The final event of the most unusual PGA Tour season in recent memory tees off this week in Greensboro, North Carolina with the 81st edition of the Wyndham Championship.
Contested at historic Sedgefield Country Club, the field this week will include a handful of top-ranked stars but will primarily feature the Tour’s strong middle class – each jockeying to secure the best position possible heading into the three-leg, big money FedExCup Playoffs.
While there are many players to like this week, including six of the world’s top-20 ranked players, these are the 10 golfers we feel are the cream of the crop – at this moment in time.
10. Jordan Spieth
Wait. What? Yes. It’s true. Jordan Spieth makes the power rankings for the first time all season… Here’s why: Sedgefield’s sloped Bermuda greens would seem to be tailor made for Spieth. Sure, he ranks 203rd in fairways-hit, and 208th in greens-hit, but he’s 3rd in putting average, and 7th in one-putt percentage… In seven career rounds here he’s shot: 65, 66, 70, 65, 64, 67, 77… The now world No. 60 is winless on the PGA Tour since that magical weekend in the summer of 2017… He is so due.
Odds: 35-1
World Rank: 60
FedExCup Rank: 94
Last Six: 71, 30, 13, MC, 54
9. Shane Lowry
The still reigning Open Champion currently sits outside of the top 120, so he will need a big week in Greensboro to punch his ticket to Boston… Seems to have that creative and crafty game required for Sedgefield… Finished T7 here in one of his three career starts… Posted an impressive T6 in Memphis two weeks ago, but followed up with a T66 at the PGA.
Odds: 50-1
World Rank: 28
FedExCup Rank: 130
Last Five: 66, 6, MC, 39, 60
8. Brendon Todd
A two-time winner in 2020, Todd nearly added a third title in Memphis two weeks ago… He enters off three-straight top-25 finishes against the three best fields of the season (WGC-FedEx, Memorial, PGA)… Currently ranked 44th in the world, and ninth in the FedExCup standings, Todd is in the best form of his career.
Odds: 35-1
World Rank: 44
FedExCup Rank: 9th
Last Five: 17, 15, 22, 57, 11
7. Kevin Kisner
The 36-year old South Carolinian enters in good form, posting T19, T25, and solo 3rd in three of his last four starts… Posted a top 20 in the WGC-Mexico event as well, and two top-15s on the Hawaiian swing early in the year… Ranked No. 34 in the world, and 52nd in the FedExCup race, the popular veteran could crack the top 30 with a top-3 finish this week.
Odds: 29-1
World Rank: 34
FedExCup Rank: 52
Last Five: 19, 25, MC, 3, MC
6. Tommy Fleetwood
Finished T29 last week at TPC Harding Park. It was the Englishman’s third straight finish outside the top 25 since the COVID restart… On the season, he owns just a single top 10 (T3 Honda) in his nine starts. Amazingly, though – despite less than 10 starts, and not owning a single top 10, the 29-year old stands in 95th place and is guaranteed a spot in the postseason. Which begs the question: How bad of a season do you need to miss the playoffs?
Odds: 20-1
World Rank: 13
FedExCup Rank: 95
Last Six: 29, 35, MC, MC, 3
5. Paul Casey
Following a T2 at the PGA, the 40-year old Casey is back inside the world top 20 (No. 19), and back inside the top 60 in the FedExCup (No. 54)… Casey is a streaky player and prior to his strong showing in San Francisco, he had posted three straight poor showings including two missed-cuts, so he may be getting hot at the most opportune time… Ranked 3rd on the Tour in strokes gained: approach, and 10th in greens in regulation, Casey’s game would seem to be a good match for this classic Donald Ross layout.
Odds: 18-1
World Rank:19
FedExCup Rank: 54
Last Five: 2, 67, MC, MC, 32
4. Justin Rose
Last week in San Fran was just the second top-10 of the 2020 season for the Englishman, as its been a mixed bag since high-profile equipment and caddie switches… The 40-year old sits 103rd in the points standings and is desperate for a top-10 finish – at minimum.
Odds: 22-1
World Rank: 17
FedExCup Rank: 103
Last Five: 9, MC, MC, MC, 14
3. Patrick Reed
It’s been a solid under-the-radar year for the 2018 Masters champ, as he enters Greensboro off a top-15 at the PGA and T10 at the Memorial… A win in Mexico, earlier in the season, was his eighth career PGA Tour title – the first of which started here with a overtime victory in 2013… He ranks 9th in the world, and 6th in the FedExCup standings… The enigmatic star is one of the top betting favorites this week, and absolutely nobody would be surprised if on Sunday he was posing with his ninth career Tour trophy, and second Sam Snead Cup.
Odds: 17-1
World Rank: 9
FedExCup Rank: 6
Last Six: 13, 47, 10, 39, MC
2. Brooks Koepka
The big-game hunter was hit with a hard dose of reality on Sunday, as a final-round 74 sent the four-time major winner tumbling from the top of the leaderboard all the way out of the top 10, and even top 20, landing at a disappointing T29… Still the most dominating and accomplished big-league player of the last 3-4 seasons – in fact no one is even close, Koepka will need to bounce back with a good showing, at least points-wise, as he sits 92nd in the standings and could be in danger of getting bounced out after one tournament… The obvious question: Does he even care? As his focus would seem to be targeted towards the U.S. Open in mid September.
Odds: 12-1
World Rank: 7
FedExCup Rank: 92
Last Five: 29, 2, MC, 62, MC
1. Webb Simpson
North Carolina native enters as the betting favorite and field’s top-ranked name at world No. 6… Following a career redefining win at the PLAYERS in 2018, Simpson has continued to build on that breakthrough with two more wins in 2020… Ranks 4th in scoring on Tour, and sits 3rd in the FedExCup. Just seems destined to hoist a second Sam Snead Cup on Sunday evening.
Odds: 10-1
World Rank: 6
FedExCup Rank: 3
Last Five: 37, 12, MC, 8, 1
Sleeper: Pat Perez
The now 44-year old enters off two top-25s and is still one of the best green hitters on Tour (17th) – a valuable asset at an old style course like Sedgfield… Sits 74th in the FedExCup, so he’s safe but could always build on the points heading into Boston… A top 20 alongside two missed cuts in three career starts in Greensboro.
Odds: 110-1
World Rank: 152
FedExCup Rank: 74
Last Six: 18, 23, 39, 45, MC
Joel Cook contributed to this article.
