... and Open Thread ...

PGA Tour

1. Daniel Chopra, $1,100,000
   
2. Steve Stricker, $630,000
   
3. Stephen Ames, $410,000
   
4. Mike Weir, $310,000
   
5. Jim Furyk, $218,000
   
5. Hunter Mahan, $218,000
   
5. Nick Watney, $218,000
   
8. Charles Howell III, $175,000
   
8. Justin Leonard, $175,000
   
10. Mark Calcavecchia, $155,000
    
10. Brandt Snedeker, $155,000

European Tour

1. Ross Fisher, €307,394
   
2. Lee Westwood, €299,894
   
3. Miguel Angel Jimenez, €255,711
   
4. Kevin Stadler, €172,640
   
5. Richard Finch, €164,481
   
6. James Kingston, €162,400
   
7. John Bickerton, €158,500
   
8. Ernie Els, €143,491
   
9. Daniel Chopra, €135,311
   
10. Vijay Singh, €133,969

So far, I seem to be the only person who has realized the implications of the Mercedes-Benz Championship. But, then, maybe that's not a suprise. I do have a gift for trendspotting. I'm almost always way ahead of the curve.

So what trend have I spotted coming out of Kapalua? Well, look at the money list above. After one tournament in the 2008 season, Daniel Chopra has $1.1 million and Tiger Woods has $0.

If we extrapolate this trendline, we arrive at yearend figures of approximately $27 million in 2008 earnings for Chopra, and approximately $0 in 2008 earnings for Woods.

Why am I the only the one writing about this? That gift for trendspotting, natch. C'mon people, this is huge!