If it weren't for the fact that corporate sponsors have a tendency to drain all artistry and grace from the presentation of the game of golf in an attempt to shove their brands in your face, I'd almost feel sorry for Kodak. See, Kodak has created this season-long contest called the "Kodak Challenge," but -- like so many other jury-rigged creations in golf -- the contest is ending with a fizzle.

Here's the deal. The Kodak Challenge was a season-long competition in which players combined their 18 best scores against par at designated holes at 30 different tournaments. The holes were selected from the less-prominent tournaments -- the best-known are probably the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the AT&T Pro-Am -- which means that this is an award that favors the players who grind it out, week after week.

With two tournaments left to play, Kevin Streelman led Nathan Green, Bo Van Pelt and J.J. Henry by two strokes. The Viking Classic's Kodak Challenge hole was the par-5 18th, meaning that the pursuers could have sliced one and maybe even both strokes off that lead with a good outing. But when the Viking Classic got rained out, that hole went with it -- and the Kodak Classic now rests on the par-4 17th at the Children's Miracle Network Classic. And because Streelman has played more than 18 holes, it doesn't matter if he makes bogey. The only way the other guys will catch him is with an eagle on a 485-yard hole. Good luck with that.

So, congrats to Streelman, who will almost certainly get himself a big ol' check with a lot of zeroes. For a guy who's only on his second year on Tour, this win would represent nearly half of his total career earnings. I'm thinking he'd be just fine without any drama, even if Kodak would like a little more love.

Kodak Challenge [Official site]

Related: Kevin Streelman