Filed under: PGA, Golf Odds and Ends, FedEx Cup

The PGA Tour Playoffs roll on to the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston this week. The top 100 players on the FedExCup points list are in the field, and only 70 will advance to the BMW Championship next week.

Last year at the Deutsche Bank Championship, Steve Stricker (pictured) pulled off a late push to win the tournament with style, finishing with a final-round 67 after sinking two clutch putts for a one-shot victory.

Arriving on the 17th hole, Stricker was one shot back of then-leaders Jason Dufner and Scott Verplank. Stricker proceeded to hit his approach shot to within 15 feet on 17, and then stuffed the birdie putt to take the lead.

Then on the par-5 18th Stricker nailed a drive straight down the middle of the fairway, pounded a hybrid approach shot 234 yards and through the green. His chip shot came to rest within a few feet of the cup, leaving Stricker a tap-in to win.

The victory moved Stricker to a career-high No. 2 world ranking and allowed him to eventually finish third in the FedExCup. “It’s been a lot of fun,” said Stricker, “It’s a lot of fun getting in contention like that, and it’s even more fun when you can pull it off like I did today.”

And then there was Padraig Harrington.

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The three-time major champion held the lead at 16 under when he made the turn, then came apart. Paddy made bogey on 10 and double-bogey on 12, both resulting from poor drives that incurred penalty strokes.

This year, Tiger Woods is on the bubble for next week’s BMW Championship and a hurricane could swoop in and knock the whole tournament off its feet. How will the storm affect the tournament? What must Tiger do to qualify for the BMW? The answers, and of course, our picks are all in this week’s FanHouse golf roundtable.

 

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