Golf Finale Eventful

There is a lot at stake in the Tour Championship in addition to the $540,000 first prize. The top-30 money winners on the PGA Tour will also be jockeying for a slew of awards starting today.

Phil Mickelson was guaranteed of breaking Greg Norman’s record for money won in a single season. The $48,000 last-place check will give Mickelson $1,668,999 for the year, eclipsing the $1,654,959 won by Norman last year.

And a victory at Southern Hills Country Club this week would push Mickelson over $2 million and make him the only player besides Nick Price in 1994 to win five times in a year since 1980.

A top-10 finish by Mickelson would just about wrap up the PGA of America player of the year award, which is determined by a points system. The PGA Tour’s player of the year award is determined by a players’ vote. A third victory by Tiger Woods in four weeks would make him a serious contender for the honor.