The PGA Tour’s regular season is over, which means it’s time to start the FedExCup Playoffs. This week’s playoff opener is The Northern Trust, where the top 125 in the FedExCup standings will begin their pursuit of the season-ending $10 million bonus.
Golf course: Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, N.Y. Originally designed by Joe Finger, it opened in 1971. Joel Weiman and Craig Currier redesigned it in 2014. This week it will play to 7,346 yards, par 70.
Purse: $8.75 million
TV schedule (all times Eastern): Thursday, 2-6 p.m. on Golf Channel; Friday, 2-6 p.m. on Golf Channel; Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, 3-6 p.m. on CBS; Sunday, noon-1:30 p.m. on Golf Channel, 2-6 p.m. on CBS.
Live streaming: Thursday, 2-6 p.m. on golfchannel.com; Friday, 2-6 on golfchannel.com; Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. on golfchannel.com; Sunday, noon-1:30 p.m. on golfchannel.com.
Notable tee times: Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth at 8:26 a.m. Thursday, 1:06 p.m. Friday; Henrik Stenson, Billy Horschel, Webb Simpson at 1:06 p.m. Thursday, 8:26 a.m. Friday; Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm at 1:06 p.m. Thursday, 8:26 a.m. Friday.
Defending champion: Patrick Reed defeated Emiliano Grillo and Sean O’Hair by one stroke at Bethpage Black.
Notables in the field: This being the first of four FedExCup playoff events, it’s easier to point out who ISN’T in the field. Sergio Garcia (world No. 22) is the highest-ranked player skipping this event. Also planning to no-show are No. 64 Brandt Snedeker (injury), No. 66 Adam Scott (wife expecting child), No. 85 Scott Piercy (injury) and No. 115 Dominic Bozzelli (injury).
Key stats
• The top 100 players in FedExCup points after The Northern Trust advance to the Dell Technologies Championship
• Five players ranked between 101 and 125 moved into the top 100 in this event last year
• Four different players have at least three wins this season on the PGA Tour
• Hideki Matsuyama has 11 top-5 finishes in his last 22 worldwide starts, including six wins
• The regular-season points leader has won the FedExCup three times (Tiger Woods twice, Jordan Spieth once)
• Spieth won the FedExCup in 2015 despite missing the cut in this event
• No player has won the FedExCup in consecutive years
• Only two defending FedExCup champions have even played in the Tour Championship the following season
• In each of Henrik Stenson’s last two wins (Wyndham, The Open), he has set a tournament scoring record
(Stats and information provided by the Golf Channel editorial research unit)
Source: Internet
