Boo Weekley: Nationwide Grad with a Winning Edge

The Nationwide Tour has released its report detailing the 2007 golf season. And it's a pretty interesting read.

There should be no question in anyone's mind any longer that professional golf has become a truly international game with almost every country in the world boasting a touring pro on a major tour somewhere.

And make no mistake: the Nationwide Tour is a major tour. Every sport has its "feeder series" and the Nationwide serves the Big Show on the PGA Tour very well.

The players who graduate from the Nationwide to the PGA Tour do so with seasoning and valuable experience in the heat of competition under their golf belts.

Not to take anything away from the pressure cooker that is Q-School, but a successful season on the Nationwide more closely mirrors daily life on the PGA trail than six rounds of Q-School.

It's tours like the Nationwide that allow up-and-coming players to sharpen their teeth and really learn who they are in clutch moments. That's the stuff of personal growth.

So, four of the top five money earners this year are international players; Wales, Australia (with three) and Canada took care of the top five spots.

The report also underscores the significance of the Nationwide by declaring that former Nationwiders won 21 times on the PGA tour this year.

One of those is Boo Weekley whose quotable quotes have found their way into a top ten list. Boo sends media types scrambling for their Blackberries every time he opens his mouth. He is the exact opposite of someone like Tiger Woods who carefully considers every word he utters before it comes out.

You can laugh with him or laugh at him but Boo Weekley is also a damn good golfer.

He just needs to get out more.