Champions Tour Insider: Sizing up the contenders

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Loren Roberts heads to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship with a 165-point lead in the Cup race.

And then there were four.

The Champions Tour's season-long Charles Schwab Cup race has come down to the wire and, given the prevailing themes of the 2009 campaign, that's hardly a surprise.

Four golfers still have a chance to win the $1 million annuity when they tee it up Thursday at Sonoma Golf Club.

They are Loren Roberts, Fred Funk, Bernhard Langer and Jay Haas.

On the eve of the Charles Schwab Cup race, here is an insider's look at the contenders and their 2009 Champions Tour campaigns.

1. Loren Roberts

Where he stands: 165 points ahead. Victories: 3 (ACE Group Classic, The Senior Open Championship, Boeing Classic) The big moment: Roberts won a three-man playoff at Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course) in England to notch his second Senior British Open in four years and fourth Champions Tour major. The victory earned a spot in next year's Open Championship on the Old Course at St. Andrews for Roberts. What you should know: Of his 13 top-10 finishes, 11 came in a 13-tournament stretch beginning with a third-place finish at the Outback Steakhouse in April. What you should know II: Roberts won the Charles Schwab Cup in 2007 and finished second behind Jay Haas in 2006. Stat chat: No. 1 in sand save percentage (67.07%) and No. 2 in putting average (1.716).

2. Fred Funk

Where he stands: 165 points behind. Victories: 1 (U.S. Senior Open) The big moment: The victory at Crooked Stick capped another tremendous season of major performances by Funk. He tied for fifth at the Senior PGA Championship, lost a playoff at Sunningdale, rebounded to win the U.S. Senior Open, tied for fifth at the JELD-WEN Tradition and finished T7 at the Constellation Energy Senior Players. What you should know: Fired a blistering bogey-free final-round 7-under 65 at the U.S. Senior Open to win by six strokes, his 268 total setting a new record for most strokes under par for 72 holes in a USGA event. Did not have a three-putt in 72 holes. In the process of winning at Crooked Stick, Funk took over the lead in the Charles Schwab Cup points from Bernhard Langer. What you should know II: Did not start the season until The ACE Group Classic after suffering a staph infection in his right knee in late December. Stat chat: No. 2 in Driving Accuracy (79.28 percent) and No. 3 in Scoring Average (69.62). His 78.76 percentage Driving Accuracy on the PGA TOUR is No. 1. Quote: "This year, no matter where you finish, you're going to get points. Now, there's some disparity there in the points, so I don't know how all the scenarios play out. I'm just going to go out and play. I know I'm going to have to win to get the thing more than likely. Second at worst, I guess."

3. Bernhard Langer

Where he stands: 348 points behind. Victories: 4 (Mitsubishi Electric Championship, Liberty Mutual Legends, Triton Financial Classic, 3M Championship). The big moment: Without a major title on his resume, the highlight in Langer's torrid start to the season was back-to-back wins at the Triton Financial Classic and the 3M Championship. What you should know: Finished third in the Charles Schwab Cup race last year behind Jay Haas and Fred Funk, missing by only 96 points. What you should know II: Was the dominant player through July and is finishing strong with top-7 performances in his last four starts. Stat chat: He's the stats champ -- No. 1 in scoring average (68.93), All-Around, Greens in Regulation (75.38 percent) and Par Breakers (25.67 percent). Quote: "I think whoever wins the tournament out of [the four] has a good chance to win the Schwab Cup as well. So first things first. You have to do the business first and try and win the tournament, and then the rest will happen. I don't think you want to be out there thinking about it constantly every shot."

4. Jay Haas

Where he stands: 602 points behind. Victories: 2 (Greater Hickory Classic, Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship) The big moment: The long-awaited first victory finally came in late September after Haas put some injury concerns behind him, and he backed it up immediately by winning the final major championship of the season at the Senior Players. What you should know: Haas is a two-time winner of the Charles Schwab Cup in 2006 and 2008, winning last year by 12 points over Fred Funk and finishing second in 2007. He shares the all-time Charles Schwab Cup earnings lead with Hale Irwin ($2,500,000). What you should know II: An assistant captain for the United States' victorious Presidents Cup team, he's rolling now with two victories and two runner-up finishes in the last four events. Stat chat: No. 1 in putting average (1.713) and birdie average (4.54)