Well, we’re finally here. After almost 12 months of non-stop golf, including 4 Major Championships and 3 FedExCup play-off events, the TOUR Championship starts tomorrow with much still to play for.
Although the TOUR Championship is a prestigious tournament in and of itself, much of the focus will be on who is in pole position to claim the FedExCup and the $10 million that goes with it. Any of the current top 5 – Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Henrik Stenson and Bubba Watson – will win the FedExCup simply by winning the TOUR Championship. Any guys outside that top 5 will need either a little bit of help - Zach Johnson, currently in sixth, would need Day to finish tied second or worse - or a lot of help: Harris English, in 30th, basically needs everyone to forget how to play golf. There are also countless other permutations where people can win if they finish second, if you’re keen to know what every player has to do then best to look here.
The tournament takes place at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, a tough yet fair course that normally produces a winner that finishes around 10 under par. Newly minted World No.1 Jason Day should enter the tournament as favourite, but have no doubt that every player in the field is capable of springing a surprise. Spieth and McIlroy both showed signs last week of a potential return to form; Henrik Stenson could technically win the $10 million without winning a tournament all year; Rickie Fowler has had his breakout year slightly overshadowed by Day and Spieth but a breakout it’s been nonethelessl; and guys like Zach and Dustin Johnson lurk if other guys slip-up.
It should be a fun four days. Somebody is going to be very, very rich.