Welcome to the new-look FedExCup Playoffs. With three tournaments instead of four, the rush to keep advancing should be Fast and Furious (speaking of which, check out the PGA TOUR’s tie-in with the just-released Hobbs & Shaw movie). Liberty National is the venue for this week’s THE NORTHERN TRUST, which means the Statue of Liberty will get plenty of air time … but probably not as much as Tiger Woods, the only two-time FedExCup champ. The Flyover The signature hole at Liberty National is the shortest on the course, the 150-yard par-3 14th. The views are what makes it so – the green is next to the water, and the Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty seem just an arm’s length away. As for the hole itself? It played to a stroke average of 2.949 and is the best bet for an ace this week (K.J. Choi and Greg Chalmers had aces in 2013). Landing Zone The 325-yard 16th is a drivable par 4; no surprise that it was the easiest par 4 here in 2013, playing to a stroke average of 3.810. Of the 390 tee shots struck that week, 155 attempted to drive the green, with 17 of those successful (Ryan Palmer made three attempts and was successful twice). The set-up was actually shorter on the weekend, with the hole playing to 289 yards in the third round and 299 in the final round. Wind coming in from the left and water on the right can pose issues. Here’s a look at where all tee shots landed in 2013. Weather Check Forecast by TOUR meteorologist Wade Stettner: “There is a slight risk for an isolated shower or thunderstorm on Thursday, then expect dry conditions from Friday through Sunday as high pressure settles across the area. Temperatures will be in the upper 80s on Wednesday and Thursday with slightly cooler temperatures expected this weekend.â€� For the latest weather news from Jersey City, New Jersey, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. Sound Check Last year, I said I was a man on a mission, and I’m still a man on a mission trying to make that team. By The Numbers: Special FedExCup edition 8 – Rookies in this year’s FedExCup Playoffs: Cameron Champ, Wyndham Clark, Sungjae Im, K.H. Lee, Adam Long, Collin Morikawa, Sepp Straka and Matthew Wolff. 9 – Players who have qualified for all 13 FedExCup Playoffs: Charley Hoffman, Charles Howell III, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Ryan Moore, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Brandt Snedeker and Bubba Watson. Of those nine players, only Mickelson has made it to the BMW Championship in each of the previous 12 seasons. 12 – Non-rookies qualifying for their first FedExCup Playoffs: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Sam Burns, Corey Conners, Dylan Frittelli, Talor Gooch, Max Homa, Nate Lashley, Denny McCarthy, Sebastian Munoz, Joaquin Niemann, Adam Schenk and Roger Sloan. Please note that Burns is not playing due to injury. Scattershots DEFENDING CHAMP: A year ago, Bryson DeChambeau won the first two FedExCup Playoffs events – THE NORTHERN TRUST at Ridgewood and the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston. He’s not defending on either course this time, with Liberty National as this week’s host and TPC Boston not hosting until next year’s Playoffs opener. DeChambeau said he was glad to see TPC Boston included in THE NORTHERN TRUST rotation. “To have us on the rotation for years to come is something that was necessary,â€� he said. “That golf course is amazing. Obviously I’m biased because I won it, but I do enjoy it.â€� TOP 70: The reduction to three Playoffs events starting this season has created the largest elimination in Playoffs history, with 55 players being eliminated this week as the field size is reduced from 125 to 70 for next week’s BMW Championship. Based on projections, roughly nine of the top 70 spots have yet to be solidified. That would be fairly consistent with previous Playoffs. Since 2009, 73 players have entered THE NORTHERN TRUST outside the top 70 and moved inside that number. But just 11 players have been outside the top 100 and played their way inside the top 70 … including the 2009 winner at Liberty National, Heath Slocum, who moved from 124 to 3. WELCOME BACK: Of the 125 players qualifying for the Playoffs this season, Michael Thompson had the longest absence between appearances. He last qualified in 2014, missed the cut in the Playoffs opener and finished 117th in points. Meanwhile, Matt Every, Matt Jones and Carlos Ortiz are returning to the Playoffs for the first time since 2015, while Jim Furyk (the 2010 FedExCup champ), Cameron Tringale, Aaron Baddeley, Graeme McDowell and Peter Malnati are back for the first time since 2016.
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