Champions Tour season ends with Charles Schwab Cup Championship

Oct 30, 2008 - 10:20 AM SONOMA, California (Ticker) - The Champions Tour season comes to an end this week at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

The $2.5 million event features the top-30 money winners on the Champions Tour and starts Thursday at Sonoma Golf Club.

The event has a first prize of $440,000 and will decide the Charles Schwab Cup title as well. Jay Haas entered the event first in the cup standings, 12 points in front of Fred Funk. Bernhard Langer is 96 points back with Eduardo Romero (524 points) and John Cook (689 points) also in contention with this event offering players double points.

"I will have to play well, obviously, here to hold off everyone," Haas said. "Really, 12 points is nothing, so you know last year I didn't finish in the Top 10. Didn't get any points. Had a chance, Loren (Roberts) gave me an opportunity to pass him, and I couldn't do it. So I'd like to remedy that and play better this year."

Last year, Jim Thorpe was the last player in the field at No. 30 on the money list and he went on to win the event for a third time. Thorpe is not in the field this year after finishing 35th on the money list.

The money list title and Arnold Palmer Award that comes along with it is also up for grabs this week. Langer has a $49,347 lead of Haas.

"There's a lot on the line this week. Because, you know, it's more prize money. It's counts double for Schwab points for fewer players," Langer said. "So there's more money passed out, and counting double for the Schwab Cup.

"It could be a very exciting finish. It could come down to the last cut again, which is great. I think that's the way it ought to be. I'm just glad to be among those that have a chance."

The Sonoma Golf Club course is a 7,111-yard , par-72 layout. Thorpe hold the tournament record of 20-under-par 268, which he set in 2003 and matched last season.

"I really like the golf course. I think it's in magnificent shape," Langer said. "Beautiful, fast greens, and, you know, well-manicured fairways, thick grass. So you've got to do everything well, you've got to drive it well. Hit some precise irons and roll the ball good. So it's a great test of golf."