Nationwide Tour Battlefield Promotion Can Be A Horrible Curse

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 3:37 PM EDT

Michael Sim has won two Nationwide Tour events this season and has a playoff loss to accompany those two wins in his last four starts. It is almost a lock that he will be on the PGA Tour next season.

The only hurdle for him to cross this season is to win on the Nationwide Tour for a third time and earn what is known as the Battlefield Promotion. By winning three times in a Nationwide Tour season, the player that does so is automatically promoted to the PGA Tour for the remainder of the season and has exempt status for the next season.

Nick Flanagan would tell Michael Sim to not win for a third time this year.

In the history of the Nationwide Tour, eight players have managed to pull off this feat.

1997	Chris Smith
2001	Heath Slocum
2001	Chad Campbell
2001	Pat Bates
2002	Patrick Moore
2003	Tom Carter
2005	Jason Gore
2007	Nick Flanagan

As it turns out, though, earning the Battlefield Promotion has turned out to be a curse for many of the players that earn it.

While many people remember Jason Gore's magical summer of 2005 in which he won three times in succession on the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour's 84 Lumber Classic that same fall, he is the exception to the rule.

On average, players that earn the battlefield promotion may fare decently during the season in which they are promoted but they struggle mightily in the season that follows.

Only half of the eight players that earned the Battlefield Promotion retained their cards in the season following it. On the average, Battlefield Promotees finish around 139th on the money list on the next season. The players also only make about half of their cuts in the following season.

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In other words, the promotion is a temporary high that crashes down into a return to the Nationwide Tour.

Four players parlayed their promotions into long careers on Tour - the 2001 class of Chad Campbell, Heath Slocum, and Pat Bates (who basically stopped playing after '06) and Jason Gore. Other than Campbell, none have really gone on to great things, but have had modest success on the PGA Tour.

Patrick Moore really brought down the averages in every department. After winning three times on Tour in 2002, injuries brought down his career. He hasn't played in four seasons on any Tour.

So, Michael Sim may want to think twice before winning that third Nationwide Tour event. The odds are not in his favor.

Not that I'm trying to be negative, but this was a question that I would like to ask Michael.

Is it better to dominate the Nationwide Tour for the whole year and then try the PGA Tour with that confidence, or throw yourself into the fire of the PGA Tour right away and risk losing momentum?

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Comments

WHAT ???

Come on, stat-guy – that’s not a very good look at these guy’s careers. The partial year they initially spend on Tour hardly counts – they are just getting their feet wet with the big boys. The first part of the next season is pretty much the same thing since they haven’t seen the courses.

Four of those 8 have wins – Jason Gore got injured when he was playing well. Heath Slocum is still playing well – he was in the Tour Championship/Fed Ex Cup finale the first year and finished second in China for the world cup.

Chad Campbell has been up and down…and is on his way up again…Ryder Cup ring a bell ?

Pat Bates is having a solid career – not stellar – but solid.

Nick Flanagan is top 40 in the world material – and it’s way to early to count him out.

Sim is a little different because of his injuries. He was playing great a couple of years ago when he got hurt and it really set him back. This year, he is showing all the maturity of a veteran and his game is finally healthy and ready to go.

I’d say that 5 of the 8 on that list have had very good careers and none of them would trade the big dollars on the PGA Tour for the Nationwide.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

I did say that half of them have gone on to decent careers – Campbell, Gore, Slocum, and Bates.

The other half, not so much.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

Nick Flanagan ?? Dude !…or should I say " OY" ? :-)

It takes more than a year and a half of stats to decide about these guys – and a pool of 8 (really only 7) isn’t exactly a big list to examine. You have to take things like injuries into account as well.

I just can’t figure out why you’re taking the negative on this. 4 of 7 is more than 50% and #8 has had some very good results.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I decided to change the title of it to “can be” since it did seem unfair to call it a curse when half did pretty ok for themselves.

Not trying to be negative, but this was a question that I would like to ask Michael. Is it better to dominate the Nationwide Tour for the whole year and then try the PGA Tour with that confidence, or throw yourself into the fire of the PGA Tour right away and risk losing momentum?

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions

as opposed to what ? starting from scratch after a layoff ? interesting question – I’m guessing guys will be different just like teams and layoffs. Some say they are fresher and healed up – and others just want to get to the next game while they have momentum.

some of these guys bounce back and forth for the rest of the season – depends on the availability of spots each week.

Pretty sure that Sim isn’t the guy to ask, though. He hasn’t done it…yet. Try Heath Slocum or Jason Gore. They have been on Tour for a while and would probably have some good insight…and would be willing to answer.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on May 26, 2009 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

I think that may be the way to go. Catch up with these guys and see if it was best to go right to the Tour, finish out the season on the N’Wide Tour, or something else altogether.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on May 26, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions