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Purtzer Jumps Into Middle Of Charles Schwab Cup Standings First Quarter Bonus Points on the Line with Two Events Remaining (March 18, 2003) - For the sixth time in as many tournaments, a new player took home the most Charles Schwab Cup points, leaving a host of players near the top of the year-long standings. At the SBC Classic, Tom Purtzer won his first Champions Tour title and earned 225 Charles Schwab Cup points. He has now amassed 352 points this year, trailing only Dana Quigley and Gil Morgan. Quigley took the early points lead this season with his win at the MasterCard Championship, and he has held the top spot since. Morgan, who has yet to win in 2003, finished second at the SBC Classic. He has twice been a runner-up this season. He also tied for second at the Royal Caribbean Golf Classic in early February. Hale Irwin, who won the 2002 Charles Schwab Cup, and David Eger round out the top five. Charles Schwab Cup points are awarded weekly to the top-10 finishers and ties at 31 Champions Tour events. Points are based on the money distribution for each tournament, with every $1,000 earned the equivalent of one Charles Schwab Cup point. Quarterly bonus points will be awarded to players who are among the top-10 point earners each quarter, with performances at Champions Tour majors, as well as the season-ending Champions Tour Championship, worth three times those of all other official events. Quarterly bonus segments will conclude at the Emerald Coast Classic (Apr. 20), Farmers Charity Classic (June 22), Allianz Championship (Aug. 24) and Champions Tour Championship (Oct. 26). The top-10 points will be awarded as follows (the equivalent of a $1.6 million purse, the average tournament purse in 2002):
Position Points
1st 240
2nd 141
3rd 115
4th 96
5th 77
6th 64
7th 58
8th 51
9th 45
10th 42
Designed to recognize the leading player on the Champions Tour, the winner collects a $1 million annuity from a $2.1 million annuity purse. The standings after the SBC Classic (6th of 31 official / Charles Schwab Cup events):
Rank/Player/Events Points Points Behind Wins Top-10s
1. Dana Quigley (6) 394 1 4
2. Gil Morgan (5) 377 17 4
3. Tom Purtzer (4) 352 42 1 3
4. Hale Irwin (5) 322 72 3
5. David Eger (5) 300 94 1 1
6. Bruce Fleisher (6) 290 104 1 2
T7. Dave Barr (5) 269 125 1 2
T7. Tom Jenkins (6) 269 125 4
9. Vicente Fernandez (4) 240 154 1 1
10. Des Smyth (4) 224 170 3
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