Rickie Fowler's dramatic play over the final month of the PGA Tour season makes him the player most likely to be watched through the offseason's qualifying progresses.
Fowler, 20, did not turn professional until late summer, but the former top-ranked amateur out of Oklahoma State, took advantage of three sponsor's exemptions to earn $571,090 in those three tries, a number that would have placed him No. 136 on the year's money list.
After finishing seventh and runner-up in his first two events, a strong performance at the Children's Miracle Network Classic could have put Fowler into an exclusive group of past players -- Tiger Woods is one of them -- to avoid qualifying school by finishing among the top 125 money winners as a non-member.
More coverage: Golf.com: Winning Wasn't Everything at PGA Finale
But after being one shot out of the first-round lead, a second-day 75 led to Fowler finishing 40th. Nevertheless, his rewards are still handsome.
As a result of finishing among the top 150 earners, Fowler gets to jump past this week's second stage of qualifying school and go directly to the final round next month at Bear Lakes in West Palm Beach, Fla.
"I'll find a way to get out here. I feel like I can play with these guys. I put up a couple of good finishes. You never know. It could come from going to Q School. It could be a few years of grinding it out and trying to get exemptions. But I'll find a way to get out here."
- Rickie Fowler Also, even if Fowler fails to be one of the top 25 finishes and ties who will earn the PGA Tour card at Bear Lakes, he's already assured of some degree of exempt status on the Nationwide Tour.
"The whole last month has been awesome," Fowler said. "I'll find a way to get out here. I feel like I can play with these guys. I put up a couple of good finishes. You never know. It could come from going to Q School. It could be a few years of grinding it out and trying to get exemptions. But I'll find a way to get out here."
Winless Rookies
Stephen Ames' victory Sunday in the Children's Miracle Network Classic, the season's final event, means no rookie won on the PGA Tour this year, something that had not happened since 1998 when Steve Flesch was rookie of the year.
That result leaves Australian Mark Leishman as the leading rookie of the year candidate. He made 18 cuts in 28 events, including one runner-up finish and three top 10s, to finish 47th on the final money list with $1.7 million.
Going Quietly
David Duval was the biggest disappointment at the season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic, arriving 125th on the money list only to shoot 76-73 and miss the cut. By the time the week was over, the former world No. 1 and British Open champ dropped to 130 on the final money list and will not be exempt for next season.
Duval is entered in final-stage qualifying, but suggested he will most likely skip it and attempt to play next season on sponsor exemptions.
Interestingly, on the strength of past accomplishments, Duval is exempt into next season's first three major championships.
"Funny, enough, I find it a bit ironic that I'm in the position I'm in right now," he said. "I don't have exempt status on the tour, but am in the Masters and the U.S. Open and the (British) Open Championship.
"It's kind of funny how the game works."
LPGA Finale
There is a lot on the line when the women's tour completes its season this week with the inaugural LPGA Tour Championship at The Houstonian Golf and Country Club in Houston, Texas.
South Korea's Jiyai Shin, already assured of Rookie of the Year honors, also leads in Player of the Year points.
If Shin can clinch the award, she would become the first player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Rolex Player of the Year in the same season since World Golf Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez did it in 1978.
Youth Served
Twenty-year-old Irishman Rory McIlroy can become the youngest winner of the European Tour's Order of Merit since Seve Ballesteros accomplished the feat in 1976 when he was 19.
The European Tour ends its season this week with the Dubai World Championship and McIlroy goes into play with a small lead over Lee Westwood.
"I will still be trying to win the Dubai World Championship," McIlroy said. "I won't be trying to protect a lead or finish ahead of this guy or that guy. I want to win. If I win it will take care of everything."
