FedEx Cup Playoffs Resume at Cog Hill with the BMW Championship

Ohio State barely squeaked by rough and tough Toledo, Michigan won a thriller over Notre Dame and the Browns gave away another game to the Bengals, the worst team in the NFL.

Football season has arrived, and the PGA Tour took a sabbatical last weekend to watch it—just like the rest of us working stiffs.  Cheer up, golfers everywhere, the FedEx Cup returns to that land of Al “Scarface” Capone, Ernie “Mr. Cub” Banks, “High Flyin” Michael Jordan and “The Mayor,” not the golfer, John Daley.

The PGA circus invades the heartland with the BMW Championship from Cog Hill Golf and Country Club just outside of Chicago.

Everyone should be fresh, rested and on the top of their game.  The big hitters and fancy dressers are trying to position themselves in the top five to have the best shot at filling their pockets with the cool $10 million that awaits the FedEx Cup Champion after the Tour Championship next week in Atlanta.  Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Like Donald, and Brandt Snedeker currently hold onto the top five spots.

FedEx Cup leader Webb Simpson is hot off the biggest win of his young career at the Deutsche Bank, is having a break out year with 17 top-25 finishes in 22 starts, and has amassed over $5 million in prize money.  I imagine he is picking up a few endorsement dollars, too, since Tiger Woods doesn’t use them anymore.  All in all, it has been a very good year for the somewhat quiet Wake Forest grad.

Dustin Johnson has one of the most experienced caddies toting his bag around in Joe LaCava.  LaCava carried Freddie Couples' luggage for over 20 years. Now, he's helping Johnson speed-read the greens. LaCava's influence might help Johnson's golf career reach the vast potential that everyone predicted for the XXL-hitting Johnson.  His 2011 season was somewhat sub-par until his win three weeks ago at the hurricane-shortened 54-hole Barclay’s put him into the thick of the FedEx Cup race.

Matt Kuchar won a FedEx Cup playoff event in 2010, but is winless in 2011.  "Kuch" has been one of the most consistent golfers all year with nine top-10 finishes s and 16 top-25’s in his 21 starts.  He is ranked 8^th in the Official World Golf Rankings, has won nearly $4 million in prize money and was runner-up to FedEx Cup winner Jim Furyk last year.  He has been there, is battle tested, consistent and could easily take home the Cup this year.

Official World Golf Rankings and Race to Dubai leader, Luke Donald, like fine art and good wine, just keeps getting better with age.  A couple of wins on the Euro Tour plus a win at the WGC Accenture Match play and 11 top 10’s in just 16 starts on the PGA Tour adds up to over $5 million in greenbacks and nearly €4 million in Euros for 2011.  That should keep the ex-Big Ten University of Northwestern alum in paint supplies and wine for awhile.

A Chicago resident, Luke should feel right at home at Cog Hill.  Even though he does not have a major trophy yet, a win this week would nearly cement his chance of winning the FedEx Cup and add valuable style points to his No. 1 world ranking.

With a tie for third at both the Barclay’s and the Deutsche Bank, Brandt Snedeker is the hottest golfer arriving at Cog Hill.  He has a win in 2011 and has had seven top-10 finishes.  Timing in the playoffs is everything, and he may be peaking at the just the right time to hoist the FedEx Cup at East Lake on September 25^th.

Barclay’s winner Dustin Johnson went to a Cubs game with Ernie “Mr. Cub” Banks and hit some golf balls at Wrigley Field the other day.  As Ernie Banks would say, “Let’s play two,” and see who will be the 2011 FedEx Cup Champion.