This week in golf: Spieth leads the way into FedExCup Playoffs
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The slightly off-kilter seasons of golf’s two main tours ensures the limelight is generally hogged by the PGA version as summer winds down, with the FedExCup Playoffs beginning in earnest while the European Tour trundles on until late October.
The Race to Dubai will feel more race-like soon enough, but stateside The Barclays snips the ribbon on the PGA Tour post-season where FedEx points are quadrupled for the final four events, with 2000 available to the winner.
By the time the TOUR Championship rolls around in late September, the 125 players to have qualified for the finals will be whittled down to a magic 30 and there are zero points on offer for guessing who the man to catch is.
Now officially the world number one following his runner-up spot at Whistling Straits, double major winner Jordan Spieth’s remarkable season sees Rory McIlroy’s usurper begin The Barclays with a 1,710-point advantage.
With the skip-load of points up for grabs, this lead is not unassailable, but given what has passed before this season, it would take a courageous sort to bet against him being crowned FedEx champion 2014/15.
At 13/2 to begin the post-season with a fifth win of the campaign, it would take a less daring punter to back Spieth for The Barclays tournament, held at Plainfield Country Club, New Jersey.
The New England haunt played host to this event once before, although in 2011 Hurricane Irene rudely threw her weight around to ensure Dustin Johnson was awarded the trophy after just 54 holes of play.
There are no such concerns about the weather this year however, and coming off a fighting fourth-round 69 to finish T7 at the final major of the year, 12/1-shot DJ is among a host of stars attempting to reel Spieth in.
Other notables at the sharp end of the betting who enjoyed Plainfield last time out are Justin Rose (T6), also at 12s and Whistling Straits champion Jason Day who placed 13th and is 8/1 having rested.
Both men bring impeccable recent form to the table, as does Paul Casey, who holds far more value at 40/1.
Meanwhile, over on the European Tour the second running of the D+D Real Czech Masters takes place, with three in-form Englishmen afforded a fine chance of silverware by Ladbrokes.
Recent additions to the winners’ enclosure, James Morrison (16/1) and David Horsey, at 33s, are joined by 20/1 shot Eddie Pepperell, who is currently 36th in the Race to Dubai standings.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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