The playoffs have arrived.
Raise you’re hand if you’re looking past them to the U.S. Open at Winged Foot in 30 days?
Thought so.
Anyway, back to the fat, juicy FedEx Cup playoffs and before we get started with the favorites and not-so-favorites, a few reminders as to the changes that have transpired.
No more two guys at the awards ceremony — Tour Championship winner wins the FedEx Cup as well.
Only three playoff events this year as opposed to four last year, yeah, the COVID. You have this week’s Northern Trust, next week’s BMW then the Tour Championship at East Lake. Top 125 start this week, it gets trimmed to 70 for the BMW then just the lucky 30 head to East Lake.
Winners get 1,500 FedEx points instead of the normal 500.
There’s still that funky “handicap” system for the final 30: No. 1 starts 10-under par; No. 2 eight-under; No. 3 seven-under, No. 4 six-under and No. 5 — five-under. Numbers six through 10, four-under, 11 through 15 — three-under; Numbers 16 through 20, two-under; Numbers 21 through 25 — one-under and the last five — even par (good luck to them).
Rory McIlroy shot 13-under at East Lake last year, had his “five” handicap and that got him to 18-under — winner, winner chicken dinner (and $10 million to help with the tip).
Justin Thomas is the points leader heading to Boston (2,458) followed by Collin Morikawa (1,902), Webb Simpson (1,878), Bryson DeChambeau (1,657) and Sungjae Im (1,633) as your top five.
Top dog this year pockets $15 million (thanks Federal Express).
Places second through 10th break down like this: 2: $5,000,000 3: $4,000,0004: $3,000,000 5: $2,500,000 6: $1,900,000 7: $1,300,000 8: $1,100,000 9: $950,000 10: $830,000.
So we begin at TPC Boston on Thursday. The big question(s) — Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?
HOT:
Collin Morikawa: Still scorching from the PGA Championship.
Dustin Johnson: Came to life at Harding Park.
Paul Casey: Supreme ball-striker.
Tony Finau: Will play good enough to threaten, but won’t win.
Bryson DeChambeau: Most dangerous man on the board.
Scottie Scheffler: Scottie’s got game.
LUKE WARM:
Justin Thomas: Maybe TPC Boston will look easy after playing at Winged Foot with Tiger on Monday.
Sungjae Im: Plays more than anyone, never says he “needs more reps.”
Webb Simpson: Played better in Greensboro last week.
Jon Rahm: The world’s No. 1 might heat up this week.
Xander Schauffele: Everyone’s waiting for him to step up.
NOT-HOT:
Rory McIlroy: All you need to know is Rory coming up with this one: “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just not as good as I used to be.” Keep on playing the way you have been, Rory, and we’ll all start believing that.
Tiger Woods: Not enough reps. And, by the way, Tiger’s going back to his old putter, the one with all the major victories.
Jordan Spieth: Basket-case.
Brooks Koepka: Breaking news — Koepka withdrew from the Northern Trust on Wednesday, citing knee and hip issues, ending his regular 2020 season. Will he still try to play in the U.S. Open? Possibly.
Rickie Fowler: We hate when playing actual tournaments gets in the way of making commercials.
Patrick Reed: Defending champion at Northern Trust, he’s been mediocre as of late.
With the huge added points over the next two weeks, things can change in a hurry. Someone could go back-to-back and head to East Lake starting at 10-under par.
And that reminds us how ridiculous it sounds for the PGA Tour to make its “Super Bowl” a handicap event.
Someone told me a long time ago that pros don’t get strokes.
Someone forgot to tell the PGA Tour.
8 Comments
baxter cepeda
Simple, Yes, Definitely looking ahead to The US Open.
And, no, not just because of the major distinction.
Monahan still has mainly himself to blame for us looking past 3 pga tour events to the usga event 5 weeks from now.
The biggest reason Winged Foot is already on our golf minds (not to mention Georgia) is that the pga tours finale is still not very credible with this silly handicapping system.
1 stroke is bad enough but they start with 2 strokes…that is just annoying.
Putting a handful of guys 10 back is an insult.
Rory has saved the pga tour Finale flaws twice: once with a ridiculous finish which made us forget all about “silly points”; and then last year by Rory actually shooting the lowest score regardless of “silly handicaps” on his way to the title.
The flaws will surface eventually, likely this year.
So, yes, we look ahead to things that make sense, like the US Open, which ironically invented and runs golfs sensical handicapping system.
The answer for the pga tour to gain some of our focus is already applied on The lpga tour by Whan: winning the final event means winNing it all.
It’s just that simple.
Tom Edrington
Silly is being very kind….thanks for checking in on this Baxter; The “handicap” system is totally ridiculous; Can’t wait for the U.S. Open and hopefully they’ll have that old school rough from the 70s!!
RM
Sad to say I’m honestly looking forward to this primarily as a way to see who will be peaking for the US Open as it nears. That’s when the excitement will really start for me.
Maybe that will change as we get closer to the finale.
Sorry to hear about Brooks. As one announcer said a few years ago in an English accent, “It’s a bitter game”.
Tom Edrington
RM: Agreed; Big debate question: Which would you rather win: FedEx Cup or the U.S. Open? I believe the “risk” if you want to call it that is putting your foot on the gas for three straight weeks, playing your butt off then going to Winged Foot and find out you’re out of gas…..I can see Tiger making it to the BMW but not getting to East Lake, which would give him two weeks to prepare for the U.S. Open; If you have net worth north of $800 million, is $15 million that great a motivator?
baxter cepeda
It depends whom you ask.
For tiger It’s obviously a major. For tiger The fed ex cup is probably about a 3rd title more so than the money. It’s no major but it does count for something. The money counts for something also even for tiger.
But yea tiger early chooses a major over the cup.
Most historians and traditionalists would pick a major as well. I certainly would, especially a Masters. That’s all I need.
But the masses would probably take the loot every time.
The real reason golf is even being played right now is for the money. Not entertainment. Not prestige. Money.
Tiger can give the pga tour finale all he has. There’s a week off between East Lake and the US Open. That’s Plenty of time to rest up even for tiger, especially since he already played winged foot.
Tom Edrington
I’m with you on The Masters, it’s close between that and the Open Championship (I have a total love for Scotland and links golf). Stay tuned for Friday’s newsletter, you mentioned money, we’ll talk about a few interesting nuggets in the PGA Tour’s 2018 Form 990 tax filing…..
baxter cepeda
An Open at St Andrews is always in the conversation.
Tom Did U want to be a tax auditor as a kid ?
The pga tour may not be as holy as they seem but they know how to work by the book, stay within the lines, whatever we wanna call it.
I do look forward to the article.
But I just think at the end of the day its all legal somehow and, directly or not, many charities (not to mention many of our favorite athletes) get a ton of support from the pga tour. They do good work.
…But we’ll see what you got this time.
Tom Edrington
Wait until you see what two of the “Player-Directors” are being compensated!