(AP) — Nine tournaments over the final three weeks of the season could determine who goes to Augusta National in April.
While the PGA Tour season ended Nov. 2 when Davis Love III won at Disney - no, that did not qualify him for the Masters - tournaments around the globe are causing subtle changes in the top 50 in the world ranking that decides who gets a Masters invitation.
Oliver Wilson of England was 55th at the start of November, but a runner-up finish in the HSBC Champions has moved him up to No. 41, meaning J.B. Holmes likely will be the only Ryder Cup player who has yet to qualify for the Masters.
Jeev Singh won the Singapore Open, moving him up 17 spots to No. 44. Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland was languishing at No. 79 until he tied for fourth in Singapore and tied for second in the Hong Kong Open, giving him a chance at No. 49.
The biggest move belonged to Lin Wen-Twang of Taiwan, who won the Hong Kong Open and has moved up from No. 107 at the start of November to No. 50 going into the final three weeks.
The top 50 at the end of the 2008 earn invitations to the first major of the year.
Woody Austin ended the PGA Tour season at No. 46, but with so much movement into the top 50, he has dropped to No. 51 and figures to fall even more.
The December schedule features three tournaments in South Africa, two in Australia, three on the Asian Tour and one in Japan. If the ranking stays the way it is for the final month, the Masters field already will have 89 players going into next year. Then, the winners of 13 events on the PGA Tour will get automatic invitations, along with the top 50 in the world ranking published a week before the Masters.
The last time the Masters had more than 100 players in the field was in 1966.
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EUROPEAN SHOT: Padraig Harrington, the first European to win successive majors in the same season, has won the ``European Tour Shot of the Year Award'' for 2008.
The debate must have been which shot.
A panel of golf writers, broadcasters and golf dignitaries settled on the Irishman's 5-wood to about 4 feet for an eagle on the 17th hole at Royal Birkdale, effectively clinching victory in the British Open.
``It's one of the few times I think I've ever heard my caddie say, 'Good shot,' before the ball is finished,'' Harrington said.
Runner-up went to Graeme McDowell for his 7-iron on the third hole of a playoff against Jeev Singh to win the inaugural Ballantine's Championship in Korea. Harrington's other shot - that 5-iron to 10 feet for birdie on the 71st hole of the PGA Championship to break a tie with Sergio Garcia - finished third.
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FINCHEM'S PAY: PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem had a $400,000 drop in his compensation last year, but the $4.8 million in salary and bonuses was still enough to be the equivalent of No. 3 on the money list for the second straight year.
The Sports Business Journal, citing the latest IRS forms the tour is required to file, said Finchem received $1.3 million in salary, $3.2 million in bonus and $240,000 in benefits. In 2006, he received about $5.2 million, which spokesman Ty Votaw attributed to an additional bonus the commissioner received for ``extraordinary service in 2005.''
Finchem made $4.2 million in 2005, the equivalent of No. 5 on the money list.
