2009 Tour Championship Preview

Last year, East Lake Golf Club, which hosts the Tour Championship, experienced a drought in more ways than one.  Georgia’s water supply was at its lowest level in 100 years, and Tiger Woods was at home learning how to walk again after reconstructive ACL surgery.

This year, however, there’s been a flood.

There’s been a literal, Noah’s Arc-type flood, and there is sure to be a flood of spectators following Tiger Woods around historic East Lake Golf Club in their boots, wellies and DryJoys.

Several years ago, an eye brow or two were undoubtedly raised when East Lake spent a large sum of money installing a brand new drainage system during one of the worst droughts in the state’s history.

But then again, did Noah build his arc before or after the floods?

Amazingly enough, the new drainage system has worked to perfection, and players were allowed onto the course for practice rounds on Tuesday despite the devastating floods that had swept through the area in recent days.

The Tour Championship marks the conclusion of the 2009 FedEx Cup playoffs, so someone will be walking out of East Lake on Sunday with an oversized $10 million check.

Tim Finchem can rest easy in knowing that he will be spared from another embarrassing moment on national television similar to when he was forced to hand Vijay Singh the 2008 FedEx Cup while Sergio Garcia and Camilo Villegas were still on the course battling it out for the Tour Championship.

The 2009 FedEx Cup is still far from over, and the winner is unlikely to be determined before late on Sunday afternoon, unless of course Tiger Woods decides to go off and play in his own little tournament as he did at East Lake back in 2007 when he won by eight strokes, or as he did just last week at the BMW Championship where he also won by eight strokes.  

Here are three players to watch at the Tour Championship.

Jim Furyk

Jim Furyk has never finished outside of the top-18 at the Tour Championship. 

In his last three appearances at East Lake, he’s finished second, 11th and sixth.

Furyk has finished within the top10 in two out of the first three playoff events, and he has failed to break par in just two out of his last 12 rounds.

He’s playing well as he enters a tournament that he’s always played well at – hmm….how could he not be a favorite?

Padraig Harrington

Harrington has finished within the top-10 in each of his last six events.

Take away three horrendous holes, and he could very well have won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, the PGA Championship for the second consecutive year and the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Harrington is just outside of the top-five in FedEx Cup points, meaning he cannot automatically secure the title with a win this week.

However, a win at the Tour Championship, combined with just a little help from those players within the top-five in points, and Harrington could be this year’s $10 million man.

Tiger Woods

Does there really need to be an explanation as to why Tiger Woods is on this list?

The guy is winning nearly 40 percent of tournaments he enters this season.

You’d be far safer betting on Tiger Woods to win this week than investing your money in the tumultuous stock market.

Other Notables:

Steve Stricker: is currently second in FedEx Cup points, but he looked downright exhausted last week after his win at the Deutsche Bank Championship.  Perhaps he’ll come back refreshed after the off week.  But, it’s been a long, grueling season for Stricker and he may not have enough left in the tank to win this week.

Phil Mickelson: is making the trip to East Lake, but quite understandably, we shouldn’t expect too much from him on the golf course.

Sean O’Hair: has been playing excellent golf as of late, but has had a hard time closing the door.  Even when he won earlier this year at the Wachovia Championship, he did so despite bogeys at the final two holes.  

Adam Scott: won the Tour Championship back in 2006, but is currently preparing for the Turning Stone Resort Championship as he was eliminated from the playoffs after tying for 58th at the Barclays.

Heath Slocum: surely lightening couldn’t strike twice in five weeks, could it?

Camilo Villegas: it will be extremely difficult for him to defend his title at the Tour Championship being that he was eliminated from the playoffs last week.

Enjoy the tournament, and if you are heading to East Lake, make sure there are no holes in your waterproof shoes.