Most of the attention this week is on the Tour Championship, which amounts to golf's All-Star game for its top 30 players this year. Most of the pressure will be in Mississippi at a PGA Tour event where jobs are on the line.

The top 125 players on the money list are exempt for next year, and it's no surprise that all but two players from No. 113 through No. 134 are playing in the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Jackson.

The exceptions are Bernhard Langer (118), exempt through 2003 for his second Masters victory; Craig Stadler (126), who can use his one-time exemption next year for being top 50 in career earnings; and Frank Nobilo (132).

The man on the bubble is David Frost at No. 125, who is $19,372 ahead of the next guy in the tournament, Kaname Yokoo.

Here are the other "bubble watches" this week:

Top 40 get into the Masters: Everyone from Pat Perez at No. 39 to David Peoples at No. 49 are playing. Scott Hoch (No. 38) and Scott Verplank (No. 50) will get to Augusta through their world ranking.

Jonathan Byrd won his first PGA Tour event last week and moved up to No. 41, about $40,000 short of Peter Lonard at No. 40.

"Augusta is the closest tournament to my house, and I can't wait to get in," said Byrd, who lives in Elgin, S.C. "I'm going to try my darndest to see if I can."

Top 30 get into the U.S. Open: That explains why Brad Faxon, who was bumped to No. 31 last week and missed out on the Tour Championship, is spending the week in Mississippi.

Faxon probably will have to finish in the top five to have a chance of getting back into the top 30, while players like Craig Perks (No. 34) or Perez might have to win.

Top 20 get into the British Open: Last-place money at the Tour Championship is $80,000 - the equivalent of eighth place in Mississippi - but there could be a spot in the British Open on the line come Sunday afternoon.

Chris Riley is No. 21, about $75,000 behind Robert Allenby.

TWO-TIMING TOUR: David Duval briefly considered playing in the Southern Farm Bureau Classic, one last chance to avoid his first winless season on tour since 1997.

"I can't play," Duval said. "That would go against everything I believe in."

Duval, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are among those staunchly opposed to the PGA Tour holding two tournaments in one week. It happened five times this year - six including the Texas Open, held opposite the Ryder Cup.

Tournaments also were held the same weeks as three World Golf Championships, the British Open and the Tour Championship.

"By our charter, by our direction, we're charged with providing opportunities for our membership," said Henry Hughes, chief of operations for the PGA Tour.

He said the tour generally has an opposite-field event when the main event - such as a WGC or a Tour Championship - has a small field.

Mickelson has been complaining for years about two tournaments in one week, saying it dilutes the product.

"If you can't make the field that week, we have Buy.com Tour events, mini-tour events, European events," he said. "To have an event conflict with the Tour Championship is ridiculous. The (regular tour) should have ended the week before."

Woods also said he has never favored opposite-field events.

When told of the tour's position, that it provides opportunity for players in weeks where the field is limited, Woods recited a line he heard from Jack Burke Jr.

"Play better," he said. "It's a crude way of saying it, but it's the truth."

ALOHA, LEFTY: Phil Mickelson has said, "Aloha" to the season-opening Mercedes Championships.

That's goodbye, not hello.

Mickelson said because he is playing three times in December, he won't be starting his 2003 season until the Phoenix Open.

It will be the second straight year Mickelson skips the winners-only tournament at Kapalua. He missed last year because he wanted to stay home with his new daughter.

Lefty is playing the Skins Game, the Target World Challenge and the World Cup in Mexico. He was eligible for the World Cup when Tiger Woods decided not to play. Mickelson will play with Ryder Cup partner David Toms.

"He (Tiger) and I were in the same predicament," Mickelson said. "Do we play in December and take January off? Or do we play in January and take December off? I don't mind missing the first couple of weeks and starting up in Phoenix."

MATCH PLAY SWITCH: The Match Play Championship will return to La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., but it won't be the same layout.

Tournament officials plan to switch nines, meaning No. 9 will serve as the 18th hole, a par-5 that only the long hitters can reach in two.

The switch makes sense. One of the problems with the format is that very few matches reach the 18th hole. By changing the order, the new 15th, 16th and 18th holes are close to the clubhouse, which will attract more fans and corporate sky boxes.

DIVOTS: Is the broadcast booth in Fred Couples' future? Couples plans to work for ESPN during the Mercedes Championships and the Sony Open in Hawaii. ... David Toms is 47 under par in his last two tournaments. All that got him was a tie for sixth at the Disney World Golf Classic (21 under) and second at the Buick Challenge (26 under). ... One tradition will end at the Tour Championship this week. Tiger Woods said he didn't bring the afro wig that he has worn on Halloween at East Lake the last two times it was played there.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Nick Price and Jeff Sluman are the only two players at East Lake who were in the inaugural Tour Championship in 1987.

FINAL WORD: "We had very competitive pingpong matches. Elin is very good." - Phil Mickelson. During the Ryder Cup, Mickelson and wife Amy played against Tiger Woods and his girlfriend, Elin Nordegren.

FINAL REBUTTAL: "Elin WAS pretty good. She surprised me. I had no idea she played pingpong." - Tiger Woods.

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