A year ago, Mark Wilson finished 131st in the regular season standings for the FedExCup — missing out on the Playoffs by 37 points.
Looks like he won’t have to worry about that this year after earning 500 points for his win at the Sony Open in Hawaii on Sunday. After all, the player in the all-important No. 125 spot at the end of the regular season in 2009 had 363 points while the magic number was 380 in 2010 so Wilson appears secure.
"I know, I was thinking about that," said the man who is now ranked second in the standings. "I missed the Playoffs last year so I’m already in that. That’s exciting."
Not to mention, the 36-year-old Wilson will get to spend 14 days in Hawaii next year instead of just seven — playing in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions the week before he returns to defend his title at Waialae Country Club.
"That’s a great start to the year to do two weeks over here," said the UNC grad, who will try to make it two-in-a-row at the Bob Hope Classic this week.
And in the not-too-distant future, Wilson will get to play in his first Masters Tournament. He’s been as a spectator several times — the first as a 14-year-old in Fred Couples’ gallery — but neither of his two previous PGA TOUR wins qualified him to compete.
Wilson hasn’t been back to Augusta National since 2001, though. He wanted earned his spot – and now that he has, Wilson says he has "goosebumps."
Wilson has only played in three previous majors — two PGAs and the 1998 U.S. Open — and he has yet to make a cut. He admits to feeling a little "like I don’t belong" but he has three months to get comfortable.
"It’s going to be a new experience," Wilson said. "I’ve never made the cut in a major. I feel like that’s the next step for me. I always think that the next step is playing well in majors and the next step after that is being part of the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams.
"I feel like I’m ready to make that step, and this is a good start to it."
Helen Ross
