10. Webb Simpson

Simpson was one of the few elite players at Sedgefield last week for the Wyndham Champion, an event that is basically in his backyard. At 12th in the FedExCup Standings and a spot locked up on the American Ryder Cup team, the blowout winner of THE PLAYERS had very little pressure on him in Greensboro.

Still, he played with a sense of urgency, exploding for a 8-under 62 on Sunday that put him in the mix late, eventually leading to a runner-up finish. There is lot to not like about Simpson’s game lately, especially his incredible short game. He will be in East Lake, and showing the ability to go low, he could easily control his Championship destiny when he gets there.

At 7th in the current standings, he just needs to rise up two more spots in the first three rounds.

Odds: 33-1
World Rank: 16
FedExCup Rank: 7
Last Six: 2, 19, 42, 12, 47, MC

9. Jason Day

Day has two wins in the 2018 season, but what sticks more in the front of our minds right now is that he faded on Sunday at both the PGA Championship and the WGC-Bridgestone, killing his chance of entering the playoffs with serious momentum.

Day’s short game is bar-none the best on Tour right now, but his irons have been inconsistent. Can he win a FedExCup Championship with that? He won this event at Plainfield in 2015, but what might be more relevant is that he was T3 the year prior, the last time The Northern Trust was at Ridgewood. He likes this course and plays well this time of year.

If his Sunday scoring average (73rd on Tour) was closer to his scoring averages in the first three rounds (42nd, 6th, 31st), he would have him much higher.

Odds: 14-1
World Rank: 10
FedExCup Rank: 6
Last Six: 19, 10, 17, 12, MC, 44

8. Jordan Spieth

If we were told back in February that Spieth would be 43rd in the FedExCup Standings at the end of the regular season, we would have assumed that he missed months of action due to injury.

Nope. Spieth’s health is really the only thing that has gone well in his shocking down year, but he has time to make something of the year if he can put something together in the playoffs similar to last year when he finished the quartet of events 2, 2, T7, T7. He won the FedExCup Playoffs in 2015, so he knows he is capable.

A T12 at the recent PGA Championship is a good omen, particularly with his second place finish in putting, the part of his game that has plagued him all season.

Odds: 20-1
World Rank: 8
FedExCup Rank: 43
Last Six: 12, 60, 9, 42, MC, MC

7. Francesco Molinari

One of the world’s best ball-strikers, an immaculate iron game has catalyzed a ridiculous stretch for Molinari, as his last eight starts worldwide have included three victories, including his breakthrough major at the Open Championship, two runner-ups, and a T6 at the PGA Championship.

The 35-year-old Italian has done amazingly little in his playoff career, but in his current form, reading too much into that history would probably be unwise. It does not appear that he can be intimidated right now.

Odds: 22-1
World Rank: 6
FedExCup Rank: 8
Last Six: 6, 39, 1, 2, 1, 25

6. Justin Rose

The now-No. 4 in the world Justin Rose came into last year’s FedExCup Playoffs struggling, but used the four weeks, where he posted finishes of T10, T10, 2, and T10 respectively, to kick-start a furious one-year stretch where he had four wins among 18 top-10s in just 24 events worldwide.

At second on Tour in scoring average, there does not seem to be a course where Rose is a poor fit. Finishing just T19 at the PGA after pulling out of the WGC-Bridgestone with back spasms is mildly concerning, but he seems to believe he is 100% again.

Odds: 16-1
World Rank: 4
FedExCup Rank: 4
Last Six: 19, 2, 9, 10, 6, 1

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