Daniel Chopra

[ajay]

Oh!, I actually forgot to check the latest money list. But I figured out on Sunday itself that there'll be no change from position 17 to 22.
Race is getting hotter. I feel first 16 have already secured their places and contest is only for last 4 places. Currently, there are 7 hot contenders. Ofcourse more contender can join the race just like Gutschewski. Here is the list.

17 Brett Wetterich $160,383
18 Roger Tambellini $160,338
19 Paul Claxton $155,078
20 Jason Dufner $154,330
21 Daniel Chopra $149,024
22 Tjaart van der Walt $148,080
23 Scott Gutschewski $146,674

The following 5 players can also join the race easily with a good showing in a tournament.

24 Charles Warren $136,187
25 Roland Thatcher $135,148
26 Tommy Tolles $130,659
27 Michael Long $128,104
28 Chris Tidland $123,348


We need to watch all these contenders plus top 3 performers of the remaining tournaments.

As Bhushan observed, winning the tournament or even top 3 position will straight away make Daniel's life easier. Until he secure his position, it is still important not to fall behind in the race. He is currently behind by $5000 for the 20th spot. That means he need to earn $5000 more than whatever Duffner gets. Basically, he almost needs a top 10 finish to keep himself in the striking distance.

[ajay]

Ajay, can you arrange for a chat with Daniel if Jay and Dhruv can work out the logistics?

Daniel need to be focused on the remaining events. So currently chat is ruled out. But he can still take questions that he can answer in his free time. May be we can compile a list of comments and questions and send it to him. Any suggestions?

[Dhruv]

Yeah I think a chat would be premature. We could however, quite easily form a list of questions , comments as suggested by Ajay and then send it to him.

Maybe one of us should start a new thread on that subject and collect the questions there. ...

[BSharma]

The Nationwide Tour moves to Arizina this week and Daniel is in it. The Gila River Classic at Wild Horse Pass Resort Chandler, AZ starts on Thursday.

Best wishes to Daniel.

[BSharma]

Daniel is +2 with 2 holes to go on the first day. The play was suspended because of a thunderstorm. He was at -1 when he double bogeyed the 14th hole, bogeyed the 15th hole and had a par on the 16th hole to go +2. I wonder if the swirling winds of the approaching thunderstorm made it difficult for the players still on the course.

Come on Daniel, we have faith in you. It is time for birdies on the second day.

[BSharma]

Daniel is not having a good time on the West Coast. His misery continued on the second day as he posted rounds of 73 and 79 and he will not make the cut.

Although time is running out on Daniel to start making money to finish in the top 20, I feel that he is going to win in Texas next week.

Ajay, can you find out if Daniel is well or not?

[Kumar]

bhushan, i am seeing you repeat win at texas (next week right). I am not sure if Daniel is going to make your words true, but my instinct tells me he is going to definitely finish in the higher echleons in that tournament

I like the idea of questions in a separate thread...

Go Daniel

[BSharma]

bhushan, i am seeing you repeat win at texas (next week right). I am not sure if Daniel is going to make your words true - Kumar

Daniel did not do well last year at the Texas tournament but it is just my gut feeling that he will do well this year. He has been one of the most consistent players on the Nationwide Tour this year until something happened in the last two tournaments. Apparently his game is not suited for the California tournament golf courses, and he would have been playing in Korea (KOLON KOREA OPEN), China (TCL CHINA CLASSIC) and India (HERO HONDA MASTERS) if he had already secured his PGA Tour card for 2004 by now.

There are only three tournaments left where he can pick up money to finish in the top 20 on the money list. If he wins in Texas next week would be outstanding; if he finishes in the top three would be great.

[ajay]

Although Daniel is out, but we still need to keep watch on other contenders, especially the following six players who are also in the list that I put up earlier.

In this tournament, Dufner and Brett Wetterich are set to consolidate their position. Hopefully they don't get too far and out of Daniel's reach .

Scott Gutschewski and Tjaart van der Walt seems to be set for good performace too and they are likely to overtake DANIEL if they maintain their respective positions and have a good chance to get into top 20.

Tommy Tolles and Roland Thatcher are in a position to catch up with Daniel


It is tough out there and one has to be tougher to get through this. Although I'm little nervous but I just wish that Bhushan's prediction comes true.

[ajay]

Lucas Glover, who was nowhere near the race before this tournament,
has now confirmed (99.9%) his seat for PGA. Tommy Tolles who came second, is now a serious contender. As I have said earlier, we need
to watch the top 3 as they can suddenly become a candidate as Lucas and Tommy proved it. Dufner is the other person who has also probably made it to PGA.

