FedExCup Update: Watson hopes to delay vacation

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – Bubba Watson admits his mind hasn’t been fully focused on golf this year and he’s looking forward to shutting things down for the rest of 2017 once his FedExCup Playoffs end. After a solid 3-under 67 start at Glen Oaks Club leaves him sitting tied 6th at THE NORTHERN TRUST his vacation time could be delayed a little longer. The nine-time PGA TOUR winner and two-time Masters champion entered the FedExCup Playoffs ranked 113th, firmly facing elimination if he doesn’t perform this week. But he’s finally playing with some mental freedom and hopes to ride the wave a little longer. “All I know is where my mind was, where my focus was the first half of the year; it wasn’t in the right spot to play the best game of golf,â€� Watson said. “Now, I’m driven, I’m dedicated and I want to be back on top. I want to win tournaments, so this is the best way I know how to do it. “Hopefully when this is over, I’m in Atlanta and then I get to take a break after that. My thing is just play until they tell me I can’t play anymore. When I’m done with the Playoffs, no matter where that is, I’m taking at least four and a half months off. I won’t play until next year.â€� The top 100 in the FedExCup standings after this week advance to the Dell Technologies Championship with the top 70 after Boston advancing to the BMW Championship in Chicago. From there the top 30 make it to the TOUR Championship. Points in Playoff events are quadrupled. Watson currently projects to 62nd place. The Florida native plans to spend the bulk of his time off with his family as son Caleb begins school. “I’m going to be tee-ball coach. So looking forward to that, being home with the family and just have a blast,â€� Watson beamed. “My kid started kindergarten. My family’s not going to be able to travel as much anymore. So I just want time off. If I had to choose golf or family, I’m going family every day of the week.â€� TOP FIVE OUTLOOK: FedExCup leader Hideki Matsuyama looks set to lose his top dog status after an opening 4-over 74 left him tied for 102nd. Currently he’s trending towards a missed cut and a drop down to 4th. Dustin Johnson sits just one shot off the pace at Glen Oaks and as such projects to the top spot from his fourth position. Justin Thomas (68) currently projects to drop from No. 2 to No. 3 with Jordan Spieth (69) dropping back to 5th. Rickie Fowler started the week 5th but his round of 68 has him falling to 6th in the current projections. Tournament leader Russell Henley (64) is the man projected to surge into the top 5, all the way to No. 2. BUBBLE BOY: Heading to New York Seung-Yul Noh was the man on the bubble to advance at 100th in the FedExCup but the Korean is going to need something special to remain in the mix for TPC Boston. A 4-over 74 leaves him tied for 102nd this week and projected to 111th in the standings. The nerves now shift to Sanderson Farms champion Cody Gribble whose 78 has him projected to fall from 89th to 100th. MOVING IN, MOVING OUT: After one round, five players have put themselves in position to play their way into next week from outside the top 100. They are led by Bubba Watson who projects from 113th to 62nd after his 67. Martin Flores (118 to 63) and Harold Varner III (123 to 64) joined Watson with 67s to get the start they needed for salvation. Ryan Blaum’s 68 has him projected from 105th to 77th and Brian Gay’s 69 shows him moving from 106th to 94th. The players projected to be booted out at after one round are Branden Grace, Jason Kokrak, Byeong Hun An, Robert Garrigus and Seung-Yul Noh. OUT OF THEIR CONTROL: There will be 25 players officially eliminated from the Playoffs after THE NORTHERN TRUST but we already know one of them is Dominic Bozzelli who withdrew before the tournament. He started at 115th and projects to 119th. Four other players are not in the field this week leaving them at the mercy of others. Masters champion Sergio Garcia (rest) now projects to 30th, Brandt Snedeker (rib injury) projects to 73rd, Adam Scott (paternity leave) projects to 79th and Scott Piercy (shoulder injury) projects to 97th. Scott has welcomed his second child into the world in the last few days, a son named Byron. He will not play in Boston, effectively ensuring his elimination from the Playoffs. NOTABLE NUGGETS: Among those players projected to be eliminated at this stage are major winners Jimmy Walker and Geoff Ogilvy plus Team USA Presidents Cup Captain Steve Stricker. International Team hopeful Byeong Hun An hurt his chances after an opening 74 leaves him projected 105th. At 13th on the International Team standings An must make the cut on Friday or be out of chances to both make the team outright and to further impress Nick Price for a captain’s pick. The biggest potential FedExCup movers are so far Chris Kirk and Camillo Villegas who share third after rounds of 66. They project to move up 64 spots each from 97th and 98th to 33rd and 34th respectively. Harold Varner III (59 spots), Martin Flores (55 spots) and Bubba Watson (51 spots) also look good for a giant leap. Defending FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy had a tough day at the office with a 73 projecting him from 44th to 54th in the standings. Phil Mickelson’s round of 72 has him projected to drop from 51st to 61st. Jason Day’s 69 gives him a modest projected lift from 49th to 46th while Presidents Cup teammate Louis Oosthuizen is eyeing the top 30 after his first round 67 has him projected from 35th to 16th.

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