Power Rankings: Panama CLARO Championship

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The 22nd Nationwide Tour season will begin Feb. 24 with the Panama CLARO Championship in Panama City, Panama.

There were plenty of young guns who starred on Tour last season who have moved on to the PGA TOUR. Just who might take their places this season?

Of course, there are also plenty of veterans on the Nationwide Tour hoping to revive their games, too.

This first tournament of the 26-event schedule has a purse of $550,000 with $99,000 going to the winner.

Next week the Tour moves to Colombia for the Pacific Rubiales Bogotá Open.

Here are the power rankings for the Nationwide Tour opener.

Power Rankings: Panama CLARO Championship

Rank Player   Comment Brian SMOCK Going back to last year's tournament, Smock finished runner-up to Fran Quinn. Smock nearly did enough last year to get inside The 25, finishing at 32nd on the money list. He's a veteran with 127 career starts without a win, but it could definitely come this season. Marco DAWSON Another veteran who played well here last season; he tied for fourth place. Dawson, 47, has 84 career starts on the Nationwide Tour and 385 more on the PGA TOUR. Last season he played 10 times on the Nationwide Tour with five cuts made and two top 25s. Danny LEE Much is expected of the 20-year-old who has already won on the European Tour. Lee was a highly-decorated amateur who won the U.S. Amateur at the age of 18. He will make an impact on the Nationwide Tour this season and it might be as soon as this week. Scott GARDINER He was just pushed out of The 25 on last year's money list finishing at No. 26. He played in 28 tournaments last season and made 16 cuts. In the last three years he's improved his ranking each season and should do the same this season. Brett WALDMAN The former caddie was a feel-good story at Qualifying School, where he made it to finals and earned status on the Nationwide Tour. Waldman, who used to caddie for Camilo Villegas, gave up playing golf for a living eight years ago, but decided to try it again.

John Dell has covered golf for the Winston-Salem Journal in North Carolina for the last 17 years. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR. You can reach him at johndell@triad.rr.com.