Rob Rashell just completed his first season on the PGA Tour. Throughout his rookie year, Rashell provided a frequent glimpse of what it's like to break into the Tour.

Because of Hurricane Katrina, the Southern Farm Bureau Classic was pushed back to the first week of November, played opposite the Tour Championship in Atlanta.  Being the final tournament of the year, almost every player in the field was playing for something. Most of you are familiar with the race for the top 125 on the money list. By finishing in the top 125 a player ensures his job for another year and is fully exempt on the PGA Tour in 2006. In addition to the top 125, there are many other things that guys are playing for during this last week on tour.

Most of you are aware that the top 30 players on Tour were playing in Atlanta last week. With a top 30 finish, they are all guaranteed starts in all four major championships in addition to any tournament they wish to play throughout the 2006 season. Well deserved, if you ask me. The interesting aspect of playing a tournament alongside the Tour Championship this year was the possibility of Nos. 31 or 32 on the money list to win in Mississippi and overtake one of the players inside the top 30, something for the top guys in the field to play for. A top 40 finish would also guarantee a spot in the field at the Masters. So if you’re No. 41 on the money list going into Mississippi, you are probably looking to have a good week and get a start in the Masters.

After the top 40 on the money list, guys are playing to finish inside the top 70. With a finish inside the top 70, a player earns the right to play in all the invitational tournaments throughout the year. They would include Bay Hill, Colonial, Memorial, etc. Theses are all limited-field (100 players, instead of the usual 156) events with a seemingly unlimited purse with the cut still at 70 players. Instead of having to beat half the field to get a check that week you only have to beat 20 to 30 players, and the events are just a little notch above the normal week on Tour.  So for all the guys from 60 to 80 on the money list, they’re playing for that top 70 finish.

After the top 70 is the all too familiar race to 125 and a basic meat and potatoes job for the 2006 season. After the race for the top 125 is the race for top 150. Any player that finishes from 126 to 150 is a conditional player on the PGA Tour in 2006 and gets an automatic pass to the PGA Tour School finals in December. Even if a player doesn’t earn his card at Qualifying School, he’ll play somewhere between 10 and 15 events on the PGA Tour in 2006 and with a good week at finals they’ll retain full privileges for 2006 and play a minimum of 23 or 24 events.

Everyone else is playing for a spot inside the top 200, and although it doesn’t sound like much, finishers 150 to 200 receive conditional Nationwide Tour status and have a place to play in 2006 no matter how they finish at Tour School. I ended up at 220^th on the money list and my only reward for playing on Tour this year is an exemption into second stage of Tour School this year. Without the finish inside the top 200, I currently have no status on either tour next year and have to play my way through the second stage to get some Nationwide status and possibly a Tour card for the 2006 season.

(Editor's note: Rashell failed to advance past the second stage at PGA Tour School qualifying)

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Flying on the hardwood, racing on the rink, getting physical on the gridiron, and much more. more photos

Professional golf will always be a what-have-you-done-for-me lately profession. At this time last year, I was a fully exempt player on the European Tour and the PGA Tour and now I am battling for a job on a major tour or it's back to the mini-tours to work on my trade. As tough as golf can be at times, the rewards for playing well are worth the struggle and the effort.

On a more upbeat note, I had a solid week in Mississippi. I played four rounds under par for the first time all year and my 10-under score was my lowest total to par for the year. These are small accomplishments I know, but it feels good to make some birdies and put four solid rounds together. 

A quick thanks to everyone at NBCSports.com for the opportunity to write this year, and hopefully you’ll see me back on the big Tour in 2006.

2005 results     How Rob Rashell stacked up on the PGA Tour this year. He made six of 25 cuts and earned $84,391. — 11/3-11/6: Southern Farm Bureau Classic (70-70-69-69—278, -10, 44th-tie, $9,070) — 9/22-9/25: Texas Open (67-73—140, Even, cut) — 9/15-9/18: 84 Lumber Classic (71-76—147, +3, cut) — 9/8-9/11: Canadian Open (72-73—145, +5, cut) — 9/2-9/5: Deutsche Bank Championship (75-73—148, +6, cut) — 8/25-8/28: Buick Championship (73-69—142, +2, cut) — 8/18-8/21: Reno-Tahoe Open (77-77—154, +10, cut) — 7/21-7/24: U.S. Bank Championship (71-72—143, +3, cut) — 7/14-7/17: B.C. Open (74-70—144, Even, cut) — 7/7-7/10: John Deere Classic (72-72—144, +2, cut) — 6/30-7/3: Western Open (72-72—144, +2, cut) — 6/23-6/26: Barclays Classic (75-73—148, +6, cut) — 6/16-6/19: U.S. Open (74-72-73-74—293, +13, 42th-tie, $26,223) — 5/26-5/29: St. Jude Classic (73-68-69-71—281, +1, 39th-tie, $20,090) — 4/28-5/1: Zurich Classic (74-73—147, +3, cut) — 4/21-24: Houston Open (78-73—151, +7, cut) — 3/31-4/3: BellSouth Classic (79-73—152, +8, cut) — 3/10-3/13: Honda Classic (73-68-76-70—287, -1, 58th-tie, $12,100) — 2/24-2/27: Chrysler Classic (71-68-71-75—285, -3, 64th-tie, $6,300) — 2/17-2/20: Nissan Open (73-72—145, +3, cut) — 2/10-2/13: Pebble Beach Pro-Am (72-75-73—220, +4, cut) — 2/3-2/6: FBR Open (77-74—151, +9, cut) — 1/26-1/30: Bob Hope Classic (66-76-73-72—287, -1, cut) — 1/20-1/23: Buick Invitational (73-72—145, +1, cut) — 1/13-1/16: Sony Open (73-67-74-69—283, +3, 56th-tie, $10,608)

MORE FROM GOLF

Golf Section Front

Tiger’s aura strong, at least outside the ropes   Woods faces tricky test at the Heath Thousands turn out for Tiger's practice round Kerr leads LPGA to win at 3-Tour Challenge A big finish for Phil sets up high expectations Faldo receives knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II McIlroy joining the US PGA Tour next year Latest golf videos Latest player news, rumors and more Tracking Tiger: News, features and more Golf Section Front   Add Golf headlines to your news reader: