Now that Parker McLachlin has successfully completed golf's version of "Survivor" to earn a PGA Tour playing card for 2007, the next question is whether it will be valid in Hawai'i.

The former Punahou and UCLA golfer hopes so. He'd like nothing better than to start the year as a member of the PGA Tour by playing the Sony Open in Hawai'i. But it's not a given.

McLachlin finished in a tie for 16th in the six-round PGA Tour National Qualifying at the PGA West Stadium Course in LaQuinta, Calif., on Monday.

He now joins 61 golfers who earned their way through either the qualifying school or the Nationwide Tour in the PGA Tour player priority ranking system.

The all-exempt priority rankings don't leave much room for the new cardholders, especially in tournaments early in 2007.

McLachlin is well aware of where he stands. He's No. 37 after the new qualifiers are alternately ranked, with the Q-School medalist being No. 1 and the second-leading money winner on this year's Nationwide Tour being No. 2, and so on. That tour's top money winner is one category higher in priority.

So where does that leave McLachlin for the Sony Open Jan. 11 to 14 at the Waialae Country Club?

He might be exhausted and, in his words, "winding down," after golf's most diabolical tournament. But he can still crunch the numbers.

"No. 38 got in the last Sony Open," McLachlin said. So he likes his chances. But to be safe, he's hoping for a sponsor's exemption.

"It would be a nice way to start the season with a sure spot. Hopefully, it'll work out," said McLachlin, who made the cut in last January's Sony Open after making it as a Monday qualifier.

Dean Wilson will be the first to tell McLachlin it doesn't always work out well. Even being a local boy didn't get the Kane'ohe native into the 2001 Sony Open.

"I'm hoping Sony will give him a sponsor's invite," said Wilson, who enjoyed a breakthrough 2006 season with his first tour victory and more than $2.5 million in earnings. "I hope they (Sony officials) realize it'll be bad press if they don't give it to someone who's from Hawai'i."

It's a great feeling to represent Hawai'i, according to McLachlin.

"People in Hawai'i were really excited for Dean when he won this year. And everybody's excited for Michelle (Wie). Now, they can be for me, too," he said.

Wilson and Wie were among those congratulating McLachlin, whose cell phone listed 52 missed calls and 26 text messages.

"Dean said he was excited for me. Michelle sent me a text-message. Congratulations, with a couple of smiley faces.

"Also, Scott (Simpson) left me a message, saying he was really excited for me."

Simpson and McLachlin had talked Saturday after UCLA's upset win over USC in football.

"I got bragging rights, but he had it at the Callaway (Golf Pebble Beach Invitational) when he beat me," McLachlin said.

Simpson, a Trojan alum who was McLachlin's caddie in this year's Sony Open, was second in that event while McLachlin tied for third.

The Pebble Beach event was a great tuneup for Q-School, said McLachlin, who reached the final qualifying for the second straight year.

Playing a full year on the Nationwide Tour definitely helped this time, according to McLachlin, who competed in 28 events and finished 29th on the money list with $176,882.

"I expected more out of myself this year," McLachlin said. "I had high expectations that I could do it. Last year, I was wide-eyed and just happy to be here."

Now he would be happy to play in the Sony Open again, this time as a full-fledged member of the PGA Tour.

It's crucial that he gets in as many early tournaments as possible because the rankings are reshuffled several times during the year based on money earnings among those in his category.

"He's got to play well at the beginning because he's going to have to reshuffle," Wilson said.

Wilson was asked, which is harder: getting a tour card or keeping it?

"Keeping it, definitely," Wilson said.

Just ask former PGA winners like Chris Riley and Duffy Waldorf, who lost their tour privileges, tried to get them back but didn't succeed in this year's Q-School. Riley tumbled out of the top 125 money list after hitting the $1 million mark four straight years, including $2 million in 2002 and 2003.

"I know it doesn't get easier," McLachlin said. "I know I've still got a lot to learn. It's nice to have someone like Dean to help me."

Significantly, it's another first in Hawai'i golf — having two from here playing full time on the PGA Tour in the same year (though Larry Stubblefield, Lance Suzuki, Steve Veriato and Clyde Rego also played on the tour, but not at the same time).

"Hopefully, we'll get more than two," Wilson said.