It is the start of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup play offs this week. It starts with the Barclays this week, but first a little introduction on what the PGA Tour FedEx Cup is all about. Players earn FedEx Cup points over the course of the regular season, and basically the higher they finish in events, the more points they will earn. So the FedEx Cup is something designed to reward consistency over the season. So the FedEx Cup play offs consists of four tournaments, The Barclays, the Deutsche Bank Championship, the BMW Championship and The Tour Championship. The Top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings at the close of the regular season (which was the Wyndham last week), goes forth into The Barclays. From there, only the top 100 players left on the FedEx Cup points standings will go through to the Deutsche Bank Championship. From there, only the Top 70 will move forward to the BMW Championship, and then it is it the final cut, as only the top 30 points leaders go on to contest The Tour Championship. All points get reset for the Tour Championship finale, so that all contenders have a chance of winning. All FedEx Cup points are wiped out here, but the leader in the points standings going into The Tour Championship gets 2500 points, the second player get 2250 points and the thirty man field each gets awarded points on a descending scale, all the way down to the number thirty, who gets just 210 points to start off with. This is to give the players who finished near the top of the FedEx Cup points table an advantage for the big finale, while giving a slender chance to those who just about scraped in. For example, with 2,500 points up for grabs in winning a play off, should that thirtieth place golfer win the Tour Championship, he could take the FedEx Cup title as well, depending on how well the rest of the field place of course. So it is a good balance of things, which gives great excitement to the end of the PGA Tour golf season. It all starts now at The Barclays, with the top 125 battling it out. The points system here can get a little confusing but we’ll keep a solid track of it all as we go through the play offs.
So back to the 2011 Barclays golf betting for this week at the Plainfield Country Club in Edison, New Jersey. This is the top 125 gunning for glory here, and it is not so much about winning, but putting in good enough performances to get enough points in the bag to move forward. Twenty five golfers will be cut after this. So there are a very strong crop of players at the top of the FedEx Cup points standings at the moment, as expected, with Nick Watney leading the field. But a great place to start for 2011 Barclays golf betting is by looking at the players who desperately need to pull out a big performance to make it into the top one hundred. Among those who are starting outside of the cut, are players like Retief Goosen, Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington and Camilo Villegas. So we are expecting Goosen in particular to put together something strong here, but we can also look just about the cut line to see the likes of Graeme McDowell, Anthony Kim and Bryce Molder under threat of being edged out. These are the kinds of players who you may want to keep an eye on for you 2011 Barclays golf betting because their play off lives are on the line. So while you look at those for one good batch of golf betting options for the Barclays this week, because the players near the top of the standings will be more relaxed due to their respective season’s points hauls, there are also good options up there as well. This is because the players will be relaxed. Here you have to look at Nick Watney, Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson and Luke Donald in particular, who are comfortable enough to look at the Barclays with a great degree of comfort. Remember, the FedEx Cup is about consistency, and these are the players who have excelled the most in that department over the course of the season. Here we present our 2011 Barclays golf betting guide, with a focus on who is in with a chance of winning here, represented by the odds (as opposed to the FedEx Cup winner).
Luke Donald 12/1 at Totesport
The Englishman finished fourth in the FedEx Cup points standings having played fewer events than those around him. That is a testament to his consistency for you. He is the leader on the Tour for adjusted scoring and his putting and short game has served him so well as always. Landed a great runners up spot at the Tour Championship and the Deutsche Bank Champions in last year’s play offs, so going to be a big threat again one would imagine. Has lost a little confidence of late, but the busy end of season should see him go well and get things together.
Adam Scott: 16/1 at SkyBet
Like Luke Donald, has only attended 14 events this season (compared to the likes of Webb Simpson who has hit 20). In very strong form at the moment, and remember that he picked up his first World Golf Championship title recently as well. Has also won at TPC Boston before, so could be a big threat here to win the tournament. Not sure about the FedEx Cup title, but a threat here for the Barclays.
Steve Stricker: 16/1 at Bet365
The American has been very much the man of late on the PGA Tour. His consistency is almost unrivalled as he just doesn’t do much wrong. Stricker is red hot with the putter, leading the Tour in strokes gained in putting and just lights up which ever stats column you look at, pretty much. He has had a couple of wins recently on the PGA Tour so that should put him in great stead for a run at a play off victory, as well as the FedEx Cup title. Looks to be the man to beat there. Dubbed Mr September because he is the only man on Tour to have played in all rounds of the FedEx Cup play off tournaments. This year is the fifth running of the FedEx Cup play, so it shows the power of Stricker.
Jason Day: 25/1 at Bet365
The young Aussie has impressed so many people this year, especially with his bravery and his temperament in the Majors this year. Is getting better and better and growing in stature all the time. Great all round stats for the season on Tour, and he came close to winning the Deutsche Bank Championship last year. Such an immense prospect, and don’t be surprised to see him come close in any of the play offs here this year again. Only one of two players in the top fourteen (along with Matt Kuchar) who hasn’t won on Tour this season. Could argue that he is well due one.
Nick Watney: 25/1 at SkyBet
The FedEx Cup points leader at the end of the regular season. Watney either looks brilliant or lacking concentration at times. Which seems like an odd things to say about such a consistent player. It is that line of holding consistency and pulling something magic out to win, or dropping below that line and having trouble getting back up to it. That is all, just a bit of focus here and that. Still, has two wins under his belt for the season and he is more than capable. Just expect him to be hanging around the top ten for most of the play offs. Definite strong bet for the FedEx Cup title.
Phil Mickelson: 28/1 at SportingBet
Sixth in the overall FedEx Cup points standing, with his one win and five top tens on the season. If you are looking for post season experience then Mickelson has it all in the bag really and should be considered in you 2011 Barclays golf betting. This is Mickelson after all, magical touch, needs to sort out the driver just a little bit, but class often tells in times of pressure. Not in the sharpest of form, but should shake it off here when it matters most.
Webb Simpson: 40/1 at Totesport
A recent Tour winner, last week in the Wyndham to be exact, and has been landing in the top twenty pretty consistently of late. The thing about Simpson is that he has all the tools, highlighted by him leading the Tour in the all round stat. Not as experienced as some of the others here in the play offs pressure, but has set himself up well enough so that he can relax a little bit an enjoy the Barclays.
Dustin Johnson: 35/1 at SportingBet
We have lauded good ole DJ quite a bit here, as we still believe he is due a win. Has had a couple of runners up finishes, but just has not been able to get over the line. Boy does he deserve one though. He did pick up a win in last year’s play offs when he won the BMW Championships, so will be a threat. In great shape, very consistent in his play and want to see big things from him.
