Nashawtuc not on the schedule

She has lived the reality on a daily basis for months, but it wasn't until the Champions Tour released its 2009 schedule yesterday that the despair was deepest for Tracy West.

There was no mention of a tournament at Nashawtuc Country Club in Concord.

That's because West has yet to secure a title sponsor and it appears the longest-running 54-hole event on the tour will come to an end after 27 seasons.

"I just can't believe it," said West, the tournament director. "I can't fathom that we're not planning a tournament for next June."

Since Bank of America's contract ran out following last summer's tournament, West has been in search of another sponsor, but "it's kind of been the perfect storm and these economic times aren't helping us."

If by some miracle a sponsor were to come along, the Champions Tour has an open date, because three weekends in June are empty.

"Obviously, something could come along, but if it doesn't within the next 45 or 60 days, there comes a time when it's not feasible to organize a tournament," said West. "So right now, the truth is, our focus is on [securing a sponsor] for 2010."

Looking out for No. 2

With his playoff win Monday in the HSBC Champions in China, Sergio Garcia has assumed the No. 2 spot in the world rankings and drawn as close to Tiger Woods as he's been in years. While the gap is still comfortable - at 14.10 points, Woods leads the Spaniard by 5.42 - it has been narrowed significantly. When Woods won the US Open in June, he was at 21.542, leading No. 6 Garcia by a whopping 16.278. Woods's lead on Garcia back on Jan. 1 was similarly large (14.44), but at the time the Spaniard was ranked 12th . . . He is credited as the teaching force behind his son, but alas, Victor Garcia apparently hasn't been able to apply many of the lessons. In 11 events on the European Senior Tour, Victor Garcia's best finish was a share of 34th, and six of his 30 rounds were 80 or higher. In all, he was a whopping 149 over par . . . If you're thinking Sergio Garcia's jump from 12th to second in the world order was something, consider Ben Curtis's hurdle. He was 119th to start the year, but currently sits 24th. Three other players presently inside the top 50 were outside the top 100 to start the season (Graeme McDowell, 106th to 33d; Oliver Wilson, 101st to 42d; Kevin Sutherland, 150th to 46th), but the biggest jump for any player inside the top 100 belongs to Dudley Hart, who is 51st after beginning 2008 at No. 448 . . . You like comebacks? This week's best belongs to Rafael Gomez, who was tied for 13th and sitting nine strokes back through 54 holes when he stormed to a final-round 62, then prevailed in a playoff to win the Abierto Internacional de San Luis in Argentina.

Qualified success

With a closing 70 -289, former New England Open champion Rick Karbowski earned the eighth and final spot in a Champions Tour Q School first-stage qualifier in Montgomery, Texas. The news was equally positive in Orlando, Fla., where former NEPGA standout Mike San Filippo shot 278 to finish second and Weymouth native and two-time Massachusetts Open winner Andy Morse came in eighth to advance. Jerry Courville of Connecticut also made it through, at 281. They'll now tee it up starting Tuesday in the final stage at Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Fla., where Kirk Hanefeld will also be part of the field. By finishing 71st on the Champions Tour money list, Hanefeld had earned a pass into the final stage, and while he appreciated that, the NEPGA standout understands that quite a grind awaits. After all, 78 players will be vying for just five fully exempt cards, and the field will include notables such as Fulton Allem, Phil Blackmar, Curt Byrum, Russ Cochran, Gary Hallberg, Donnie Hammond, John Harris, Mike Hulbert, Mark James, Kenny Knox, Mac O'Grady, Clarence Rose, and Ron Streck. "I was on the putting green in San Antonio [the last full-field event of the year] and looked up to see [newcomers] Hal Sutton and Dan Forsman and there'll be more coming out next year," said Hanefeld . . . Joe Clark Jr. of New Hampshire shot 72 -290 in Montgomery to finish one shot outside the cut and settle for second alternate at that site. In Orlando, among those who failed to make it through were former Phillies great Mike Schmidt (290) and longtime PGA Tour caddie Lance Ten Broeck (292) . . . It was a successful execution of a backup plan as Alison Walshe of Westford stormed home with rounds of 69-68 to finish tied for seventh at the Futures Tour qualifier in Lakeland, Fla. Anna Grzebien (T-12) and Liz Janangelo (T-21) also secured their cards for 2009, but it remains a just-in-case scenario because the three will be among the 143 players teeing it up Dec. 3-7 in the final stage of LPGA Tour qualifying in Daytona Beach, Fla. Jaclyn Sweeney, a sophomore at Oklahoma State, failed to earn her Futures Tour card, but she, too, will be at the final stage of LPGA Tour qualifying, as will another from Andover, Briana Vega. Among those who also missed the cut at the Futures Tour qualifier were Libby Smith of Vermont and Susan Choi of Natick.

