Scenarios That Would Make the 2015 FedEx Cup Playoffs Must-See TV

Perhaps only the BCS system in college football has received more scrutiny and suggestions for improvement than the FedEx Cup in popular sports over the past decade. 

It seems everyone has an opinion about how to reform the points system and the playoff structure. Regardless, the late-season cash extravaganza has kept the best players in golf on our TV screens later into the year, and for that we are grateful. 

What could top Billy Horschel's spirited run to the cup last year?

Here are a few possibilities.

A Horschel-Esque Run

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Billy Horschel, last year's eventual FedEx Cup champion, began the playoffs at No. 69 in the standings. 

After a missed cut at the Barclays, Horschel fell to No. 82. However, a tie-for-second finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship moved him into second position. Horschel then won both the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship to take the FedEx Cup trophy. 

Horschel got hot at the right time and went from the verge of not making the third playoff event to winning the Cup.

A similar run by another player this year? That'd certainly be interesting.

Spieth vs. McIlroy

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Ultimately, this would be the most interesting prospect: seeing Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, the two best golfers in the world, go head-to-head down the stretch in the FedEx Cup playoffs. 

Now, the FedEx Cup and No. 1 position in the Official World Golf Ranking are not as valuable to professional golfers as, say, wins and major championships.

However, if the pursuit of such laurels motivates the No. 1- and No. 2-ranked golfers in the world to trade blows, we'd all enjoy the show.

Feel-Good Winner

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How about a feel-good winner? A player like Marc Leishman, who nearly lost his wife earlier this year?

Leishman enters the FedEx Cup at 50th in the standings, so with good play in the first three playoff events, he could very well be in position to take the Tour Championship. 

The Australian hasn't made it into the top 30 following the BMW Championship, and thus the Tour Championship. He enters the playoffs on the heels of a missed cut at the PGA Championship.

While a cup victory seems unlikely given the above, a Leishman run would certainly be interesting.

A Big Breakthrough

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Looking at the FedEx Cup standings, young stars looking for a breakthrough win—such as Justin Thomas, Tony Finau and Daniel Berger—could make a playoff run that ends in a win at the Tour Championship.

That'd be worth watching, wouldn't it? All three of the golfers above have sniffed victory at least once this season. To see one of them break through and capture the FedEx Cup? That'd be very entertaining. 

Likewise, a player like Kevin Kisner, who is a little older at 31, could be an actor in a similar drama.

Tour Championship Drama

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The reset points bestowed by the golfing gods at the PGA Tour following the BMW Championship allow for the theoretical possibility of many more golfers winning the FedEx Cup with a win at the Tour Championship. 

So, it would be truly exciting to see a Sunday showdown between a group of players and a situation where one player has to win the Tour Championship to take the cup, another can win it with a second-place finish and a third is playing spoiler. 

Last year at the Tour Championship, Billy Horschel wasn't challenged on the back nine Sunday. Not since Bill Haas in 2011 has the Fed Ex Cup truly gone down to the wire. 

More drama like Haas' playoff victory, please.