Jan. 3-Jan. 6 - Mercedes-Benz Championship, Plantation Course at Kapalua, Kapalua, Hawaii
Jan. 10-13 - Sony Open in Hawaii, Waialae CC, Honolulu
Jan. 17-20 - Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, The Classic Club, PGA West-Palmer Private, LaQuinta and Silver Rock, Palm Springs, California
Jan. 24-27 - Buick Invitational, Torrey Pines GC (South Course, North Course) San Diego, California.
Jan. 31-3 - FBR Open, TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona
Feb. 7-10 - AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill, Poppy Hills, Pebble Beach, California
Feb. 14-17 - Northern Trust Open, Riviera CC, Pacific Palisades, California
Feb. 21-24 - WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, The Gallery at Dove Mountain, Tucson, Arizona
Feb. 21-24 - Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya, El Camaleon GC at Mayakoba, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Feb. 28-March 2 - The Honda Classic, PGA National (Champion Course), Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
March 6-9 - PODS Championship, Innisbrook Resort & GC (Copperhead Course), Tampa Bay, Florida
March 13-16 - Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, Bay Hill GC and Lodge, Orlando, Florida
March 20-23 - WGC-CA Championship, Doral Golf Resort and Spa (Blue Course), Miami
March 20-23 - Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular, Coco Beach G & CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
March 27-30 - Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC Louisiana, New Orleans
April 3-6 - Shell Houston Open, Redstone GC, Houston
April 10-13 - The Masters, Augusta National GC, Augusta, Georgia
April 17-20 - Verizon Heritage, Harbour Town GL, Hilton Head, South Carolina
April 24-27 - EDS Byron Nelson Championship, TPC Four Seasons Resort, Irving, Texas
May 1-4 - Wachovia Championship, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina
May 8-11 - THE PLAYERS Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
May 15-18 - AT&T Classic, TPC Sugarloaf, Duluth, Georgia
May 22-25 - Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, Colonial CC, Fort Texas, Texas
May 29-June 1 - The Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley, Muirfield Village GC, Dublin, Ohio
June 5-8 - Stanford St. Jude Championship, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee
June 12-15 - U.S. Open, Torrey Pines GC, San Diego
June 16-22 - Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut
June 26-29 - Buick Open, Warwick Hills G and CC, Grand Blanc, Michigan
July 3-6 - AT&T National, Congressional CC (Blue Golf Course), Bethesda, Maryland
July 10-13 - John Deere Classic, TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
July 17-20 - The Open Championship, Royal Birkdale, Lancashire, England
July 17-20 - U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, Brown Deer Park GC, Milwaukee
July 24-27 - RBC Canadian Open, Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, Ontario
July 31-Aug. 3 - WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio
July 31-Aug. 3 - Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, Montreux G and CC, Reno, Nevada
Aug. 7-10 - PGA Championship, Oakland Hills CC, Bloomfield Township, Michigan
Aug. 14-17 - Wyndham Championship, course TBD, Greensboro, North Carolina
Aug. 21-24 - The Barclays, Westchester CC, Harrison, New York
Aug. 29-1 - Deutsche Bank Championship, TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts
Sept. 4-7 - BMW Championship, Bellerive CC, St. Louis
Sept. 11-14 - No tournament
Sept. 18-21 - Ryder Cup, Valhalla GC, Louisville, Kentucky
Sept. 18-21 - Viking Classic, Annandale GC, Madison, Mississippi
Sept. 25-28 - THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, East Lake GC, Atlanta
Oct. 2-5 - Turning Stone Resort Championship, Atunyote GC at Turning Stone Resort, Verona, New York
Oct. 9-12 - Valero Texas Open, La Cantera GC, San Antonio
Oct. 16-19 - Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas
Oct. 23-26 - Frys.com Open, Grayhawk GC, Scottsdale, Arizona
Oct. 30-Nov. 2 - Ginn sur Mer Classic, Ginn Hammock Beach Resort (Conservatory Course), Palm Coast, Florida
Nov. 6-9 - Children’s Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart, Walt Disney World Resort (Magnolia Course, Palm Course), Lake Buena Vista, Florida

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LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Most players used to come to Disney to play golf and enjoy the theme parks. As the final tournament of the PGA Tour season, the Children’s Miracle Network Classic has a much more serious tone this year.

Most guys here are simply trying to save their jobs.

No one feels it quite like Ted Purdy, who has plunged from No. 110 on the money list at the start of the Fall Series to No. 125, giving him a $4,118 (all figures US) lead over J.B. Holmes.

If he misses the cut and Holmes makes it to the weekend, Purdy will lose his full exemption for 2008.

“Never was I worried about keeping my card until the last couple of weeks,” Purdy said. “I’ve played my way into this situation.”

He’s not alone.

Since the Fall Series began, nine players have fallen outside of the top 125 in what has proven to be an unpredictable set of circumstances. Tour officials figured something around $700,000 would be enough to finish in the top 125, but that number has been moving north every week.

One reason is because the top stars have taken the year off, leaving more players out of the top 100 on the money list into fields and raising the chances of them either winning (George McNeill) or doing well enough to secure their cards (Mark Hensby, Michael Allen).

I wish I could be in Florida right now! Warm breezes, palm trees, sandy beaches.

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It’s the Abbey for 2009
Several sources have confirmed that the RCGA will announce Glen Abbey as the site of the 2009 Canadian Open. That’s a logical selection considering the short time line and the comfortable operational setup the Abbey provides.
The only other serious contenders for the tournament were London Hunt and Country Club, Kitchener’s Westmount and St. George’s in Toronto both. While all great layouts, an event at any of them with such a short window would be a big challenge. The logistics of putting it together probably dashed any hopes for 2009.
The choice of the Abbey, then, is perhaps understandable but extremely disappointing. For the past year or so, the RCGA has been trumpeting how it wants to move the course around to classic old courses, the ones on which players seem to love to play. It has talked about this being one cog in a machine that will re-establish the Open as a pre-eminent event. Hamilton and Shaughnessy were examples of such layouts. Players loved them.
As well, this will mark yet another championship in the Greater Toronto Area.
There’s nothing really wrong with Glen Abbey. There have been many great finishes there such as Tiger Woods’ six-iron out of the bunker on the 72nd hole, the Vijay-Weir playoff and the wild Billy Andrade-Bob Friend finish. But it’s not exactly the classic course the RCGA has been searching for or promising.
To be fair, finding a course to host a tournament is not an easy task. While there are a few that are outwardly seeking the Open, it’s not easy to make it all work. These clubs aren’t about to give up their course for free and often times the contract is what breaks the deal. Remember the RCGA isn’t exactly flush at the moment, lacking a title sponsor. So while it’s all good to say let’s go to St. George’s or The National because they have great courses, sometimes that’s the least of the problem. I’m sure Clublink, which owns the Abbey, isn’t giving it away (this hosting comes after the completion of its commitment involved in the sale of the course), it’s probably a little easier to work with than a private club.
With Glen Abbey for 2009, I hope work begins later today on finding a 2010 site that more reflects what the RCGA – and Canadian golfers – want.

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