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FEDEXCUP
FedExCup update: Pressure is on Sunday's final pair
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September 13, 2014
By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM
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Billy Horschel, right, and Rory McIlroy will enter Sunday with the inside track to winning the FedExCup. (Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
ATLANTA -- How difficult will it be for Billy Horschel to not think of the $10 million bonus that comes with wining the FedExCup?
“It's not the easiest thing in the world,” Horschel admitted Saturday after a 69 to share the the lead with Rory McIlroy through 54 holes of the season-ending TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.
“But at the same time whenever I think about that, I've got to understand that for me to reach that goal, I have to win the TOUR Championship. That's my mind-set, I have to win the TOUR Championship to win that $10 million.”
Technically, he doesn’t.
MORE FEDEXCUP: Projected standings | Winning scenarios | Playoffs Tracker | Past Champions
Horschel, who came into the week second in the standings, can still win the FedExCup if he finishes anywhere from second to sixth (see chart below) and McIlroy or Chris Kirk (tied for seventh, four shots back) don’t win the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.
McIlroy, meanwhile, isn’t thinking about the money that’s at stake. He hasn’t since his first year as a professional when he finished third at the Dunhill Links Championship and saw his bank balance.
“I was like oh my goodness,” McIlroy said. “It's crazy to think about now.”
Instead McIlroy, who shot 67 Saturday, is more concerned with capping off what has already been a great year that has included two major championships and a World Golf Championships title.
“I'm just trying to win another tournament,” he said. “But obviously I know what comes along with the FedExCup and cash and all the rest of it.
“It's just another chance to win another big tournament, and I really want to take advantage of that.”
Like Horschel, there are a number of scenarios in which McIlroy, who entered the Playoffs fourth in the standings, can still win the FedExCup even if he doesn’t win the tournament on Sunday. See below for more
Here’s a closer look at the projected top 5:
Projected
positionCurrent
rankPlayer Rd. 3
scorePosition Projected
pointsProjected
total1 2 Billy Horschel 69 T1 2,500 4,750 2 4 Rory McIlroy 67 T1 2,500 4,300 3 1 Chris Kirk 71 T7 425 2,925 4 3 Bubba Watson
67 11th 350 2,350 5 7 Jim Furyk
67 3rd 1,000 2,200 Here's a closer look at scenarios to win the FedExCup. Listed beside each player is his current rank at East Lake and where that mark projects him in the FedExCup standings.
Billy Horschel (Currently T1; projected 1st) • If he wins the TOUR Championship, he wins the FedExCup
• If Jim Furyk wins the TOUR Championship, Horschel wins the FedExCup by finishing solo second
• If Rickie Fowler wins the TOUR Championship, Horschel can win the FedExCup by finishing in a three-way tie for second
• If Jason Day wins the TOUR Championship, Horschel can win the FedExCup by finishing in a tie for third
• If Justin Rose wins the TOUR Championship, Horschel can win the FedExCup by finishing in a tie for sixth
Rory McIlroy (Currently T1; projected 2nd) • If he wins the TOUR Championship, he wins the FedExCup
• If Fowler wins the TOUR Championship, McIlroy would tie Fowler with a solo second, resulting in a playoff for the FedExCup
• If Rose wins the TOUR Championship, McIlroy can win the FedExCup by finishing third
• If Day wins the TOUR Championship, McIlroy can win the FedExCup by finishing solo second
Jim Furyk (Currently third; projected fifth) • Must win the TOUR Championship and ...
• No. 1 Chris Kirk must finish in a three-way tie for second or worse (he's currently T7)
• No. 2 Horschel must finish tied for second or worse (he's currently T1)
Rickie Fowler (Currently T4; projected eighth)
• Must win the TOUR Championship and ...
• No. 1 Kirk must finish in a three-way tie for third or worse (he's currently T7)
• No. 2 Horschel must finish third or worse (he's currently T1)
• No. 3 Bubba Watson must finish tied for second or worse (he's currently 11th)
• No. 4 McIlroy must finish worse than second. A solo second-place finish for McIlroy would result in a two-man playoff for the FedExCup
Justin Rose (Currently T4; projected 11th) • Must win the TOUR Championship and ...
• No. 1 Kirk must finish 22nd or worse (he's currently T7). A 21st-place finish would result in a playoff for the FedExCup.
• No. 2 Horschel must finish sixth or worse (he's currently T1). A solo fifth-place finish would result in a playoff for the FedExCup.
• No. 3 Watson must finish fourth or worse (he's currently 11th). A solo third-place finish would result in a playoff for the FedExCup.
• No. 4 McIlroy must finish in a tie for third or worse (he's currently T1)
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