Kevin Stadler's dilemma: Play Euro or Nationwide?

	After his win last week, Kevin Stadler might want to stay on the European Tour. Paul Kane/Getty Images

To be (European Tour) or not to be (Nationwide Tour). That is the question.

For Kevin Stadler, it's become a real head scratcher now that he's fully exempt on both Tours.

A week ago he was using the European Tour's Johnnie Walker Classic as a mere tune-up for this week's Nationwide Tour event (The Jacob's Creek Open) in Australia. But when he eagled the par-5 18th for the third consecutive day, he clinched a surprising two-stroke victory over Aussie Nick O'Hern and suddenly doubled the options for his remaining schedule.

"I had planned on playing the full Nationwide Tour," Stadler said. "To be honest, I have no idea what I'm going to do [now]. There are plenty of spots I'd love to see [in Europe], let alone go and play."

Let's see if we can offer some assistance.

If Stadler has wanderlust, the European Tour locales allow him to play and enjoy Hong Kong, South Africa, Dubai, Singapore, Austria, France, Scotland, Ireland, England, Germany, Portugal, Switzerland, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain and Barbados.

The Nationwide Tour stops include Broussard, La.; Livermore, Calif.; Glenview, Ill.; Bryon, Minn.; Springfield, Mo.; Omaha, Neb.; Wichita, Kan.; Scranton, Pa.; Highland Heights, Ohio; Junction City, Ore.; and Midland, Texas. Hey, don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of most towns, but these are hardly listed in Michelin's Travel Guide as exotic U.S. vacation destinations.

However, when comparing options to gain PGA Tour status, Stadler's choices are tougher. Nelson Silverio of the PGA Tour said, "There's no way for Kevin to directly gain Tour membership through a European Tour campaign. However, because of his Johnnie Walker win, he does earn a spot in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, which, if he won,  would give him his PGA Tour card. Another avenue would be that the top-10 Order of Merit leaders at season's end earn exemptions in the final stage of the PGA Tour Q-School."

On the Nationwide Tour, one can earn immediate PGA Tour status by winning three Nationwide events in one season (see Jason Gore) or finish in the top-20 on the money list. Players finishing 21st through 35th receive Q-School final stage passes. Stadler gained Tour exemption in 2005 after finishing 13th on the Nationwide money list the previous season. Alas, he could not keep his card, finishing 168th on the money list.

Maybe it's just me, but if I were a single, 26-year-old golfer whose bank account recently grew by $365,340, I wouldn't consider it torture to traipse around playing golf in lavish countries, where the purses are somewhat higher. In addition, the formidable competition of Miguel Angel Jimenez, Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and the occasional Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Retief Goosen doesn't hurt one's golf growth either.

Since Stadler still has full-exempt Nationwide Tour status, he could always fly home to play selected events if he got homesick or desired a good 'ol burger.

So, go ahead. Give it a year. See the worldly sights; enjoy some culture, tasty ales, exotic food and gaze at the foreign female contingent while plying your trade. Most 20-somethings would kill for your opportunity.

It actually doesn't sound like a difficult choice at all.