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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Lots riding on players entering FedEx Cup

Ryder Cup spots, year's top player up for grabs

By: Doug Ferguson

Posted: 08/22/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Davis Love III (TRIBUNE MEDIA MCT)

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The FedEx Cup was all about the $10 million bonus when it began in 2007 because there was nothing left to decide.

Tiger Woods was the best player in golf, and everyone knew it.

He already had won five times that year, including the PGA Championship at Southern Hills. He already had earned $7.8 million on the PGA Tour, making it impossible for anyone to catch him without winning all four playoff events, which was bordering on impossible. There was no debate on player of the year.

Golf is more unpredictable these days.

And that's what makes the FedEx Cup playoffs, which start this week at Bethpage Black, more compelling than $10 million to the winner.

Thanks to changes that former U.S. captain Paul Azinger brought to the Ryder Cup -- specifically waiting three weeks to decide the captain's picks -- the next two tournaments will serve as an audition for a half-dozen players trying to get on the team.

Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson are two of them, and they played together Tuesday during a practice round at The Barclays. Not only were they linked as possible picks, they were partners in a game against Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.

"You guys playing a match?" one of the fans called out to Mickelson.

"Just for funsies," Mickelson said, with a laugh that made it clear more was at stake.

The prevailing thought is that Davis Love III has a good idea on three of his four picks. Hunter Mahan barely missed out qualifying and finished ninth, which shows the quality of American play this year because he won two times, including his thorough win over Rory McIlroy at the Match Play Championship. Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk also appear to be logical picks, leaving Love with one more choice.

Fowler? Johnson? Brandt Snedeker?

Winning at Bethpage Black this week, or at the TPC Boston next week in the second playoff event, could make it tough for Love to leave any of them out.

PGA Tour members vote on player of the year. The ballots aren't due until after the final event at Disney in November.

The leading candidate for player of the year going into the FedEx Cup playoffs is McIlroy, who won the Honda Classic and the PGA Championship, setting a record with his eight-shot margin.

Not to be forgotten is Woods, who has won three times this year. No one else has more than two.

Major championship winners Ernie Els (British Open), Webb Simpson (U.S. Open) and Bubba Watson (Masters) could make it a five-man race if they were to win the FedEx Cup, which means they would have to win another tournament. Keep in mind that the next four weeks -- particularly the next two with a full field -- feature some of the strongest fields of the year.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 22, 2012 D6

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