5. Jon Rahm
The 23-year-old Spanish prodigy has not been as consistent in 2018 as most had hoped, but at the end of the regular season, he still has two wins on the year (one on the PGA Tour, one in Europe) and has ascended to No. 5 in the World Rankings.
Rahm looked fairly dialed-in with a T4 result at the PGA Championship that featured four rounds of 68 or better, a good sign that he might be coming back around. Despite it being just his first attempt at the FedExCup Playoffs in 2017, Rahm finished in the top 10 in each of the four events with a T3, T4, T5, and T7, respectively.
He is second on Tour in birdie average, and the more the conditions allow a shoot-out, the better his chances of leaving East Lake $10 million richer.
Odds: 20-1
World Rank: 5
FedExCup Rank: 13
Last Six: 4, 17, MC, 4, 5, MC
4. Tiger Woods
The 42-year-old legend is the only two-time winner if playoff history (2007, 2009) and will be playing postseason matches for the first time since 2013. He did not just barely make the field either, Tiger ended the year on a hot streak, with top 6 finishes in three of his last four starts, to land in the 20 spot, making him a lock for the first three rounds, and very likely will lead to a spot at the Tour Championship.
Coming off a frustrating series of back problems and complicated surgeries, Tiger has already exceeded expectations in 2018, but if we learned nothing from his runner-up finish two weeks ago at the PGA Championship, it is that he has plenty of winning left in him. Stock up on pizza rolls now: Tiger might be in contention against elite fields each of the next four weeks.
Odds: 14-1
World Rank: 26
FedExCup Rank: 20
Last Six: 2, 31, 6, 4, MC, 23
3. Brooks Koepka
After winning his second major of the 2018 season, and his third in his last six major starts, Brooks Koepka is the new world No. 2, but based on his play this season, he is second to none.
With his Bellerive triumph, Koepka almost definitely wrapped up his first PGA Tour Player of the Year award, barring someone like Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, or Bubba Watson summoning up the ghost of 2014 Postseason Billy Horschel.
Koepka could decide he wants even more, however, and it is dubious whether anyone could stop him. He lacks a tremendous history in the FedExCup playoffs, but right now, does that feel like it even matters?
Odds: 14-1
World Rank: 2
FedExCup Rank: 3
Last Six: 1, 5, MC, 39, 19, 1
2. Dustin Johnson
He is No. 1 in the World Rankings, No. 1 in the FedExCup Standings, and the defending champion of The Northern Trust. Those are just three of the myriad reasons to go all-in on Dustin Johnson in New Jersey this week.
If you need further convincing, he also leads the Tour in scoring average, birdie average, strokes gained: tee-to-green, and about a hundred other categories. He could probably use more major championships on his resume, but he cannot do anything about that right now.
A FedExCup Championship is one of the few mountains he has not yet conquered, and he is as safe a bet as anyone to contend down to the end at East Lake.
Odds: 9-1
World Rank: 1
FedExCup Rank: 1
Last Six: 27, 3, 1, MC, 3, 1
1. Justin Thomas
The reigning FedExCup Champion has somehow accomplished the feat of having three wins this season… and it still feeling like a mild disappointment. The April-August JT looked like just another player on Tour, but the 2017 PGA Tour Player of the Year is on another one of his heaters after winning the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, and finishing T6 at the PGA Championship.
Does he need another FedExCup for his legacy? No, but unless he is not actually human, the possibility of another $10 million payday will not have the world No. 3 simply going through the motions over the next four weeks.
The 25-year-old Thomas has made the playoffs each of the past three seasons, and a T16 in his first attempt was his WORST opening-round playoff result. Expect another great week, and another deep run for a man who might be the World No. 1 again before the ink on the giant check dries.
Odds: 12-1
World Rank: 3
FedExCup Rank: 2
Last Six: 6, 1, MC, 8, 56, 25
Next Five: Tyrrell Hatton, Hideki Matsuyama, Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Pat Perez
