He may not have won a major this season but Tiger Woods is still determined to go after the next best thing – victory at the Tour Championship and wrapping up the FedEx Cup series play-offs.
World number one Woods heads the FedEx Cup rankings ahead of the final tournament of the play-offs in Atlanta, where a 30-strong elite field will be vying for the US$10 million bonus bonanza.
Woods, having returned to the PGA Tour at the start of the year after an eight-month injury lay-off, has won six times this season though none of them at a major.
But, as reported in AP, Woods loves nothing more than beating a strong field on a tough course with plenty at stake. The East Lake course will provide that challenge, as he said:
“If you look at years past before we had this format, it was basically the hottest players for the year. This is a little bit different, though, because you actually get some of the hotter players later in the year. It adds for a little bit more excitement.
“You always have the same approach and same attitude that you try and win every tournament you enter. Whether it’s a regular tour event, a play-off event, World Golf Championship, Players, whatever it may be, it’s the same intensity.â€
The format of the series means that any of the top five seeds going into the tournament will head the FedEx Cup standings if they win the event – Woods, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson and Heath Slocum.
Even Australian outsider Marc Leishman, who tied with Woods for second in Chicago recently, has a chance to win the series should Woods finish 10th or below and the next four seeds end up no better than fifth.
Another unlikely scenario for a Series winner is Padraig Harrington, who would need a major collapse by the leading players.
Unusually, there could even be two play-offs – one for the tournament and one of the series. Furthermore, the same two players could be involved.
But emerging from all the convoluted possibilities is the fact that Woods, once again, is the favourite.
