Mike Small teed off Sunday trying to become only the third player ever to win the PGA Professional National Championship twice in a row. An unlikely mid-round stumble ended his hopes, but he still earned a coveted spot at Medinah.

One of the great perks available at the PGA Professional National Championship is that the 20 highest finishers receive automatic berths in the PGA Championship. Ron Philo Jr. will lead the 2006 contingent to Medinah Country Club in August.

Four players come up aces at Turning Stone. Plus, Ron Philo discusses what the victory means to him, Lee Rinker looks ahead to the PGA Championship, Jeffrey Cranford talks about the wind, Sam Arnold appreciates his caddie, and more.

Alan Schulte, who shares the third-round lead, is the rare athlete who freely admits when he's got a case of the butterflies. And if he wants to knock off defending champ Mike Small on Sunday, he knows he's got to keep the fluttering to a minimum.

Mike Small insists a lot of players are still capable of winning, Lee Rinker explains the difficulty of playing out of the rough, Jerry Haas sets his goal for the final round, Alan Schulte measures his expectations on the greens, and more.

Steve Schneiter, Donald Yrene and John Traub are scattered up and down the scoreboard after two rounds at Turning Stone, but they shared one thing on Friday. All three displayed an admirable ability to bounce back from a run-in with trouble.

Bliss and heartache follow a pair of aces by challengers John Traub and David McNabb. Plus, Don Berry is pleasantly surprised with his play, Mike Small knows exactly when he wants to tee off, Cameron Doan loves the conditions, and more.

To understand the genesis of the Turning Stone Resort & Casino "story," you begin at the top -- not of the crest of the Turning Stone hotel tower, but with Oneida Nation Representative and Chief Executive Officer Ray Halbritter.

There is no bigger pairing this week than the trio of Mike Small, Tim Thelen and Bob Sowards, three of the most accomplished PGA Professionals in the game. Small and Thelen got off to strong starts, but Sowards has some ground to make up.

Louis Bartoletti (left) of Wellington, Fla., was admittedly struggling through his first four holes Thursday at Atunyote Golf Club. Then he pulled out his 5-iron at the 185-yard, par-3 sixth hole and magic struck.

How best to get familiar with both of the two courses to be used this week? Some challengers are squeezing in as many practice rounds as possible, while others are focusing on their short games. And some are just resting up.

Few, if any, PGA Professionals have the time to prepare properly for the PGA Professional National Championship while also doing their jobs, so getting in some good on-site practice time and strategizing are at the top of their priority list right now.

There's more on the line at the 39th PGA Professional National Championship this week than the Walter Hagen Cup. The top finishers also will begin compiling points in a two-year system to determine who will compete in the 2007 PGA Cup.

Turning Stone Resort has hosted players from New York State's four PGA Sections since 2000, and host professional Bob O'Brian believes that experience could be a crucial advantage for the 25 New York-based players in the field this week.

The list of champions who have won the PGA Professional National Championship over the past 37 years includes Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg, Ed Dougherty, Bruce Fleisher and Larry Gilbert, the only three-time Champion.

Mike Small continues to prove he can play the game, but is content with life as a coach at Illinois and as a teacher. He has banked $106,000 in two National Championship appearances and made the cut in the 2005 PGA Championship.

The name may be different, but the competition to be known as the PGA's best player is sure to be as intense as ever at the new PGA Professional National Championship -- formerly the PGA Club Professional Championship.

The 2006 PGA Professional National Championship's new two-course format and expanded 312-player field might seem to create logistical and technical difficulties for The Golf Channel, which will televise the National Championship.

Host PGA Director of Golf Bob O’Brian identifies and discussed the holes that he predicts will be pivotal during the 39th PGA Professional National Championship at Turning Stone Resort’s challenging Atunyote Golf Club.

Every member of the management team and staff at Turning Stone Resort & Casino, in concert with PGA of America staffer and 1,200 volunteers, is needed to pull together the PGA Professional National Championship.