Golf is not a defensive sport, especially this week, if your name is Riley Wheeldon.
The Comox golfer, who had held the No. 1 money-earning spot on PGA Tour Canada since winning the Syncrude Borreal Open in Fort McMurray, Alta., back in mid-July, has just recently slipped to No. 2.
The 22-year-old requires a good finish in the final tournament of the season, the Tour Championship of Canada presented by Freedom 55 Financial, which begins today at Sunningdale Golf and Country Club in London, Ont.
Up for grabs is one of four remaining Web.com Tour cards that will go to the five top money earners. Fellow Canadian Mackenzie Hughes has already clinched one as he took over top spot on the money earnings at $52,114.29, which guarantees his position in what has simply been dubbed The Five.
Wheeldon is in a tremendous spot in second with $43,987.50 after eight events. Hugo Leon is third ($39,897), Wil Collins is fourth ($39,708.04) and Joe Panzeri holds down fifth at $39,312.73.
With so many possibilities, it’s hard to mathematically predict just where Wheeldon needs to finish this week.
“I haven’t done too much math on it, to be honest. I know it’s going to take at least making the cut, but I’m not setting my sights there,” said Wheeldon. “I want to go out and win this tournament and the closer I can be to the top of the week, the better position I will have in The Five.
“I have to try and block out all the talk about The Five and the money, and just go play it like it’s any other tournament.”
Making the two-day cut is a must, as sitting around and waiting on Saturday and Sunday would make Wheeldon a nervous wreck.
“It’s been a stressful summer, especially the last month in which I missed some cuts, which has made it harder on myself,” admitted Wheeldon. “But I’m in a position I would have taken at the start of the year, so I can’t complain.”
He had missed three straight cuts before turning in a solid tie for eighth spot at last week’s Cape Breton Celtic Classic.
“With the circumstance taking place last week, having been passed for No. 1, I feel like there’s less pressure than before,” said Wheeldon, who finished third at the Times Colonist Island Savings Open in Victoria to start the year. “I had a decent week, too, so that’s something I can build on.”
He is within reach of his target — The Five.
“That was definitely the goal, to move up in tours. To move up to the Web.com Tour is a step closer to the PGA Tour and that’s huge,” he said. “That’s why I’m trying not to think of it too much.”
It’s important to note that only the top player on the PGA Tour Canada money list will be fully exempt, the rest of The Five will earn highly placed status.
Players finishing sixth through 10th will earn an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School, while Nos. 11-20 will advance to the second stage of qualifying.
Anyone in the top 30 heading into today’s event — which includes Victoria’s Cory Renfrew at No. 13 with $26,490.54 — still has a chance of moving inside the top five.
The salary breakdown for the top 10 in the weekly purses are: $27,000; $16,200; $10,200; $7,200, $6,000; $5,400; $5,025; $4,650; $4,350 and $4,050.
Wheeldon is roughly $4,675 above the current fifth-place holder.
