take: Jones can best be described as a steady player, which is unusual, since those guys often get lapped on the Nationwide. His best round of the year was a 65 on a circuit where the scoring pace is often so fast and furious, it makes the PGA Tour look like kid stuff. He had five top-10 finishes on the Nationwide in 2006. He might actually be a better player on the PGA Tour, where steady often trumps streaky. |
Michael Letzig
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 12th place Age: 27 Nationality: American  Résumé: Played as a rookie on the 2007 Nationwide Tour; Two-time winner on the 2006 Hooters Tour; Also competed on the Canadian Tour. Steve Elling's take: Talk about 11th-hour reprieves. He wrote this one himself. He was 26th in earnings heading into the season finals (only the top 25 get PGA Tour cards), shot 60 in the first round and jumped to 12th in earnings before the week was finished. Another product of the New Mexico program. Might have the biggest bushy fro on tour next year. Has played his way through the developmental ranks via Hooters and Canadian tours. |
Martin Laird
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 13th place Age: 24 Nationality: Scottish  Résumé: Nationwide Tour member in 2005, 2007; Captured his first Nationwide Tour title at the Athens Regional Foundation Classic; Played on the Gateway Tour, where he won two twice. Steve Elling's take: Move over, Monty, here comes the next scintillating Scotsman. Or, at least, he's got a few fans who believe he could eventually become that country's next great player. Only 25, Laird was picked by ESPN.com as one of the 50 best global players under age 25 earlier this year. He played in the college program at Colorado State and graduated in 2004 with a marketing degree. Actually learned to play as a lefty before switching, which is a bit unusual. |
Kyle Thompson
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 14th place Age: 28 Nationality: American Résumé: Nationwide Tour member since 2003; Won two titles in 2007 at Rex Hospital Open and Oregon Classic; Played in three PGA Tour events. Steve Elling's take: OK, so there will be two guys named Richard Johnson on the big tour next year, right? Well, there were two guys named Thompson who graduated from the Nationwide ranks, too. A five-year veteran of the Nationwide, Kyle won two events this year to earn a spot on the major-league circuit. It was an unusual season. He had two wins, but made only 12 of 21 cuts. |
Marc Turnesa
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 16th place Age: 29 Nationality: American Résumé: Rookie on the 2007 Nationwide Tour; Notched his first title at the Miccosukee Championship; Played on the Gateway Tour in 2006. Steve Elling's take: Jim, Joe, Mike, Phil and Willie have been joined by a new man in the family business. For those with long memories, the Turnesa name is famous for producing a long line of quality tour players. Mike was Marc's grandfather and won six times on tour. Five of Mike's brothers also played professionally. Marc's first PGA Tour event will be his first -- unlike his kin, he's never before teed it up in the big leagues. |
Chez Reavie
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 18th place Age: 26 Nationality: American Résumé: Nationwide Tour member from 2006-07; Win at 2007 Knoxville Open; Also competed on the Gateway Tour. Steve Elling's take: The Arizona State guys are falling out of trees like oranges in the Florida winter. Joins recent ASU products Matt Jones, Jeff Quinney and Jin Park on the PGA Tour next year. European star Paul Casey was also in the program at the same time. Reavie's biggest accomplishment was winning the U.S. Public Links title in 2001, which earned him a spot in the Masters. Finished 62nd in the U.S. Open in 2004 at the U.S. Open. |
Scott Sterling
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 21st place Age: 35 Nationality: American Résumé: Played the Nationwide Tour from 2002-05; Tight Lies Tour in 2006; Won 2007 Jacob's Creek Open Championship. Steve Elling's take: Is surely an old rookie at age 35. Has a dozen years as a pro under his belt since graduating from LSU in 1994. He played on the Nationwide Tour from 2002-05 before falling back to the Tight Lies Tour last year, where he led the circuit in earnings. Finally won this year in his 122nd start on the Nationwide. |
Chad Collins
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2007 Nationwide Tour money list: 23rd place Age: 29 Nationality: American Résumé: Member of Nationwide Tour since 2005; Won the Henrico County Open in 2005; Five top-10 finishes in 2007; Played on the Hooters Tour from 2002-04. Steve Elling's take: Another player who had an unpredictable season, making 16 of 28 cuts. Before finishing 23rd in earnings to secure his card, Collins narrowly missed being promoted from the Nationwide when he finished 31st in 2005 and 28th in 2006. Collins claims to be a big fan of the King, and we don't mean Arnold Palmer. The Methodist College product is an Elvis Presley fan. Uh-huh-huh. |
