Ladies and gentlemen, it is that time of year again! If you are a fan of golf, then you know what I’m talking about; if you are a sports fan in general, you may understand, given the time of year and recent highlight packages on sports shows; if you absolutely have no idea what I am referring to, then I will jump right to the point!
The 2015 PGA Tour season has concluded and the FedEx Cup Playoffs are set to begin this weekend. For those you who aren’t aware of how the playoff system works on the Tour, it goes something like this: four tournaments, 125 golfers, $10 million, and one shiny, large trophy to drink out of after all the hard work. Let’s stretch this out a little bit!
During the course of the 2014-15 season, PGA Tour members who made the cut in tournaments and major championships have earned a certain number of points that go towards the FedEx Cup standings. Each week, golfers accumulated points with the hopes of finishing in the Top 125 after the Wyndham Championship in order to qualify for the playoffs. Now, to continue competing for the FedEx Cup, they have to maintain a certain ranking in the standings; if they’re on the edge of being eliminated, they must make the cut in the first two events.
Good morning from Plainfield. One more day until the #FedExCup Playoffs. pic.twitter.com/osrwzAfWES
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 26, 2015
Let’s take a look at the events leading up to the end of the PGA Tour season calendar.
The Barclays:
Right now, 125 golfers are settling into their new living quarters in Edison, New Jersey, a one-hour drive southwest of New York City, for the opening tournament of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. The players will have to tackle the Plainfield Country Club, which will be hosting the event for the first time since 2011. The tournament itself has been in existence since 1967, when it was a regular PGA Tour event; the FedEx Cup Playoffs have only taken place since 2007. Only the top 100 golfers will advance to the second leg of the post-season.
Defending Champion: Hunter Mahan
http://gty.im/454256764
The Deutsche Bank Championship:
Currently managed by the Tiger Woods Foundation, the Deutsche Bank Championship is an exciting event to watch because it is played at one of the most beautiful and iconic golf courses ever created. TPC Boston in Massachusetts hosts the annual event of the playoffs and displays a layout that all golfers can shoot good scores on. In the 11 years that the tournament has been in existence, the highest winning score was 14-under from Olin Browne in 2005; the lowest score is a three-way tie at 22-under by Henrik Stenson (2013), Charley Hoffman (2010), and Vijay Singh (2008). Upon conclusion of the second leg, only the Top 70 players in the points standings will move on.
Defending Champion: Chris Kirk
http://gty.im/454482776
The BMW Championship is considered to be a safety net for all golfers who qualify because there’s no cut after the first two rounds. Even though this is true, they’ll still want to play the best they can because this event will also be the toughest to get past. The BMW returns to the Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois for the second time in three years. Known for displaying luxury cars and impressive spectator service, the players will get an experience unlike any other; the scoring bar had been set high when 2013 winner Zach Johnson shot 16-under par for a two-shot victory over Nick Watney. If any of the 70 remaining competitors want to make it into the final event of the year, they’ll have to conquer the greens; putting will be the key component and a strong move on Saturday will assist in that as well. When this tournament is over, the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings will have the privilege of playing for the top prize at one of the most hallowed grounds in golf.
Note: The BMW Championship has been named the PGA Tour’s Tournament of the Year for the last three years in a row.
Defending Champion: Billy Horschel
The Tour Championship by Coca-Cola:
The final stop in the FedEx Cup Playoffs is at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, where Bobby Jones is said to have played his first and last games of golf ever on this course. Jones was the Tiger Woods of the 1920s. What better way to end the season then on his territory! The winner of the Tour Championship has gone on to win the FedEx Cup for the last five years. In fact, six of the eight champions in FedEx Cup history have done so. So be on the look out for any out-of-the-blue winners on the 18th green on Sunday, September 27.
Defending Champion: Billy Horschel (Won 2014 FedEx Cup)
http://gty.im/455459824
The current Top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings:
1) Jordan Spieth, USA —
2) Jason Day, AUS -1,710 (POINTS BACK)
3) Bubba Watson, USA -1,762
4) Jimmy Walker, USA -2,155
5) Justin Rose, ENG -2,427
6) Robert Streb, USA -2,449
7) Dustin Johnson, USA -2,451
8) Patrick Reed, USA -2,576
9) Rory McIlroy, NIR -2,602
10) Danny Lee, NZL -2,608
So who will get the chance to engrave their name on one of golf’s glorious prizes? Who will rise and who will fall? Who will become the FedEx Cup Champion of 2015? It’s time to grab a spot on the couch and enjoy some of the best and most exciting golf you will ever watch throughout the year. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: anything can happen and anyone can win!
