FedEx Cup Playoffs Preview: Breaking down the top ten contenders

“I’m OK to play these next four out of five weeks”, McIlroy told ESPN.

The 28-year-old, who chose to continue his bid for the overall FedEx Cup title despite a persistent rib injury, carded six bogeys and three birdies at Glen Oaks Club.

After a week off, they series resumes with the BMW Championship before the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings advance to the Tour Championship. He did so by earning a four-stroke win in the 2015 finale.

For Matsuyama, the best way to get beyond Quail Hollow is to play well in his four playoff events, and then help lead the worldwide team into the Presidents Cup.

Day is winless with just three top-10 finishes in 2017, but he has been improving in recent weeks. World Golf Championship and a major championship mentally is draining whether you are in contention or not.

“I only played the back nine so far”, Matsuyama said in a news conference Tuesday. He has cracked the top 5 in two of his last three events as well, so he is playing at a level capable of winning this week.

The long PGA TOUR season has finally drawn to a close. The 28-year-old Northern Irishman was 22nd at the PGA Championship and placed fourth at the British Open after missing the cut at the U.S. Open a month earlier.

The CJ Cup at Nine Bridges will be held October 19-22 on at Nine Bridges Resort in Jeju Island, South Korea, followed by the WGC-HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China, from October 26-29.

Playoff outlook: The two-time major victor may be heating up at the right moment to make a run up the standings. “You might not see me until next year”. I’m looking forward to it.

“If I can work hard, look after myself, practice the right way and have the right people around me there is no reason that I can’t have a more successful 10 years than the 10 I’ve just had”.

“His character, his infectious spirit and his dedication to growing the game were all traits that I have always aspired to emulate”.

“It’s certainly a good time to start firing”. Got confidence in it. The pair were outstanding tee-to-green, with Ollie’s putter seeing him better the field by three shots… if it weren’t for last year’s Open Champion Henrik Stenson. “We’ve formed a really good relationship”.

He was again unable to break through for a first major title. Matsuyama won WGC-Bridgestone Invitational 2017 in Akron and is the FedExCup points leader.

“I haven’t won a major yet”, said Matsuyama, who has won seven times around the world since last October.

“So for me, it’s wedge play and specifically from 100 yards to 150 yards, that’s something I really need to work on”, he said. Harman also has a second-place and third-place finish this season. We just didn’t know it.

Despite his ’17 scorecard, McIlroy said he begins the playoffs confident in his FedExCup chances, noting that he began last season’s playoff push ranked 36th on the season-long points list. “So I’m excited for that”, he said.