If any of the Top-5; Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose, Tony Finau, Dustin Johnson & Justin Thomas, win the TOUR Championship they will win the coveted FedEx Cup, along with a cool $10million. Everybody in the field can (theoretically, if not realistically) put their name on the check. Let’s take a look at some of the most intriguing East Lake pairings.

Justin Rose/Bryson DeChambeau

In four of the last five years, the man heading into the TOUR Championship at No. 2 has come out on top in the FedEx Cup. No. 2 this year? That’d be the new World No. 1: Justin Rose.

He lost in a playoff last time out (his second consecutive runner-up) and I believe that losing, as weird as it may sound, has put more expectation on him to win. I say that because DeChambeau’s back-to-back playoff wins are the top of everybody’s list as to why he won’t win (3 out of 4? Don’t be stupid!). Rose has an outstanding record at East Lake: Eight starts, four Top-6 finishes (including a runner-up) and nothing worse than T20. I am very confident of a Top-5 finish from him, which would give him a decent chance in the FedEx Cup without guaranteeing anything.

I can see DeChambeau coming up short. He’s young and has already done some incredible things, but he’ll get outmuscled by the bigger guys here. He just needs a respectable finish and he can reflect on a fantastic season. Anything outside the Top-10 would be unjust.

Dustin Johnson/Tony Finau

Breathing down the neck of Rose & DeChambeau, these are exactly the type of guys to outmuscle a young kid trying do something a bit quirky. Top-10 machine Tony Finau is, amazingly, still without a win since 2016. He’ll need to change that this week. Given that we’re talking about golf, it is more than plausible, but I wouldn’t count on it.

DJ, on the other hand, knows how to win. 3 wins in 2016, 4 in 2017 and 3 so far in 2018. The American has 11 Top-10s in 19 starts this year. For me, he and Rose have to be the favourites.

Francesco Molinari/Phil Mickelson

Molinari & Mickelson will be interesting to watch. Phil the Thrill side-by-side with Methodical Molinari (I can’t see that catching on in the same way). It wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest to see these two face off at Le Golf National, either. I’d like to see which style comes out on top.

Rory McIlroy/Xander Schauffele

The previous two winners of the tournament, although only one- McIlroy in 2016- actually won the FedEx Cup. Last year, Schauffele became the first TOUR Championship winner not to pick up the FedEx Cup at the same time since 2009.

McIlroy’s spot atop the bookies’ list is almost automatic. A win would likely be that and no more for both men, who would need a bucket load of luck to climb 16 and 17 places in the FedEx Cup standings respectively. However, I can see Rory finishing the season strongly by joining DJ and Rose near the top of the leaderboard.

Tiger Woods/Tommy Fleetwood

Tiger & Tommy. You can only imagine what this will mean to the Englishman, and you’ll have to keep imagining because there’s no way Fleetwood will let it show. He’s a cool competitor and he’ll be set on chasing the title. Neither man will be $10million dollars richer (and not just because Fleetwood’s money will be sent to the wrong man again!), but both are looking to cap off a big season with a big win. Victory for Fleetwood would mean back-to-back multiple win seasons, whilst Tiger… Well, you know.

Rose, DJ and McIlroy are my ones to watch in the PGA Tour’s ultimate showdown as I anticipate DeChambeau being usurped at the death. After all, this is golf: it can’t be straightforward.

Written by Joe Carabini

joe.carabini@foremostgolf.com