The Tour Championship Preview: Season Finale

Another PGA Tour season ends Sunday, and with it, an end of an era. There are several ways to characterize this era, but we'll just call it the, "we are crazy enough to think the PGA Tour can thrive during the football season" era. Fortunately, the folks at the PGA Tour figured out that nothing thrives during football season, not golf, not marriages, nothing thrives opposite football.

Next season will bring a new era in which there aren't prolonged lulls between big events. An era where "Glory's last shot" is actually in the first part of the season. An era where golfers will have some tough choices to make early in the season because there are so many events they normally play stacked one after another. An era where there is one huge event every month starting in May. An era where I'll have to pay out my golf pool before collecting entry fees for my football pools (ouch).

Yes, it's going to feel very different next season, and I for one am looking forward to it. I shouldn't say, "for one," though, as it seems like most everyone is happy with the change. Change doesn't usually come with fanfare; people are generally opposed to a big change like this. But the PGA Tour got this one right ... I think. Eleven months from now, another season will end and we'll be years away from changing it again after the NFL goes to 18 games and starts in mid-August.

This week: Tour Championship - East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga.

Last Year: Xander Schauffele shot a final-round 68 on his way to a one-stroke victory over Justin Thomas.

PLAYERS TO CONSIDER

Justin Thomas

Thomas has played this event twice, finishing runner-up and T6. Thomas has been hovering right around his best form for a couple months now, but this is the week it comes together. He came oh-so-close to winning the title last season, but he finally gets the championship this year.

Bryson DeChambeau

DeChambeau came back to Earth in his most recent start, but it's not like his game fell apart. His game is still in pretty good shape, and he'll be as determined as anyone in the field to win this week. He'll be a first-timer at this event, but knowing DeChambeau, he'll be well prepared.

Paul Casey

Casey might not win this week – he's never cracked the top 3 in any of his four starts – but there's a good chance he'll end up in the top 5. Casey has finished either fourth or fifth in all of his starts at this event. He hasn't been a name we've heard a lot lately, but he always finds a way to close the season out in style.

Justin Rose

If momentum carries over through an off week, then Rose is the man this week. Rose slipped toward the finish of the BMW Championship, but he still took over the world No. 1 ranking with his runner-up showing. Rose has been in great form all season, and there's no reason to think he falters in this spot.

Xander Schauffele

Schauffele caught fire at the end of last season and it looks like he's about to do the same this season. Schauffele was one of a few golfers who played his way into the top 30 during the FedEx playoffs, which means his form is solid, and he's the defending champ this week, so he obviously can get around this course.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Dustin Johnson

Johnson looked to be in good form prior to the FedEx playoffs, but he hasn't accomplished much of anything over the first three weeks. For Johnson, it usually comes down to motivation, and even though there is a big prize at the end of this stick, I don't think DJ's head will be in the right place to succeed.

Patton Kizzire

Kizzire picked up two victories before we were even halfway through January this season, but it's been a struggle ever since. Kizzire hung onto the final spot in this field for dear life and fortunately, he made it, but it's unlikely that he'll do anything with this extra start.

Rickie Fowler

Probably a good time to break the news that I'll be changing the format of this preview next season. One reason is it's tough to find five relevant golfers to pick against each week. This week it's even harder, of course, which is why I'm fading a guy as good as Fowler. First, we don't know if he's fully healthy and second, he hasn't fared all that well here in the past.

Marc Leishman

Leishman was on fire late last season, but he hasn't had that extra gear during the second half of this season. Leishman hasn't scored a top-10 since the Byron Nelson in May. He's also played poorly here in his two starts, finishing T24 last year and T28 in his first start at this event in 2009.

Bubba Watson

It's never wise to fade Bubba at a course where he's played well and at first glance, Watson's track record looks decent here, but anything outside of a top-10 against this 30-man field is not good. Watson has three top-10s in seven starts at this event.

ONE AND DONE GOLFER

Last week: Abraham Ancer (T51) - $21,465; Season - $9,476,935

This week: Keegan Bradley - Just as it should be, I don't have a lot of firepower left for this event, and I'm OK with that. If you have two big guns at this point, you messed up somewhere along the line. Bradley would not have been on my radar as recently as a few weeks ago, but after his win at the BMW Championship, I'm thinking he might make some noise this week.

PGATOUR.COM PICKS

Starters: Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Paul Casey, Justin Thomas

Bench: Xander Schauffele, Keegan Bradley