Roberts, 53, is 45th in career earnings and is likely to fall outside the Top 50 after the 2009 season, which would eliminate his eligibility for the one-time exemption. This is more of a formality than it is any indication that he will return to the PGA Tour full-time. In fact, he's cleaning up on the Champions Tour and would be foolish to spend the bulk of his time otherwise. Since becoming a full-time member of the senior circuit (2006), Roberts has played just seven events on the PGA Tour but none since the 2007 British. At age 55, Tom Kite took this same path in 2005. Kite made 12 starts on the PGA Tour that year, cashing in just three. We would be shocked if Roberts made more than six starts on the 2009 PGA Tour.

Parnevik finished 143rd on the 2008 money list and 44th in career earnings, which would have allowed him to burn a one-time exemption allowed those inside the Top 50 all-time. But Parnevik is just 43 years old and will gain entry into 16-19 events in 2009 on merit alone. Plus, as a past champion, he is allowed unlimited sponsor's exemptions. It's likely that he wouldn't exhaust his career earnings exemption unless he finished outside the Top 150 in a single season.

The tour makes it policy to refrain from divulging specifics on fines and suspensions, but there is no penalty for golfers that announce the news themselves. Daly's series of unfortunate and embarrassing (and avoidable) events is too long to list here, but that he went public with the news is the most intriguing element. He's going to play in Europe, so he could have chalked up the time away as a new beginning of sorts. "John's New Year's resolution is do everything he can to make positive things happen on the golf course," said his agent, Bud Martin of SFX Sports. "I hope he can walk the walk. The talk sounds great. But it's going to be him working hard and staying out of trouble, and having success on the golf course."

Finally, a little closure to this mystery. Coceres had broken his wrist in a pick-up soccer game in 2002 and has been forced to rest it for long stretches ever since. He has said in the past that his recovery is behind him but his 45-year old body begs to differ. There is no reason to select the Argentine on draft day.

With no events worldwide remaining in 2008, the Top 50 on the latest World Ranking have earned a tee time at Augusta National. McIlroy (ranked 40th) will be making his first start in the major. The remaining 14 that were not otherwise qualified before today are Justin Rose (19th), Martin Kaymer (25th), Ross Fisher (29th), Luke Donald (31st), Rory Sabbatini (32nd), Shingo Katayama (33rd), Graeme McDowell (34th), Aaron Baddeley (35th), Jeev Milkha Singh (36th), Oliver Wilson (39th), Richard Sterne (43rd), Soren Hansen (48th), Lin Wen-Tang (49th) and Soren Kjeldsen (50th).

Sterne triumphed in three of his five starts on the Sunshine Tour, including the last two, banking more than four times the earnings of runner-up Garth Mulroy. Sterne has played in the British in each of the last three years but has failed to make a cut.

This is the same knee on which Funk had surgery in May. It became infected last week, shortly after it was drained for the 18th time since the surgery. "There's no cartilage there," Funk informed. "We kept draining it, but this infection is pretty serious." Funk made it known months ago that he was going to play a full schedule on the PGA Tour in 2009, but everything is on hold for the time being. He has already ruled out defending the Mitsubishi Championship on January 23-25 and has no idea when he'll be able to return. "When I can play golf is actually the farthest thing from my mind," he added. "I've got to get to a point where I get this infection under control."