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Nationwide Tour to become primary avenue to PGA Tour

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MOBILE, AL - NOVEMBER 10: Ben Barry of Tuscaloosa carries a stuffed Pink Panther on his shoulders as he follows Paula Creamer through her third round play in The Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions at Magnolia Grove Golf Course on November 10, 2007 in Mobile, Alabama. Creamer is nicknamed the Pink Panther. (Photo by Dave Martin/Getty Images)

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Change is coming to the PGA Tour, and it’s coming fast.

On Wednesday commissioner Tim Finchem told the media that the dramatic change to the current Nationwide Tour/Q-School model, which will make the secondary circuit the primary avenue to membership via a three-event series, will be completed by next month’s Policy Board meeting at the AT&T National.

“We are almost done,” Finchem said.

According to last month’s “green sheet,” which is circulated to Tour players, there are currently two options for the Nationwide Tour/Q-School proposal.

The first plan, called the “jump ball” option, would give the top 15 to 20 players off the regular season Nationwide Tour money list “some” money, a theoretical advantage as a reward for season-long performance, and start everyone else – the next 55 or so players on the Nationwide Tour and Nos. 126 to 200 in PGA Tour earnings – at zero.

The second option is to create a divisor to merge the two money lists and have all players begin the three-event finals series with some money.

The plan will be discussed in more detail at the next Player Advisory Council meeting at the Memorial tournament.