The Top Five: Ultimate Comparison Guide

ATLANTA -- Perhaps you haven't heard -- the top five in FedExCup points control their own destiny this week at East Lake.

Just in case PGATOUR.COM hasn't pounded that key fact into your head enough times in the last month, we'll do it once more. If Matt Kuchar, Dustin Johnson, Charley Hoffman, Steve Stricker or Paul Casey wins THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, then he'll be guaranteed the FedExCup title and the $10 million bonus.

Considering just 30 players are in the field, that means there's a one-in-six chance one guy will hold up all the trophies on Sunday. Outside of the top five, everybody else must count on certain pieces falling into place before winning the FedExCup.

So, in looking at the top five for the last time before Thursday's opening round, we decided to compare them. In a variety of ways. And in a variety of categories.

Here's the Top Five's Ultimate Comparison Guide:

The $10 million comparison

Here's what each player thinks about the big check that comes with winning the FedExCup

Matt Kuchar "There's nothing really that I need. There's nothing that I really want. We're moving into a new house. I bought a house six months ago. I'm very excited to be moving. Maybe pay off the house. But it's certainly not that kind of house." Dustin Johnson "I'd put it in the bank. I like seeing them zeros." Charley Hoffman "I have a healthy wife and a baby on the way and a nice home. I really don't know what I'd do with it. So it really hasn't crossed my mind. I'm sure I will find a few ways to spend it if we do win it, but we'll figure that out afterwards." Steve Stricker "It's really unbelievable that we're playing for that type of money, to tell you the truth." Paul Casey "I'm trying not to get too caught up in it because ... it's a figure that I'm not too familiar with."

Click here for a preview of each of the top five, as well as the other players in the field

Scoring comparison

A look at the top five in various PGA TOUR scoring categories

Category KUCHAR JOHNSON HOFFMAN STRICKER CASEY Scoring avg. (actual) 69.40 70.45 69.95 69.69 70.02 Scoring avg. (adjusted) 69.57 70.12 70.26 69.58 69.81 Rd. 1 avg. 69.26 69.96 69.00 69.35 70.07 Rd. 2 avg. 70.00 69.62 70.05 69.76 70.13 Rd. 3 avg. 69.70 69.94 70.39 69.71 70.00 Rd. 4 avg. 68.80 72.50 70.63 69.94 69.83 Rounds in 60s 46 22 22 18 16 Cumulative par 3s 7 over 16 over 12 over 4 under 5 over Cumulative par 4s 52 under 20 over 1 under 17 under 12 under Cumulative par 5s 121 under 109 under 107 under 88 under 56 under Front 9 avg. 34.52 35.40 34.94 34.79 34.50 Back 9 avg. 34.89 35.05 35.01 34.90 35.52 Lowest round 63 64 62 60 64 Total eagles 8 16 9 5 7 Total birdies 348 308 316 269 210

FedExCup ranking comparison

This line chart shows the ups and downs of each player's FedExCup points ranking for every week of the 2010 PGA TOUR season

Scenario comparison

Here's how each player can win the FedExCup without winning THE TOUR Championship

KUCHAR Can finish as low as 29th and still have a mathematical chance of winning JOHNSON Can finish as low as sixth and still have a mathematical chance of winning HOFFMAN Can finish as low as fourth and still have a mathematical chance of winning STRICKER Can finish as low as third and still have a mathematical chance of winning CASEY Can finish second and still have a mathematical chance of winning

College comparison

Each of the top five played collegiately in the U.S. Here's a brief look at their college careers.

Matt KUCHAR Dustin JOHNSON Charley HOFFMAN Steve STRICKER Paul CASEY Georgia Tech Coastal Carolina UNLV Illinois Arizona State Two-time first-team All-American; four-time All-ACC selection; won Fred Haskins Award in 1998 as nation's top collegiate player Two-time first-team All-American; three-time Big South Player of the Year; All-time scoring leader Member of 1998 NCAA champions; Honorable mention All-American in 1998; Tied for ninth at 1999 WAC Championship All-American selection in 1988-89; helps raise money for the Illini golf program by hosting the Steve Stricker Golf Classic Became first player to win three straight Pac-10 Championships; shot 23-under to break Tiger Woods' Pac-10 Championship scoring record in 2000; broke Phil Mickelson's school scoring average record

No. 1 comparison

Looking at the 2010 stats, here are the categories in which one of the top five ranks No. 1

Matt Kuchar Scoring average; All-around ranking; Money leaders; Scoring average before cut; Top-10 finishes; Scrambling; Par 4 performance; Par 5 performance; Putting from 5-15 feet; Back Nine scoring average; and, of course, FedExCup points Dustin Johnson Total eagles; Going for the green Charley Hoffman Birdie or better conversion percentage; Bounce back Steve Stricker Consecutive cuts; Longest drive; Scrambling from outside 30 yards Paul Casey Total putting; Approaches from outside 200 yards; Putting from inside five feet; Putting from 3-5 feet; Front Nine scoring average

Video comparison

Listen to each of the top five as they prepare for this week's event at East Lake

Matt Kuchar Click for video "> Dustin Johnson Click for video Charley Hoffman Click for video Steve Stricker Click for video Paul Casey Click for video

East Lake comparison

A look at how each of the top five has fared at East Lake during their careers

Rank Player Starts Best finish (Year) Best Playoffs finish (Year) Low score 1 Matt Kuchar 0 - - - 2 Dustin Johnson 1 27th (2009) 27th 69 3 Charley Hoffman 0 - - - 4 Steve Stricker 4 T5 (1998) 6 (2009) 66 5 Paul Casey 0 - - -

For a comparison of all 30 players in the field this week, click here