Top 30 golfers in the standings face off at East Lake in the Tour Championship.
Patrick Cantlay seems intent on hanging onto the title of FedEx Cup Playoff champion.
The defending winner of pro golf's premier postseason series hit a clutch shot down the stretch to propel himself to a one-shot victory Sunday over Scott Stallings at the BMW Championship. It was the penultimate PGA Tour playoff event. Cantlay finished with a 14-under, 270 total at Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Del. It's the second year in a row Cantlay won the BMW.
In doing so, he enters play for this week's Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta as the second seed at 8-under, two shots behind No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. The staggered start, which began in 2019, is based on FedEx Cup points earned after the first two postseason tournaments. East Lake, a par 70, spans more than 7,300 yards.
The field has been whittled from 70 to 29 after Will Zalatoris was forced to withdraw with a back injury for the finale. Following Scheffler and Cantlay at 6 under are Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns (5 under) and Cam Smith, Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau, Sepp Straka and Sungjae Im (4 under).
You can follow the action on TV starting Thursday (1-6 p.m., Golf Channel), Friday (1-6 p.m., GC), Saturday (1-2:30 p.m. GC; 2:30-7 p.m., NBC) and Sunday (noon-1:30 GC; 1:30- 6 p.m., NBC).Â
Our pick to win at the BMW, Finau, finished T-28. Top-5 choice Aaron Wise checked in at T-15. Top-10 selection Adam Scott (+450) was T-5.
In this week's FPBcast, Gerry Ahern and Mike Szvetitz talk Week 0 college football games and the end of NFL preseason
This week, FrontPageBets will handicap the tournament including starting strokes. An $18-million check is on the line for the triumphant player.
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings.)
The favorite: Scottie Scheffler (+260)
The Masters champion and four-time winner on Tour this season is coming off a T-3 at the BMW. He's been the best player in the world most of the year and, boosted by a two-shot edge, is in prime position to take home the gold. Â
Pick to win: Rory McIlroy (+1100)
If there's anyone more capable of coming from behind than McIlroy, I'm not familiar with them. Ranked fourth in the world, the vocal advocate of the Tour could write another chapter to his storied career in this bizarre season (see LIV Golf) here. He's won twice and been Top 10 nine times, most recently in Delaware. Â
Top 5: Jon Rahm (+210)
The sometimes enigmatic Spaniard was quietly T-8 in Wilmington. Ranked No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking, with a victory and eight Top 10s on the campaign, Rahm often rises to the moment. He begins the championship 11th at 3 under.
Top 10: Billy Horschel (+330)
Billy Ho, who starts 22nd at 1 under, won the FedExCup in 2014 and loves East Lake. He has shown he can climb. Just a year ago, he jumped 20 places to ninth in the Tour Championship. We like his chances of repeating the feat.
More notable Tour Championship odds to win:
Patrick Cantlay (+330)
Xander Schauffele (+600)
Tony Finau (+2200)
Sam Burns (+2200)
Justin Thomas (+2200)
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Gerry Ahern is senior content editor for FrontPageBets. A 35-year veteran sports editor and digital media executive, he has led coverage of the biggest events in sports, from Super Bowls, to Final Fours, to Olympics, to the Masters.
