The Barclays, being played at The Ridgewood Country Club Paramus, NJ, is the first PGA TOUR Playoff event of the FedExCup. This A.W. Tillinghast design is steeped in tradition as it has not only hosted significant golf events but also had one Byron Nelson on its professional staff as he was launching his playing career. Ridgewood Country Club played host to the 1935 Ryder Cup, the 1990 U.S. Senior Open, the 2001 Senior PGA Championship, and the 2008 Barclays. The 2008 Barclays was one of the most exciting Playoff events to date as it ended regulation play with three players tied atop the leaderboard at 8 under par an another eighteen players within three shots of the lead. The eventual champion Vijay Singh beat Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland in a dramatic sudden death playoff.
Players to Watch:
- Ernie Els - "The Big Easy" currently leads in FedEx points. Overall he has had a good year, can he continue and win the FedExCup?
- Steve Stricker - Always a solid player, currently second in FedEx points. Has one of the simplest swings on tour. Good stats should be in the running.
- Jim Furyk - Third in FedEx points. Unfortunately, just disqualified because he overslept for the start of today's pro-am.
- Phil Mickelson - Currently fourth in FedEx points. "Lefty" needs to regain the consistency he had to win the masters to win the Barclays.
- Tiger Woods - Currently 112 in the FedEx points standings. Divorce just finalized. Can he get his game back. Watch him tee off 7:10AM Thursday.
The Ridgewood Country Club course is a special tournament course designed from a collection of the finest 18 of its 27 holes to accommodate the modern-day golfer. The course will play to a par of 71, stretching to 7,319 yards, forming a new Tillinghast course some 66 years after the classic designer’s death. The layout which puts a premium on ball striking will be a test of patience for the worlds best. To quote the great Jack Nicklaus—Youve got to play this golf course the way it dictates.
All eyes will be on Tiger. Unfortunately, if you want to watch him live on Thursday you will have to view him online at pgatour.com, TV coverage does not start until 3:00PM.