Preview: Fort Smith Classic presented by Stephens, Inc.

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FORT SMITH, Ark. -- The Nationwide Tour reaches the one-third point of the season this week at Hardscrabble Country Club, host venue for the 11th Fort Smith Classic presented by Stephens, Inc. Thus far in 2008 the Nationwide Tour has seen a particularly strong international influence. Australians made up five of the first eight winners, with Canada adding a title of its own last week. Not one American is in the top five on the current money list.

Canadian Bryan DeCorso broke through with his first Nationwide Tour win last week at the South Georgia Classic in Valdosta, Ga. improving from No. 38 on the money list to No. 4. Canada, with 17 wins, is second only to Australia's 36 titles among the international players. While DeCorso swept the field posting four rounds in the 60s at the longest course in PGA TOUR history, Kinderlou Forest Country Club (7,781 yards), this week he and his fellow Nationwide Tour players will compete on the Tour's second shortest course.

Bryce Molder, who was born in Harrison, Ark., returns home after enjoying his best finish last week (T2) since winning the Miccosukee Championship in 2006. Others with with Arkansas ties joining Molder are Craig Lile, Michael Boyd and Deane Pappas. Lile and Pappas, who is playing on a sponsor's exemption, attended the University of Arkansas. Boyd, another sponsor's exemption, was born in Little Rock, AR.

The par-70 Hardscrabble Country Club, which opened in 1927, stands at 6,783 yards. With the host venue 998 yards shorter than Kinderlou, this week will be a test of the short irons, with the long irons getting a break after last week's lengthy layout. Jay Williamson won last year by one shot over Justin Bolli and Garrett Willis. The win spurred the St. Louis native on to much success on the PGA TOUR where he earned $835,515 in just 14 starts.

More than 1,000 miles away in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, the Tour will have solid representation at the PGA TOUR's flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship, this week with 85 Nationwide Tour alumni in the field, including 2007 graduates Richard Johnson, Matt Jones and Nicholas Thompson. This year there are six more alums in the 144-player field than last year giving the Nationwide Tour a total of 59 percent of its former players in the field.

Next week the Nationwide Tour travels to the Carolinas for the celebrity-filled BMW Charity Pro-Am.