This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
When the PGA Tour first came up with the idea of the FedExCup Playoffs, it was laughed off as a futile effort to compete with the kings of sport in autumn – pro and college football. While it was clear early on that nothing short of the Ryder Cup could even cut into the well-established football share, it took the PGA Tour more than a decade to finally throw in the towel.
With a new schedule in place next season, the PGA Tour will no longer be in direct competition with football, which can only be good news. The important thing, and I think the PGA Tour has realized this, is to keep the average golf fan engaged. In that sense, the FedExCup playoffs is actually doing its job. Sure, the playoffs are never going to compete with a major or a WGC event or the Memorial or the ... you get the point. It's not at the top of anyone's list, but when all the majors have been played and expectations have been lowered, it's actually interesting to see guys fighting for spots in the playoff and, subsequently, their tour cards next season. That's the beauty of the system also.
Every week from here on out, there will be numerous golfers fighting to stay alive. Sure, some golfers have built up so many points they can afford to skip the first event, but many will be doing their best to either improve or hold their position this week.
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When the PGA Tour first came up with the idea of the FedExCup Playoffs, it was laughed off as a futile effort to compete with the kings of sport in autumn – pro and college football. While it was clear early on that nothing short of the Ryder Cup could even cut into the well-established football share, it took the PGA Tour more than a decade to finally throw in the towel.
With a new schedule in place next season, the PGA Tour will no longer be in direct competition with football, which can only be good news. The important thing, and I think the PGA Tour has realized this, is to keep the average golf fan engaged. In that sense, the FedExCup playoffs is actually doing its job. Sure, the playoffs are never going to compete with a major or a WGC event or the Memorial or the ... you get the point. It's not at the top of anyone's list, but when all the majors have been played and expectations have been lowered, it's actually interesting to see guys fighting for spots in the playoff and, subsequently, their tour cards next season. That's the beauty of the system also.
Every week from here on out, there will be numerous golfers fighting to stay alive. Sure, some golfers have built up so many points they can afford to skip the first event, but many will be doing their best to either improve or hold their position this week.
It's not Tiger vs. Koepka at the PGA Championship, but it's entertaining nonetheless. It's not a perfect idea, it never was, but it's the best that the PGA Tour could come up with at the time. And more than a decade later, it's serving a purpose – to keep us entertained.
This week: The Northern Trust - Ridgewood Country Club, Paramus, N.J.
Last Year: Dustin Johnson shot a final-round 66 on his way to a playoff victory over Jordan Spieth.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Jason Day
There are hotter golfers, but among the top players in the field, no one has played better on this track than Day. Day finished runner-up on this course in 2014 and finished in the top 5 in 2010. He's not on top of his game now, but as we saw at the PGA Championship, he's not that far off either. As soon as Day starts making some longer putts, he'll start winning again, and that could be anytime now.
Justin Thomas
Beyond Day, few golfers have a strong track record on this course, so it's best to look to those playing well and those who can play well against strong fields. Thomas definitely has both boxes checked, as he was striking the ball as well as anyone two weeks ago at the PGA Championship and is a major champion.
Dustin Johnson
DJ has spent plenty of time as the top-ranked golfer on the planet, but for some reason, he hasn't quite figured out how to get comfortable at the majors. We saw it a couple times this season, as he was in place to make a run on more than one occasion, but he never found that extra gear. He has no such problem at non-majors, however, and I expect him to make a run during the FedExCup playoffs this season.
Matt Kuchar
Kuchar has not played his best golf lately, but as one of a few on the Ryder Cup bubble, a good effort this week could go a long way to securing a spot on the team. Motivation will not be an issue for Kuchar this week and neither will be course knowledge as he won this event, on this course in 2010. Kuchar has been pretty clutch throughout his career and he needs to come up big in another high-pressure spot this week.
Adam Scott
With nearly all the best golfers in the world in the field this week, a higher caliber player qualifies as a sleeper. Enter Scott, who just two weeks ago looked like the Scott of old as he hung with Brooks Koepka for nearly 72 holes. Scott has a bit of a history here as well, with top-15s in his last two starts at this event, on this course.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama injured his wrist early in the season and hasn't been the same. He has play well enough to stay in the top 80 on the FedEx points list, but he doesn't have that extra gear now. He finished T11 last week at the Wyndham, but a T11 against that field is the equivalent to only a top-25 this week.
Beau Hossler
Hossler has run extremely hot and cold this season, and if his last two starts are any indication, he's in the midst of a cold run. Sure, his last two starts were at majors, but that's likely an indication that he's not quite ready to make the leap against stronger fields. And what do we have this week?
Aaron Wise
Wise is quickly becoming a very tough guy to peg. In late April, Wise missed consecutive cuts, then finished runner-up and followed that with a win a week later. He then proceeded to miss his next five cuts. Even more bizarre, a week after that fifth missed cut, he finished T6 at the WGC Bridgestone against a world-class field. He's since missed his last two cuts. Upside? Yes. Reliability? No.
Ryan Moore
Just as there aren't many golfers in the field this week with strong track records, there aren't many with bad records either. That said, Moore is the exception as he's played this event, on this course, three times and he's missed the cut each time. Moore is coming off a T6 at the Wyndham, but again, he wasn't exactly up against a tough field last week.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson is another guy who hasn't exactly lit up this course over the years. Mickelson has missed the cut in two of his three starts at this event, on this course. His form is also lacking entering this week as he hasn't carded a top-10 since mid-May at the Wells Fargo Championship.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
Last week: Webb Simpson (T2) - $528,000; Season - $9,055,982
This week: Adam Scott - If I had anyone in my top-4 remaining, I would go with one of them, specifically Day, but it's the end of the season and you aren't supposed to have a ton of options. Fortunately, I have Scott, who looked really good a couple weeks ago and might have found some confidence in his often-balky putter.
PGATOUR.COM PICKS
Starters: Jason Day, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods
Bench: Adam Scott, Matt Kuchar
SURVIVOR PICK
Last week: Webb Simpson - (T2); Streak - 7
This week: Adam Scott - Scott hasn't been the most reliable guy this season, but if he feels OK on the greens, then there's no reason to think he'll miss the cut this week. Sure, he bagged two putters on Sunday at the PGA Championship, but I think he did OK, right?
