Golf Bets / Paul Krishnamurty / 13 October 2009 /

These guys will be feeling the pressure as they attempt to keep their tour cards but Paul Krishnamurty spies either form, class or bottle in this quintet as the PGA Tour enters its autumn days

We're into the final furlong of the 2009 PGA Tour, with four events remaining of the 'Fall Series'. The key interest of this final stretch of events is the race to reach, or maintain a place within the top-125 of the money list; therefore gaining full playing privileges for next season. This sense of urgency often brings the best out in some high profile players who've so far struggled during the season. Last year, for instance, Zach Johnson and Davis Love stepped up a gear when it mattered. Here are five names who need to do the same this time around.

Stuart Appleby

This eight-time PGA Tour winner has had a shocker in 2009, registering just one top-10 finish and two top-20s. On that basis, its hard to make a case for Stuart right now, but the saying 'form is temporary, class is permanent' springs to mind. Sitting in 130th on the money list, he will be aware of the urgency of the situation, and the Aussie could be an interesting big-priced candidate at this week's JT Shriners Hospital Open, having won on the course in 2003 and finishing runner-up the previous year.

Troy Matteson

The 29-year-old from Florida is another outside the qualifying spots in 132nd place, but has shown before that he is a man to follow during this critical autumn period. Between 2006 and 2008, 11 tournaments during the months of October and November have yielded a return for Matteson that very few could match, with seven top-10 finishes including one win.

Martin Laird

Virtually unheard of in his native Britain until last summer and still not exactly a household name, Laird is slowly building a career across the Atlantic. Earning full PGA Tour playing privileges would represent a huge step forward for the 26-year-old Scot, and a perfectly plausible target from his current 134th position on the money list. Laird seems to produce his best when low scoring is the order of the day, and all of the remaining Fall Series events fit that profile.

Tim Herron

Without a single top-10 finish in 2009, 'Lumpy' is another well-known PGA Tour name struggling to keep his card. However, there have been a few hints of improvement lately, with three top-25s from his last five starts. Herron also played pretty well in the last Fall Series, registering two top-8 finishes, the best of which came at this week's venue, Summerlin. As he also made the top-15 here in 2007, Tim could be worth a penny or two at the huge odds of [200.0].

Carl Pettersson

It's been a truly miserable year so far for this three-time PGA Tour winner, who needs to improve fast to avoid a nerve-wracking trip to Q-School. Pettersson is outside the top-150 in the money list, and will therefore need at least one big pay-cheque from the last four events to stand a chance. He can at least draw some encouragement from autumns past. In 21 starts during October and November over the past five years, the Swede has registered ten top-10 finishes.

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