The PGA Tour returns to some form of normality this week when the Fall Series of events to finish off the 2012 season begins at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open has been a long time event on the PGA Tour although played under several different names and formats. Timberlake became involved in the tournament in 2008, lending his name and his entertainment value to the week s activities. For those players who were not fortunate or good enough or both to make it to the FedEx Cup playoffs they get another chance to improve their money list positions and for some the month of October and into early November could well be a make or break week for their careers. The Fall Series is interrupted in late October by the playing of the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and the Champions Tour event in China but for the greatest percentage of those playing theses events they will not be involved in Asia. The winners in each of the last two years have been Kevin Na and Jonathan Byrd. In 2010 Byrd holed in one in a playoff to defeat Australian Cameron Percy. This year s field is headed in terms of world ranking by Nick Watney. Watney won the Barclays a few weeks ago, a performance good enough to have given him a great chance of another victory on a golf course where he finished runner-up last year. Watney also finished 6th in 2010. Jason Day who made it through to the second of the FedEx Cup playoffs before missing out on advancing to BMW Championship. Day has slipped considerably in the rankings this season, an 8th place finish at the AT&T Championship his best finish on the PGA Tour this season. Day has played the event just once, finishing 24th in 2008. It has been 13 years since Vijay Singh played this event but the 49 year old Fijian has played solidly over the last few months and could do well. His last start 8th place finish at Crooked Stick was full of merit and a repeat of that against this weaker field could see him becoming one of the oldest golfers to win on the PGA Tour. Scott Piercy had a great run of results through the middle of the season including his win in Canada then made it all the way to the Tour Championship. Robert Garrigus has played this event well on occasions and his most recent form suggests he might do so again. He had a very good run through the FedEx Cup playoffs. The Australasian line-up includes many who are fighting for survival on the PGA Tour. Jason Day, Nathan Green, Mathew Goggin, Nick O Hern, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Gavin Coles, Rod Pampling and New Zealander Danny Lee are those. Day, at number 97 on the money list, is probably safe in terms of full playing status for 2013 but the likes of Allenby at 103, Pampling 126, O Hern 140, Appleby 161, Green 164, Lee 168, Matt Jones 174 and Gavin Coles 175 are under pressure especially given that so many players in their category are playing. They are all chasing a position inside the top 125 in order to be playing the PGA Tour in 2013.
Author: Bruce Young / iseekgolf.com