Aug. 20, 2008
The PGA TOUR heads to Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., this week for The Barclays -- the first event in the 2008 PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Here are some groups of players to keep an eye on.
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GROUP: Just caught the train | POSITIONS: 114th, 128th, 135th, 141st, 144th
These five players got in on the last day. Martin Laird is a rookie fighting to keep his card this year. Justin Bolli is back on TOUR after two years on the Nationwide Tour. Rich Beem had two good Playoff events last year, but didn't advance to the BMW Championship. Lee Janzen is a two-time major winner. J.J. Henry struggled throughout 2007 and 2008 after a great year in 2006.
MORE: Beem profile | Laird profile | Henry profile | Bolli profile | Janzen profile |
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GROUP: Hot players | POSITIONS: 4th, 2nd, 3rd, 13th
Padraig Harrington comes in hottest, with two victories in his last three events, both majors. Kenny Perry has also won twice in the last eight weeks, but withdrew from the PGA Championship and didn't play well in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Phil Mickelson played solidly at the Bridgestone Invitational and the PGA Championship but hasn't won since the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Carl Pettersson moved into the top 15 with his victory at the Wyndham Championship last week.
MORE: Harrington profile | Perry profile | Mickelson profile | Pettersson profile |
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GROUP: Non winners | POSITIONS: 11th, 15th, 19th, 21st
Robert Allenby and Jim Furyk are the highest ranked players without a win, which means they've been playing very well. If either can break through in the next couple of events, they will be serious contenders for the FedExCup. Stuart Appleby played well all year and made a surge with his tie for second at the Bridgestone Invitational and tie for 15th at the PGA Championship, for his eighth and ninth made cuts in a row. Last year, Steve Stricker won for the first time at The Barclays, moving from 12th to first. This year, he's 21st and looking to repeat the magic.
MORE: Allenby profile | Furyk profile | Appleby profile | Stricker profile |
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GROUP: Young guys | POSITIONS: 5th, 12th, 16th, 18th, 20th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 26th
There have been 11 different winners on TOUR this year in their 20s, including seven players who've won multiple times on TOUR. There have also been nine first-time winners on TOUR this year, of whom five are under 30. In the top 30 under 30: Anthony Kim, Sergio Garcia, Sean O'Hair, D.J. Trahan, Trevor Immelman, J.B. Holmes, Adam Scott, Jeff Quinney and Andres Romero. (Hunter Mahan, Chez Reavie and Steve Marino are 31st, 35th and 38th, respectively).
MORE: Kim profile | Garcia profile | O'Hair profile | Trahan profile | Immelman profile | Holmes profile | Scott profile | Quinney profile | Romero profile |
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GROUP: New York lovers | POSITIONS: 21st, 7th, 4th, 12th, 10th, 58th, 3rd
A number of players have had big success in New York-area tournaments. This year, they could add Ridgewood CC to their collection of favorite New York-area places to go. Recent winners of The Barclays in Westchester include Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia. Geoff Ogilvy won the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, and Retief Goosen won in 2004 at Shinnecock Hills. Phil Mickelson won the 2005 PGA Championship at Baltusrol, and was second at both of the recent New York-area U.S. Opens.
MORE: Stricker profile | Garcia profile | Ogilvy profile | Goosen profile | Mickelson profile |
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