FedExCup profiles: Running down Nos. 10-6 at the Tour Championship
The Tour Championship is here, and 30 players still have a shot (mathematically, anyway) at one of sports' richest single prizes. In the run-up to the tournament, we'll run down each of the players. For each player to win the FedExCup, multiple other players have to finish below certain levels; we didn't run down all those possibilities, just the most notable ones. We continue with one of the longest hitters on tour, and a South African who has a Claret Jug sitting in his trophy case.
10. Jason Dufner: For a guy who blew a golden opportunity at the PGA Championship to win his first major, Dufner had quite the bounce back season in 2012. With two wins in a three-week span (he almost made it three wins in four evers before running out of gas at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial) during the summer, Dufner went from relative unknown to one of the top names in the game. Aside from the two victories, he also had 13 top 25 finishes in 21 starts. A fifth of worse from Rory McIlroy, coupled with a win at the Tour Championship, would see him earn the biggest payday of his life ... and a sweet FedExCup trophy.
9. Zach Johnson: Another year, another solid showing for Mr. Johnson. Dating back to 2007, when Johnson won the Masters, he's had at least one win each season (with the exception of 2011) over the past five years. He's incredibly consistent, which is why it shouldn't come as a surprise to see him sitting ninth in the FedExCup standings going into the final event. Johnson picked up two wins at the Crowne Plaza Invitational and John Deere Classic to cap off another solid regular season. He'll need to win the Tour Championship and hope for a fourth or worse from Rory McIlroy. Johnson finished second at East Lake (back in 2007), so a win isn't out of the realm of possibility.
8. Lee Westwood: Welcome to East Lake, Lee Westwood. For the first time in his career, the Englishman will be teeing it up at the Tour Championship for the final event of the FedExCup playoffs. Unlike a number of names inside the top-10, Westwood doesn't have a win on the PGA Tour, and only made 14 starts this year. If you're wondering how he managed to get all the way to eighth, it's due in large part to seven top-10 finishes and a T-2 at the BMW Championship that saw him skyrocket up the standings. Westwood needs a win and a third or worse from McIlroy to win the FedExCup.
7. Dustin Johnson: Johnson is a big fan of the FedExCup playoffs. Over the last three years his worst finish was a 14th place showing in 2009, and the past two years he's finished inside the top 5 on both occasions. Johnson, who struggled with a back injury that kept him out of the Masters, won the FedEx St. Jude Classic and has three top-10 finishes in all three playoffs starts this year. A win and a third or worse from McIlroy and Tiger Woods would see him take home the $10 million winner's check.
6. Louis Oosthuizen: For his first FedExCup foray, Louis Ossthuizen is making the playoffs look like a walk in the park. After joining the tour on a full-time basis earlier this year, the South African made a big splash with a runner-up finish at the Masters, third-place showing at the Shell Houston Open, and a fourth at the Bridgestone Invitational. How good was Oosthuizen's 2012 PGA Tour season? He failed to record a victory, missed four cuts ... and he still has a shot to win $10 million. Seriously, how crazy is that? If he captures the Tour Championship title and McIlroy finishes third or worse, he'll take $10 million back to South Africa.
Next: We begin the top 5 countdown with the hottest putter in golf.
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