It's been a rough few years inside the ropes for Martin Piller. In his second career go-around on the PGA Tour in 2016, Piller failed to produce consistent results. He finished 162nd in the FedEx Cup, and was unable to do anything of merit at the Web.com Tour Finals, sealing the unsavory fate of another season in the minors. Most of this campaign was of similar tenor, missing the cut in 11 of 15 events.
However, the 31-year-old hit pay dirt at the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in early August, shooting a final-round 64 for a one-shot victory. The W vaulted Piller up the season money list; with just two weeks left in the regular season, he sits 26th in earnings. If that standing caught your eye, it should: the top 25 earn their PGA Tour card for 2018. Given this plight, Piller must be sweating it out at this week's News Sentinel Open, right?
Not quite. While his aspiring brethren battle it out at Fox Den CC in Knoxville — an event Piller's won in the past — Martin ..

David CannonWEST DES MOINES, IA – AUGUST 18: United States team supporters on the first tee during the morning foursomes matches in the 2017 Solheim Cup at Des Moines Golf Coutry Club on August 18, 2017 in West Des Moines, Iowa. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)DES MOINES, Iowa — There are more spectators at the Solheim Cup than any other LPGA event. And this year at Des Moines Golf Club, crowds are expected to be at a record-high. Ticket sales are on track to break the previous record of 120,000. Judging by the long line of people waiting to get through the main entrance on Friday morning, those numbers check out.
The grand stands at the first tee are packed. A Justin Bieber song plays as U.S. captain Juli Inkster walks around the tee box, dancing and egging on cheers from the crowd. Fireworks go off before the first pairing takes the tee.
LoadingView on Instagram
Chants of USA-USA echo through the stands as players make their way to the tee box. European fans counter. The energy a..

Mark RunnaclesTROON, SCOTLAND – JULY 27: Laura Davies of England plays her tee shot to the 12th hole during the first day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open at Dundonald Links Golf Course on July 27, 2017 in Troon, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)Laura Davies has over 80 professional victories in his distinguished career, including four major championships. Though she hasn't found the winner's circle in quite some time, the 53-year-old is about to add another accomplishment to her mantle.
Davis is set to become the first woman to compete in a men's senior tour event, accepting an invitation to next year's Shipco Masters.
“My golfing career has been played in parallel with a number of players who are currently on the Senior Tour,” said Davies in a statement. “I'm really looking forward to testing my wits against them.”
The competition, part of the European Senior Tour, is set for June in Denmark at Denmark's Simon's G..