By Jon Levy - Staff Writer

July 11, 2010

When 12 and 11 under par claim first and second place of a tournament after just the first round, with three more par-trampling rounds remaining, it’s easy to say the tone of the event is one that shouts it’s time to take it deep. Well, considering Paul Goydos’ record-tying 59 and Steve Stricker’s 60 in the first round of last week’s John Deere Classic, Matt Jones’ and Charley Hoffman’s first round scores of (7-under) 64 and (6-under) 65 must have seemed almost pedestrian compared to the fire being spewed by their elder peers.

Nevertheless, for the duo of former Gateway Pro Tour players -- the latest to find their way into the top 10 of a PGA TOUR event -- who inched their way to 17 and 15 under for the week to take solo fifth and a tie for seventh, respectively, the midsummer showings at TPC Deere Run were 2010 bests for each. Needless to say, then, both Jones and Hoffman probably conceded to the incredulous 26 and 24-under efforts of the winner, Stricker, and runner-up, Goydos, remaining content with their solid weeks -- and solid paychecks.

For Jones, last week’s finish impressively comes as his fifth top-10 of the year and 12th cut made in 19 starts. Accounting now for his best season on TOUR to date, his $176,000 payday even nudged him over the $1 million mark ($1.09 million) for the first time in his career. Once touted by NBC Golf analyst, Johnny Miller, as one of the up-and-coming stars on the PGA TOUR, the former Desert Series player is finally showing his true talents in his third year on the big circuit, as he moved in 46th place in the FedEx Cup race, poised for a true breakout season with continued good play.

Hoffman, on the other hand -- a seasoned PGA TOUR player who has one win and over $6 million in career earnings to his credit -- uncharacteristically saw last week’s top-10 come as just his first of the year. Suffice it to say, the 33-year-old has made a good share of his cuts this year -- 11 of 16 -- but with just one other finish in the top-20 (a T13 at the Valero Texas Open) before last week’s moneymaker in the Quad Cities, his season had been somewhat mediocre.

Never fear for the San Diegan, though, as his 15-career top-10s in not yet five full seasons on TOUR prove he’s no stranger to finding his way to the top of a PGA TOUR leaderboard. With his $137,133 week, the former Desert Series member vaulted to over $575,000 in earnings on the year and to 84th in FedEx Cup points.

- As for the latest update of former Gateway Pro Tour players now playing on the Nationwide Tour, five Tour Alumni found their way into the top-10 at last week’s Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic.

Former players Kevin Chappell (3rd), Bobby Gates (T4), James Hahn (T4), Daniel Summerhays (T10) and Martin Piller (T10) continue an amazing streak of multiple former Gateway Pro Tour players to find a spot into the top 10 of every Nationwide Tour event played this season.

Although he didn’t win after leading through 54 holes, Chappell continues an amazing year on the Nationwide Tour; one consisting of almost $270,000 in earnings, six total top-10s, a win (at the Fresh Express Classic), a second and a third. Talk about being ready to play the PGA TOUR.

Standing at 2nd in THE 25, Chappell is guaranteed to earn his TOUR card for next year -- as is Gates, the former Gateway Pro Tour and Gateway Collegiate Tour player whose T4 comes as his fourth top-10 on the season; a season kicked off by a victory at the Michael Hill New Zealand Open in his first Nationwide Tour start as a member. With 11 events now under his belt, Gates has earned a stout $221,587 himself, and sits in 4th in THE 25.

Tied with Gates was former Gateway Pro Tour player, James Hahn, whose closing 65 lent towards his best finish of the season, a third top-10 of the year and push over $100,000 in ’10 earnings, as his $103,666 moves him to 19th on the Nationwide Tour money list. Similar to Gates, playing as a Nationwide Tour rookie, Hahn is also in good position to earn a 2011 PGA TOUR card.

The final pair of alumni to get the top-10 nod in The Great One’s tournament -- Daniel Summerhays and Martin Piller -- make for a clean sweep this week of Gateway Pro Tour Alumni who are well-positioned to get to the PGA TOUR next year. Summerhays and Piller sit at 21st and 6th on the Nationwide Tour money list, respectively, showing yet again just how deep the talent of former Gateway Pro Tour players on the Nationwide Tour is. Keep it up, guys…


Click here for full field results of the John Deere Classic and here for full field results of the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, from pgatour.com…