by Jeff Skinner
The last tournament of the PGA Tour season is always a pressure packed affair. Dozens of players are vying for the coveted position of top 125 on the PGA Tour money list.
Making it to the promised land of top 125 gives these guys a place to play and earn their very lucrative living next season. Troy Merritt was one of the rookies battling to keep his card. He entered the week at 121st on the money list and looking to secure his playing privileges on the big tour. He had a trying week and entered the final round on the bubble. Luckily his closing 67 put him tied for 30th and earned him $26,179 and that was just enough to get him the last fully exempt spot for next year. Keeping your card is special for any rookie and that’s a great story for a 25 year old rookie but his day wasn’t done.
Merritt ended the day tied for the lead in the season long Kodak Challenge competition with Rickie Fowler and Aaron Baddeley. So, off to a playoff on the 17th hole they went, the prize being a winner take all one million dollar check. Merritt must have been riding high after his finish and stuffed his approach to 15 inches. Rickie and Aaron had very long putts that they missed and Merritt stroked in his gimmie. That’s not a bad daily double play for the kid: his tour card and a million bucks. Life is good for Troy Merritt.
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