PGA: Movers and Shakers Vol. II

It's a different chase than the one for the FedEx Cup, but in a lot of ways may be a more important one. It's the chase to the number "125," as in sneaking into the top-125 of the PGA tour Money List.

That's the threshold for keeping (or earning) a one-year exemption for a Tour Card in 2009. The real trick is for some of these sub-125 players to win a tournament outright, and get the two-year exemption and a ticket to the PGA Championship; but only one person can win a week. So, in this, the more realistic look at things; we'll check out who's trending up and getting closer to a card, and who is shooting themselves in the foot down the stretch.

This impacts you Fantasy-wise as well, because those making a push to the top-125 will (in theory) be playing better and finish better, while those dropping out of the top-125 will (in theory) be missing cuts and be worthless to start in your league.

So, let's take a look at the Movers and the Shakers and give you yet another level of information to consider when picking your lineup.

Martin Laird: Just a quick update here on Laird - what I thought might happen has indeed happened. Laird, a Tour Rookie, got cold at the absolute wrong time of the season and has now dropped out of the top-125 on the money list.

Laird has been at best inconsistent (missed 10 of 26 cuts) and has finished no better than T-47th in the last six weeks (this past week at the Justin Timberlake); including the three Fall Series events he's played in (T-70th at Turning Stone, Missed Cut at the Valero Texas Open, and like I said, T-47th at the Justin Timberlake). He's just playing horribly in all facets of the game, from Driving to Irons to Putting; it's a complete and total mess right now, and he's suffering in the Money List Standings as a result.

After The Barclays, he was knocking on the door of the top-100 on the Money List.  Now he dropped just this past week from 125th to 128th, and unless a miracle happens; Laird will be on the Nationwide Tour next year.

Clearly he needs another year to tune the old game up and hopefully he'll be back.  He's such a talented kid - it would be a shame if he didn't get it together.  

Verdict - Shaken Out Shaker

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