That was the key to the tournament for Quinn

From the tips and with Sunday hole locations this devoted amateur golfer tells the story of the Nationwide Tour Championship and his "Monday Morning Golf" outing in his own words. I have always wanted to go to Charleston, South Carolina so it was a no-brainer to drive up from Jacksonville Beach, Florida on Thursday morning to catch all the action of the Nationwide Tour Championship at the Daniel Island Club. My connection with Charleston was through the movie The Prince of Tides. You know the one nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1991 with Barbara Streisand and Nick Nolte. I loved it when Nolte drove over the picturesque bridge in a convertible. So my dream was always to go to Charleston and drive over that bridge with the top down. The Daniel Island Club is a couple of miles off the interstate highway It’s a Wizard of Oz Munchkin like moment.

It is that dramatic of an entrance into an enchanted land of Low country natural oaks, beautiful palms and saltwater marshes. What is the quickest way to paradise from Interstate 526 around Charleston, South Carolina Take Exit 24- Daniel Island and proceed to the Daniel Island Club. Sixty of the best golfers on the Nationwide Tour did exactly that for their championship event- the culmination of the landmark 20th season of PGA TOUR Driven excellence. Nationwide Tour graduates account for 258 PGA TOUR wins including 13 Major and 3 PLAYERS Championships. Make that 259 PGA TOUR wins with Nationwide Tour alumni Troy Matteson winning the Frys Open last week. You do the math on that one- 20 years, about 40 PGA events a year is about 800 events… so about one in three come from the Nationwide Tour. With Tiger Woods with 71 victories and players coming directly from the European Tour being the key exceptions. Matt Every who came in at No. 49 shot 63 in Friday's second round and a pair of 67s on the weekend to overcome the tour's best golfer Michael Sim who came out firing on all cylinders with a 64 on Thursday. The 25-year old Every would make his first win on the Nationwide Tour his biggest and hopefully his last His stellar performance vaulted him to No 10 on the money list. Turning pro in 1988 he made it to the PGA TOUR for the first and only time in 1992 when he finished T8 at Q-School. First and only time until now. After twelve straight seasons on the Nationwide Tour where he is now ranked third in all-time starts at 324, Quinn fought off a painful bladder infection and was inspired by his 11-year-old son Owen. "Dad, you're going to do it. You're going to have a great day," were the words spoken early Sunday morning though it was the tone that was really inspiring. The son in his heart already knew his father was a champion and all he hoped was that everyone else would know the same thing come the end of competition on Sunday. His father was locked in as No. 25 when Brian Stuard missed an eight foot birdie putt on the final hole to finish T14 in the Championship and only $2,844 out of the Top 25 and a golden passport to the big show next year.

Quinn's success really was determined by his finish on Saturday. At 6-under par for the tournament he missed a short par putt on the 13th green He then hit a poor iron from the fairway bunker on No. On the 16th he drove it left into the water and came away with another double bogey. In total, he was 6-over par for four holes and back to even par for the tournament. It easily could have been the end of the story but not for this gutsy competitor playing hurt. Beware of the ill golfer. After steadying the ship with a two-putt par on No 17 he finished strong with a birdie on No 18. That was the key to the tournament for Quinn. Despite his ailment, he finished with a birdie put the poor stretch of golf behind him. He came through with a decent 74 on Sunday, a T46 finish and the $3,750 he needed to finish in the 25th slot after starting the week at No.

20. "Those words (of my son) were an inspiration for me all day," the elated Quinn said afterwards. While Quinn was fortunate to remain in the Top 25, another golfer named Steve Wheatcroft came into the gold with Every. The 31-year old Indiana University graduate from Indiana, Pennsylvania shot three rounds in the 60s and an even par 72 on Sunday to finish T3, win $58,000 and vault from No 31 to No. 20. In the tough reality of championship golf and a limited number of PGA TOUR cards to pass out at the awards ceremony late Sunday afternoon when two come in two have to go out. Along with Brian Stuard who started at No 23 Alastair Presnell the "bubble boy" at No 25 coming in slipped to No. 28 despite a respectable T19 finish. The big picture of the Top 25 movement for 2009 was that Matt Every (1st) and Steve Wheatcroft (T3) came out of nowhere and surged ahead to No 10 and No. Open Doctor" designed Ralston Creek course, superb facilities and near perfect weather. The winning score of 21-under par on the 7,446 yard par 72 masterpiece was due surprisingly to a lack of wind in this beautiful coastal community. Generous fairway widths in the landing zones despite the deep Rees bunkers was also good news for the bombers. The winding 557-yard par 5 9th hole with water right off the tee and water short left of the green on the second shot was an exciting finishing hole. A perfect drive meant an opportunity to reach the green in two and possibly make eagle. The beauty of the grounds with the purplish hue to the whimsical vegetation and the majestic clubhouse setting on high ground to the left as the player walks down the 18th fairway for the last time on Sunday afternoon. Imagine the thoughts, feelings and emotions of Michael Sim as he completed perhaps the most dominant season ever on the Nationwide Tour. Or Matt Every who triumphed as Nationwide Tour Champion just in time to catch the train to the PGA TOUR for 2010. The informal hospitality of the Low country and that of Daniel Island was certainly evident on the grassed plateau behind the clubhouse. Overlooking the vast marsh the view is literally endless with natural beauty as far as the eye can see. An open hospitality tent designated the 19th hole provided spirits and musical tunes to dance to as the evening sun set over the marshland. On Sunday afternoon the festivities were taken inside the large ballroom where Golf Channel Host Jerry Foltz emceed the final chapter of the Quest for the Card series where the 25 golden graduates of the 2009 Nationwide Tour receive their official 2010 PGA TOUR card. The graduation ceremony started with 25 empty chairs on stage draped in the numbered gold caddie bibs.