Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (My Sportsbook) - The PGA Tour made two important announcements Friday regarding the Nationwide Tour Championship and the first stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

The Nationwide Tour Championship, slated for next week at Barona Creek in Lakeside, California, will be played as scheduled. Officials were concerned that the massive wildfires in California may damage the course or create poor air quality in the area.

The course was not damaged in the fires and the air quality is good enough for the championship to go on.

"We conducted a very thorough evaluation throughout this week of the situation in and around the Barona Creek area," stated Bill Calfee, Nationwide Tour President. "After consulting with a variety of San Diego County civic and public health and safety officials, we have concluded that we are able to move ahead with the tournament as originally scheduled."

The news is important for the players as the top-60 on the money list gain entry into the event and at the conclusion of the championship the top-25 on the money list earn their PGA Tour cards for 2008.

Meanwhile, the first stage of Q School was slated for Carlton Oaks Golf Club, which is located in Santee, a part of San Diego county. Again the course was not damaged by the fires, but air quality was poor on Tuesday and prevented the event from starting as scheduled.

The first stage will now be contested at the new Champions Course at the TPC Scottsdale. Practice rounds are slated to start on Sunday, while the 72-hole competition will commence on Tuesday.

"We want to thank the people at Carlton Oaks for all their hard work under adverse and trying conditions and wish them well in the coming days as San Diego recovers from this natural disaster," stated Henry Hughes, Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations for the PGA Tour. "We also want to thank the City of Scottsdale and the TPC team for their cooperation and willingness to pinch hit so that we may get this competition held in a timely manner."