Rob Lee
Golf columnist
New FedExCup format makes the Tour Championship easy to follow
Last Updated: 22/08/19 10:27pm
I think the players understand why the PGA Tour want this week to be a singular event and not have two tournaments running at the same time, although there are some who are unsure about it.
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Whatever you think, it has certainly simplified the whole thing and players are going to know exactly what they need to do over the closing holes to have a shot of winning that $15m.
It's going to be easier for players and spectators to follow, so that's going to be a good thing coming down the stretch on Sunday afternoon.
How it will work remains to be seen and it'll be interesting whether the handicapping system is going to be seen as too harsh in one way or another. The FedExCup has been a little bit of a work in progress since it started, and this year will be no different.
Rory McIlroy arrives at East Lake fifth in the FedExCup standings and I think we will look at this season as a successful one. Having said that, that's another year ticked over without him winning a major.
Yes, he has racked up top-10s and his two wins, which are excellent, but for him, I think he looks on the year and asks himself about not winning a major. He got to four very quickly and has been stuck on that number for a while, so I think next year there will be more pressure for him to get to five.
If McIlroy was to win this week, then it's a nice feather in his cap and he has $15m for his troubles, but I think in the back of his mind he's a major counter - and that's where he has to improve.
Justin Rose won the FedExCup last year but is going to struggle to repeat that, as at two under he's a long way behind the guys who are in really good form.
Justin Thomas leads at 10 under, Patrick Cantlay's at eight under, then there's Brooks Koepka at seven under and the likes of McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele all have a great shout.
Can Rose from two under get past all those players? He might get past a few of them, but can he get past each and every one of them? I think it's doubtful.
I can't see anybody coming through from level-par and winning this, but being 26th to 30th you can't expect to have the same advantages as the guy leading the thing.
Those in the bottom five are going to start 10 shots back on Thursday morning, so will need to make up two and a half shots per round just to tie Thomas after four rounds. That's a huge ask.
Who will win the FedExCup? Watch the Tour Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 6pm on Sky Sports Golf.
