LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- A sure sign something outside the norm was in the works Sunday afternoon at the Children's Miracle Network Classic came when Nicholas Thompson rolled in a nine-foot bogey putt on the final hole that would leave him five shots out of a playoff eventually won by Stephen Ames and broke into a fist-pumping, arm-slinging celebration."It could have been a double," Thompson said. "And I knew if I missed that, I didn't have a chance and I'm going to qualifying school. I knew making it at least gave me a chance."
Sunday's big prize at Walt Disney World was not as much the tournament championship as it was a secure future. Ames shot a final-round 64 and won his fourth career title, outlasting George McNeill and Justin Leonard in two playoff holes, but on this day you didn't have to get a trophy to feel like a winner.
The last event of the season locked down the money list, giving the top 125 finishers exempt status for 2010 -- golf's version of The Biggest Losers.
The routine repeated itself throughout the afternoon. Golfers completed play, walked off the 18th green to sign their scorecard, and then went straight to a laptop computer set up inside a roped-off area. Updated by the moment, the computer projected each player's place on the final money list.
"I never expected myself to feel the way that I did, but, you know, when somebody tells you you can't do your job next year, and you are so close, that's not such a good feeling," Rich Beem said.
Beem, the 2002 PGA winner, felt much better later. On the strength of a 4-under final round to tie for 24th at 10 under, he secured the 122nd spot on the money list after starting the week 124th.
"You know, it was really weird," Beem said. "I just don't know what it was -- kind of panic set in a little bit. I was so fixated on keeping my job. I couldn't get my mind off of it."When the day was finally over, two golfers played their way into exempt status and two golfers dropped out.
Thompson and Jimmy Walker worked their ways in. David Duval and Robert Garrigus fell out.
Playing for a title is pressure. Playing for the right to come back and continue playing for a title can be down right brutal.
Thompson, a third-year tour player, arrived 132nd on the money list, shot a final round 66 to tie for 11th place, and moved to 123rd on the money list. He's got the bruises to prove it.
"I knew approximately where the number was going to be," Thompson said. "I knew I needed to make roughly $100,000, which is between 12th and 14th place. So I knew I needed to finish there or better to have a chance."
But coming to the final hole with success waiting, Thompson pushed his drive under a tree, bent his 6-iron on a root hitting the second shot that missed the green short and right near water.
"I jumped out from behind the tree and saw the ball moving like about an 18 handicapper," Thompson said.
A so-so chip left him with a 50-foot putt for par, which came up nine feet short. Making the putt may be the most important bogey Thompson will ever make.
Walker had just as big, if not a bigger struggle getting home. He double bogeyed No. 17 and then had to make a five-foot putt to save par at 18. Good enough. With a final-round 69 Walker tied for 15th which pushed his standing on the money list from 130th to 125th.
After playing 24 events this year and winning $662,683, Walker claimed the final full exempt spot by $2,997 over Will MacKenzie.
Going the other way, Garrigus arrived 123rd, missed the cut and dropped to 127th. Duval also didn't survive the cut and dropped from 125th to 130th. Others who left thinking what could have been included Jeff Maggert, who arrived 127th and left 128th, and Chris Riley, 126th to 129th.
By that time, Thompson was already in his car and driving down the Florida Turnpike to his South Florida home. He didn't know the final results, but there was nothing left that he could do.
"I'll get the call from someone, whether it's good news or bad news -- 125 or 126," he said. "Who knows. But hopefully it's 125 or better."
It was a very good bogey.