Daly struggles

Days after being taken into custody by police in Winston-Salem, N.C., for appearing drunk and unable to take care of himself, John Daly called the Associated Press to say it was all a mistake. He had had a few drinks, but wasn't drunk. "Anybody who knows me," explained Daly, "when I'm tired, I sleep with my eyes open. They know it takes a while to wake me up." It's doubtful anybody is buying into Daly's explanation, and you can count CBS's David Feherty among the many who are hoping that eventually the excuses will dry up. "He knows he has a problem, but he's willing to accept it as part of his life," said Feherty, usually the sharpest wit in televised golf, but deadly serious when it comes to Daly. "He's one of the most generous and kindest souls," said Feherty, "but I'm very, very worried." Daly could do a lot worse than turn to Feherty for counsel, since the Irishman has been open about his battle with alcohol and his long fight to remain sober. Explaining his passion for cycling, Feherty said, "I don't drink anymore and I used to spend eight hours a day doing that," so cycling is a much better way to fill that void . . . During a national conference call to talk about his annual "Golden Ferret Awards" that he hands out in this month's Golf Magazine column, Feherty was his usual laugh-a-minute self, except when it came time to talk about his pursuit of American citizenship. Then, he made you proud to be an American - and ashamed if you didn't have the great perspective he has. "If you don't think this is a great country, then try living somewhere else," said Feherty. "This is the greatest country in the world." . . . Showing his great sense of humor, Feherty said he was giving an award to Jim "Bones" MacKay for the way in which he fulfills a dozen roles as Phil Mickelson's sidekick. "If you can caddie for Phil, you're probably overqualified for president of the United States," said Feherty.

Check it out

Young talents, breathless scenery, majestic golf courses. It's a combination that produced "The Kiwi Challenge," which involves a trio of American stars - Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, and Brandt Snedeker - along with Aussie Adam Scott as they take on two spectacular courses in New Zealand, Kauri Cliffs and Cape Kidnappers. While the competition took place a few weeks ago, it's well worth a peek Saturday and Sunday from 4-6 p.m. on NBC, given the talent and scenery . . . Kim's travels then took him to China, but only for half of the HSBC Champions. He was disqualified midway through Round 3 when he was declared to have played with a driver that had been accidentally altered. Kim said he tapped a sprinkler head with his driver walking off the seventh tee and when he hit his drive a mere 150 yards and out of bounds at the eighth, he suspected something was wrong. Indeed, the driver had been damaged, but since he used it, he was disqualified . . . Ian Poulter had a problem with his driver, too - it was stolen out of his bag as it sat outside the players' lounge at the HSBC. Using a backup driver, Poulter shot a third-round 74 . . . The Ladies European Tour's Indian Masters Dec. 4-7 has been canceled, with officials blaming the worldwide economic woes . . . Coming to a shirt worn by Brett Quigley, the words "Priority Pay Payroll." It's part of an endorsement deal between the Rhode Islander and one of the nation's top payroll processors. Quigley will wear the company logo and appear in a number of billboard advertisements.