I had two groups last time. The first group is the "core" group which is
in the bubble and serious contender. The second group is the "dangerous" group who are in a striking distance. And then we have a "surprise" elements, like Lucas who can come from nowhere.

In the remaining three tournaments, I expect probably two more surprise names.

The current core group of 7 has one change, Dufner has moved up (in a comfortable zone) while Tommy has entered the core from dangerous group. Remaining dangerous group remains as it is.

Core

19 Tommy Tolles $166,126
20 Brett Wetterich $162,710
21 Scott Gutschewski $161,478
22 Tjaart van der Walt $160,430
23 Roger Tambellini $160,338
24 Paul Claxton $155,078
25 Daniel Chopra $149,024

Dangerous

26 Roland Thatcher $140,681
27 Charles Warren $136,187
28 Michael Long $128,104
29 Chris Tidland $123,348

By the way five players from last week finished in top 10 in the last tournament.
Daniel is last in the core group. Ofcourse, if he wins in TX, we won't need to bother about all this analysis. Wishing that Bhushan's prediction comes true.

[suresh]

Ajay and Bhushan,

Good work keeping the golf thread interesting and worth reading. Thanks.

[BSharma]

Thanks Suresh for your kind words. We serve to please .

The race for the 2004 PGA Tour card is getting hot and I hope Daniel wins in Texas this week so that we, the fans, do not have to sweat it out anymore. A victory this week will take Daniel's earnings to around $225,000, enough to put him safely in the top 12.

I have gone out on a limb and have predicted Daniel's victory in Texas for some time. I hope on Sunday I am doing and not .

[ajay]

Race for the top 20 is generating wide interest. Here is a link to an article.

... Just $5,788 separates Tommy Tolles at No. 19 and Roger Tambellini at No. 23 on the money list coming into this week's $450,000 Permian Basin Charity Golf Classic in Midland, Texas. Granted, the top 10-12 players on the list are most likely assured to stay in the top 20 and get their coveted 2004 PGA TOUR cards. But this is how fast fortunes can change in this wild race: Lucas Glover came into last week's Gila River Golf Classic at No. 32 on the list. After his rousing victory, he will be in Texas this week sitting at No. 13.

If one thing is certain this season, it is that anything can happen.

Which is why all but one of Nos. 11-25 on the money list will be at the Permian Basin Charity Golf Classic. Brett Wetterich is in the hot seat at No. 20, but no one wants to leave anything to chance, especially considering that after this week's event there is only one more tournament before the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship.

... "I don't think anyone is safe below $180,000," said Tjaart van der Walt, who has $160,430 and is at No. 22 on the list. "A lot of things can happen in three weeks, just like they happened last week. A lot of guys who thought they were safe found out last week in Phoenix that that wasn't the case at all. The important thing is to make your move this week or next week, because everybody makes money at the (Nationwide)Tour Championship."

Players are dealing with the pressure and the uncertainty in different ways. Some are just focusing on the task at hand.

"I'm trying not to think about getting my card," Wetterich said. "The more you think about it, the tougher it will be to get it done. I'm just not going to think about it ... at least not right now."

Others have found a small measure of comfort in their position.

"I think it would be more pressure if you were No. 21 on the money list than No. 19," Tolles said. "I've always said it is much easier being on the inside looking out than it is to be on the outside looking in. I skipped Dayton and went from No. 15 to No. 18 on the money list. Since then I've made a decision to play them all and at least give myself an opportunity."

[BSharma]

Daniel started off on the wrong foot today as he bogeyed the second and third holes that he played (he started play from the 10th hole today) but he was at even par by the time he finished the back nine. On the front nine he had two birdies and one bogey to finish at minus 1 for the day and tied for 43rd spot .

Two golfers are tied for first place at -6.

Watching the competition:

19. Tommy Tolles at -2, Tied for 22nd place today
20. Brett Wetterich at -2, T22
21. Scott Gutschewski +4 T123
22. Tjaart van der Walt at even par, T65
23. Roger Tambellini -1, T43
24. Paul Claxton at even par, tied for 65th spot
25. Daniel Chopra -1, T43
26. Roland Thatcher -2, T22
27. Charles Warren -2, T22
28. Michael Long -3, T7
29. Chris Tidland +3, T112

Come on Daniel, you have to make me look like a wizard by winning this tournament.

[Kumar]

I am thinking of rooting against Daniel. Everybody i rooted against this week are winning(what unbelivable baseball games) ...

Lose Daniel ...