A host of Australia’s top golfers remains in PGA Tour limbo after the US PGA Tour event in California, with Nick O’Hern in danger of losing his Tour card for next season.

O’Hern blew a golden opportunity to retain full status when he failed to capitalise on a hot start in California.

O’Hern shot a nine-under-par course record at CordeValle but followed that with three par rounds of 71 to finish in a share of 22nd.

Instead of rocketing up the money list, where only the top 125 retain full cards for the 2013 season, O’Hern sits uneasily in 150th spot with yearly earnings of just under $US430,000 ($A421,425) with tournaments in Georgia and Florida still to come.

Positions 126-150 are given conditional cards and also a free pass to the last stage of qualifying school.

Those outside 150 must fight for their futures from the second stage of Q-School and, if they fail, they fall back to the secondary Nationwide Tour.

Rod Pampling is well positioned to scrape into the top 125, sitting 130th and just over $US15,000 ($A14,700) behind 125th-placed American Kevin Chappell, who has earned a shade over $US611,000 ($A598,815).

Stuart Appleby and Nathan Green are in serious trouble at 170 and 171 respectively, having earned just under $US336,000 ($A329,300).

Matt Jones, Gavin Coles, Mathew Goggin and Steven Bowditch are all further back and in need of some spectacular results in the next fortnight to jump up the list.