US, Sept 24: Mark O'Meara has been the model of consistency during a 23-year career on the PGA Tour with 16 victories, two major championships and never finishing out of the top 125 on the money list.
But at age 46, and struggling with his putting, O'Meara finds himself in a precarious position. He made the cut on the number at the 84 Lumber Classic -- his first cut since the British Open -- but didn't hit another shot because a 36-hole Sunday meant only those closest to the top 60 played the final two rounds.
O'Meara had to settle for a tie for 69th and earned $7,560, leaving him at 134th on the money list as he takes a month break from golf. He has only two tournaments left -- Disney and Tampa -- to keep his card for 2004. Otherwise, O'Meara will be forced to use his one-time exemption for being in the top 50 on the career money list.
This is noteworthy because of what happened in a conference room six years ago. O'Meara was on the PGA Tour policy board in 1997 and was among those strongly in favor of getting rid of 10-year exemptions that came with winning majors, The Players Championship and the World Series of Golf.

The Tour was concerned some players were becoming ceremonial figures during the latter part of that 10-year free pass, and the board voted in November to reduce the exemption to five years starting in 1998.



Just his luck, O'Meara won the Masters and the British Open that year. His five-year exemption runs out this year. Timing is everything.



Corey Pavin is 146th on the money list. Unless he improves in the next two months, this will be the fifth time in the last seven years he has finished outside the top 125. Pavin, however, is exempt through 2005 because of his '95 U.S. Open victory at Shinnecock Hills.



John Daly also is exempt for two more years from winning the '95 British Open. Mark Brooks is 177th on the money list and hasn't won since the '96 PGA Championship, which makes him exempt for three more years.



Steve Elkington -- remember him? -- is 181st on the money list, but he's good through 2007 because of his victory in The Players Championship the year before the exemption policy changed.



The one argument O'Meara made during the debate on the 10-year exemption was getting extra time for multiple majors. Players get a two-year exemption for winning a regular tournament, plus an extra year for each additional victory that year.



O'Meara won two majors in one year -- Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Nick Price are the only others to have done that in the last 20 years -- but could be down to his last card next year.


Bureau Report