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By Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents

KAPALUA, Hawaii -- Jim Furyk and Jerome Bettis of his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers recently got together to film a commercial to promote the FedExCup.

In one version of the spot, Furyk was sitting in a diner, trying to eat, as Bettis took all the food off his plate. When Furyk protested, the bruiser of a former running back told him in no uncertain terms, "You're supposed to be hungry. It's the playoffs."

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That sentiment essentially sums up Furyk's outlook on the new season-long points system that will award $10 million to the FedExCup winner. Desire and determination are what will fuel success in what is being called "the new era of golf."

"Ultimately, whether you're looking at the money list or the points list, what it really boils down to is you need to play well, and you need to focus on what's going to get you there and the process, rather than the end result," Furyk said.

"So sitting there worrying about points or worrying about where you stand can probably only be negative. So just going out there and playing hard and playing well (is the key)."

The game's No. 2 player says the condensed season that ends in a four-event playoff has sparked enthusiasm among his peers and created interest among fans who seemed to lose it after the major championships had been contested.

"It has a different and more fresh feel because it's just different," Furyk said. "I think all of us are excited, all of us are apprehensive, all of us are scratching our heads in a few spots trying to figure out how it's all going to work.

"It's definitely new and, yeah, I'm looking forward to it."

So is Rory Sabbatini, who actually came to Maui two weeks ago, as has been his custom, to celebrate his fourth anniversary. The New Year's Eve festivities with his wife, Amy, though, weren't the only attraction.

The man who won last year's West Coast Swing is competing in the season-opening, winners-only Mercedes-Benz Championship for the first time since 2004. And Sabbatini said he's played golf nearly every day since arriving on the island.

"Just kind of getting ready for the new year, and you know, the FedExCup is obviously going to be interesting," the South African said. "It's going to make it a different type of season, so I'm not quite sure what to expect so I figured I'd better be as prepared as possible."

Particularly with 4,500 points at stake for the winner. As nice as it will be to get a head start on the competition in this elite field of 34, though, the Mercedes-Benz Championship is just the starting gate for the game's thoroughbreds.

"There's none of this I'll try at the end of the year and make my run," three-time defending champion Stuart Appleby explained. "We'll be going as solid as we can. ...

"We don't know quite how ... do we position, do I play that event now because I traditionally have or now that doesn't fit as good because I need to make a run through here.

"A lot of guys are certainly looking at the schedule more intently than previous years because of the condensed period of time. We have to play hard."

Appleby said he normally focuses on the majors and works backwards as he decides what tournaments to enter in order to get his game in tip-top shape for the sport's crown jewels.

"I could typically tell you my schedule two months out, minimum," Appleby said. "Now I'm not quite sure."

Furyk agreed. The 14-year TOUR veteran doesn't exactly feel like a rookie, but he finds himself taking a new approach to his schedule, which could conclude with him playing eight out of nine weeks.

"I think being out here for that many years and kind of picking the same events and everything was in pretty much the same order, the events, I knew exactly what to expect," he said. "This year is going to be a little bit different with the change. A lot of the tournaments are in a different part of the season and so working the schedule is a little bit new.

"It's a little bit refreshing. And it's going back to earlier in your career and trying to figure out how you want to organize your schedule and getting ready for this year."

Indeed. Computer models of previous seasons have shown that players probably need to be among the top 15 or 20 players in the points race entering the season-ending TOUR Championship to have a legitimate chance to win the FedExCup.

The excitement generated by the hree previous playoff events -- where the field is trimmed to 125, 70 and 30 players after each one -- should stack up well against the satisfaction of the season-long accomplishment and lucrative prize at the end.

"I just think the intensity coming down, it's going to be higher than whatever it is rolling in," Appleby said. "THE TOUR Championship was a spike in ratings, but everything had flattened off previously. I think you're going to see more of a ramping effect with our scheduling.

"FedEx is going to be excited about it; the players are. We want to have people watching us, you know, pushing ourselves across the line versus golf being a little fall off really compared to other major sports at that time of year."