PGATOUR.com Coordinating Producer
There were those who moved up more spots in the FedExCup standings than Phil Mickelson did at the Deutsche Bank Championship, but it can be argued that no player made more of an impact on the FedExCup standings than Mickelson. So he makes the list this week, with apologies to Sean O'Hair, Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy, John Mallinger and Lucas Glover, who all made bigger moves number-wise.
Last week: Deutsche Bank Championship
This week: BMW Championship
Biggest mover: Aaron Oberholser
He moved: 38 spots, from 67th to 29th
Because: He finished T2 at Deutsche Bank Championship
Oberholser's fifth top-10 of the season -- and best finish of the season -- couldn't have come at a better time. With all the hype over the Tiger-Phil pairing on Sunday, Oberholser nearly spoiled the party. As it was, he posted four rounds in the 60s, made more than a half-million dollars and got himself in position to make the field for the all-important TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
As weekends go, that's hardly a bad one.
Oberholser and the other 69 players in the field this week won't need to worry about making the cut this week -- there is none. It likely wasn't a big worry for Oberholser, anyhow. He's only missed two cuts in 2007.
Welcome to the top 25: Brett Wetterich
He moved: 29 spots, from 51st to 22nd
Because: He finished T2 at the Deutsche Bank Championship
Sure, Wetterich's Monday didn't go quite as planned after his final-round 70. Still, there isn't much to complain about for the native of Cincinnati.
When you consider that Wetterich missed the cut at The Barclays to put himself in jeopardy of being eliminated in Boston, the runner-up effort he pulled at TPC Boston wasn't only impressive, it was season-saving.
Wetterich is still searching for his first TOUR victory this season. However, his runner-up run in Boston was his second of this season. He was also second at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship in March.
Welcome to the top 50: Troy Matteson
He moved: 13 spots, from 57th to 44th
Because: He finished T9 at the Deutsche Bank Championship
Matteson got his first top-10 finish in nearly two months Sunday at TPC Boston. Back in May, Matteson got a pair of T3 finishes in a three-tournament span at both the John Deere Classic and the AT&T Classic.
Recent history also suggests that Matteson is prone to late-season streaks. In his rookie season in 2006, he ended the season with five consecutive top-10s, including a victory at the Frys.com Open.
If he can put together a similar, but shorter streak this weekend in Chicago, he may earn himself a spot in The TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
Welcome to the bubble: Camilo Villegas
He moved: 12 spots, from 46th to 34th
Because: Almost quietly -- or as quietly as you can do something in your sport's Playoffs -- Villegas is starting to put together quite a charge. His T9 finish at TPC Boston is his second top-10 finish in his past three tournaments and his fourth consecutive top-25 finish. He also posted a spectacular 63 in the first round of the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Villegas will no doubt have plenty of eyes on him this week at the BMW Championship. At 34th in the FedExCup standings, Villegas finds himself dangerously close to the elimination line. Only the top 30 in the FedExCup points after the BMW Championship will advance to the TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.
He begins the week 881 points behind 30th-place Jonathan Byrd.
Welcome to the lead: Phil Mickelson
He moved: Four spots, from fifth to first
Because: He won the Deutsche Bank Championship
Will he play this week or won't he? That seems to be the big question as the field starts to make its way to Cog Hill for the BMW Championship. The way Mickelson played on that thrilling Labor Day at TPC Boston, most of the 70-man field is probably hoping the answer is no.
Mickelson now has three wins this season and seven top-10s, two of those in just the past two weeks. He's also in the top 10 in no less than 18 different TOUR statistical categories, including top rankings in par-5 birdies, and going for the green.
And, of course, now the FedExCup standings.
