Aug. 31, 2009
By Mike Vitti, PGATOUR.COM
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mike Vitti is a stats guru who analyzes all kinds of data from our ShotLink numbers.
Vitti will size up the field each week and provide his top 10 players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc. MORE RANKINGS: Walmart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach | PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup
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| LISTEN: Brian Wacker discusses this week's rankings on the PGA TOUR Network. Click to listen |
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The second leg of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup continues this week with the Deutsche Bank Championship. Twenty five players were eliminated last week in New York, leaving only 100 players to continue at TPC Boston.
Players hoping to make the top 70 and move on to Chicago will have to take advantage of the opening and closing holes at TPC Boston and try to avoid making too many big numbers in the middle.
Last year, the first four and last four holes on the course saw 62 percent of all birdies and eagles that were recorded for the week, while the 10 holes in between were responsible for 68 percent of the above par scores.
So who should be moving up in the points standings after this week?
| