This article is part of our Weekly PGA Preview series.
A season nearly in the books and it all comes down to one week to decide the FedEx Champion. Will it be the best golfer in the world, Marc Leishman or maybe that guy who looked really good during the first two events, but clearly isn't the same player now, Jordan Spieth? Perhaps it's the best golfer of all time as of April of this year, Dustin Johnson, or the golfer destined to win double-digit majors, Justin Thomas.
OK, so you can probably tell I've had enough hyperbole for one season. For as long as I've followed this sport, you'd think I'd be immune to it by now, but every time a golfer looks as good as Leishman did last week, the networks feel compelled to go way overboard on the prospects of said player. Best I can recall, it all started for me at the 2006 FBR Open when a young J.B. Holmes annihilated not only the field, the course as well. He was unquestionably the best player on the planet ... that week. But the commentators made it sound like the rest of the PGA Tour need not even show up to Augusta because Holmes had arrived.
That was the first instance of what has become a weekly event, where the folks at the networks and even some scribes can't seem to put anything in perspective. Has Leishman looked incredible in his last two starts? Definitely, but it's just two starts. And yes, I am aware he has
A season nearly in the books and it all comes down to one week to decide the FedEx Champion. Will it be the best golfer in the world, Marc Leishman or maybe that guy who looked really good during the first two events, but clearly isn't the same player now, Jordan Spieth? Perhaps it's the best golfer of all time as of April of this year, Dustin Johnson, or the golfer destined to win double-digit majors, Justin Thomas.
OK, so you can probably tell I've had enough hyperbole for one season. For as long as I've followed this sport, you'd think I'd be immune to it by now, but every time a golfer looks as good as Leishman did last week, the networks feel compelled to go way overboard on the prospects of said player. Best I can recall, it all started for me at the 2006 FBR Open when a young J.B. Holmes annihilated not only the field, the course as well. He was unquestionably the best player on the planet ... that week. But the commentators made it sound like the rest of the PGA Tour need not even show up to Augusta because Holmes had arrived.
That was the first instance of what has become a weekly event, where the folks at the networks and even some scribes can't seem to put anything in perspective. Has Leishman looked incredible in his last two starts? Definitely, but it's just two starts. And yes, I am aware he has played well before, much like 50 other guys on the PGA Tour. The fact is, if Leishman doesn't contend this week, he is long forgotten. If DJ doesn't win this week, it's a good season, but unquestionably a letdown after the start he had. If J.T. doesn't win, well, actually nothing can derail what he's done this season. The point is, no matter what happens this week, it's not altering the history of the game. It's just another chapter in the history of the game and one we should appreciate on its own merits ... not what it means for the future.
This week: The Tour Championship - East Lake G.C. - Atlanta
Last Year: Rory McIlroy shot a final-round 64 on his way to a playoff victory over Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore.
PLAYERS TO CONSIDER
Jordan Spieth
This is it for Spieth. He has yet to win during the playoffs, but he's still ranked No. 1 in the standings and a win this week means a playoff title and a $10 million check. Spieth again played well last week at the BMW, but he couldn't overcome a slow start against a torrid pace set by the field. Spieth has a win and a runner-up in four starts at East Lake.
Jason Day
When everyone is at their best, Day might be the best golfer on the planet, but he's been nowhere near his best all season ... but he's close. Day has been trending the right way for weeks now and this could be the week he puts it all together. Day has never won this event, but he's played fairly well here, with three top-10s in his last five starts.
Rickie Fowler
I'm beginning to think that Fowler is developing a problem with pressure, but fortunately for him, there's no pressure this week. That's because Fowler flubbed a pressure-filled chip on the 72nd hole Sunday that would have put him in the top 5 entering this week, which would have made him eligible for the FedEx title. As it is, he's no longer eligible for the title, but he can still win the Tour Championship.
Justin Rose
Rose has not had a great season by his standards, but he's trending upward as we enter the final event of the season. If not for a robotic-like performance from Marc Leishman last week, Rose would have won the BMW. As it is, Rose is not eligible for the FedEx title, just the Tour Championship and the $1.5 million that comes along with. Not a bad consolation prize.
Marc Leishman
No one is hotter than Leishman, and if he can carry over his from the BMW, then he'll walk away with the $10 million. Leishman has only one start at this event and it ended poorly, but that was in 2009, and I dare say he's a better player in his current form.
PLAYERS TO AVOID
Adam Hadwin
With only the top 30 on the FedEx points list in the field this week, it won't be easy finding five good options to fade, but I'll certainly give it my best. Hadwin looks like a pretty safe fade as he has only one top-10 in his Last 16 starts and missed the cut in five of his Last eight starts.
Hideki Matsuyama
If recent play means anything this week, then Matsuyama will not be a factor. Matsuyama hasn't played well since mid-August and has only cracked the top-10 at this event just once in three starts.
Jason Dufner
Dufner is in the Tour Championship thanks mostly to his win at the Memorial, but he's not closing this season out in style. Dufner has struggled the last two weeks, finishing T69 at the Dell and T58 at the BMW. Dufner has two top-10s in five starts at this event, but nothing higher than a T8.
Patrick Reed
Reed is one of the few golfers in the field this week that quite simply has not played well on this course. Reed has played this event three times and his best showing was a T19 in 2014. In his two starts since then, he's finished T24 and T27. Considering the 30-man field at this event, Reed obviously doesn't have a good feel for this course.
Kevin Kisner
Kisner has a couple things working against him this week. First, he's played here twice with virtually no success as he's finished T24 or worse in both starts. Kisner is also struggling coming into the week, with nothing better than a T42 in his last four starts on the PGA Tour.
ONE AND DONE GOLFER
Last week: Paul Casey (T33) - $45,250; Season - $7,158,736
This week: Kevin Chappell - Well, I don't exactly have the pick of the litter this week, but I'm OK with taking Chappell because of his performance here last year and his current form. Chappell finished T12 last week at the BMW.
YAHOO PICKS
Points: 4,761
Rank: 21,515
This Week:
Group A: Jason Day, Rickie Fowler
Group B: Matt Kuchar, Justin Thomas, Paul Casey, Justin Rose
Group C: Jon Rahm, Patrick Cantlay
SURVIVOR PICK
Last week: Paul Casey - (T5); Streak - 10
This week: N/A - N/A
