Big names, no-names atop leaderboard

Scott Verplank and Tag Ridings are separated by 1 shot atop the leaderboard at Disney and by more than $2.76 million in season earnings. One is playing out the season and enjoying time with his family; the other is fighting for a job.

That could be one difference that separates a bunched leaderboard of haves and have-nots going into the weekend at the Children's Miracle Network Classic in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Verplank made enough birdies on his first nine holes Friday on the Magnolia Course that he wasn't too bothered by closing with 9 straight pars, giving him a second straight 6-under 66 and a 1-shot lead over Ridings, Stephen Ames and Ryan Armour.

Verplank, who was at 12-under 132, already has won this year at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. He is 15th on the money list, played in the Presidents Cup, has qualified for the four majors next year and has few worries.

Not so for Ridings, who also had a 66 at Magnolia. He has split time playing the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour this year and came into the final event of the season at No. 210 on the money list. The only way to keep his card is to win, something he has never done. If he were to finish in second alone, all that would do is allow him to skip the second stage of Q-school.

If he has no worries, it's because he is resigned to his predicament.

"I'm not really thinking of anything besides just playing this tournament," he said.

Mizuno Classic: Laura Davies shot a 7-under 65 in windy conditions to take a 1-stroke lead after the first round of the Mizuno Classic in Shima, Japan.

The 44-year-old English player, coming off a final-hole loss to Suzann Pettersen last week in the Honda LPGA Thailand, had seven birdies in her bogey-free round.

Volvo Masters: Justin Rose shot a 3-under 68 to take a 4-stroke lead over European Order of Merit rival Padraig Harrington in the Volvo Masters in Sotogrande, Spain.

Harrington leads Rose by $948 in the European tour standings. With the winner of the Volvo Masters earning $960,488, both are in position to overtake Order of Merit leader Ernie Els, who holds a $313,892 advantage over Harrington, but opted to play in Singapore on the Asia Tour this week.

Singapore Open: U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera shot an 8-under 63 to take a 2-stroke lead in the suspended second round of the Singapore Open, while Ernie Els shot a 5-over 76 that put him in position to miss the cut.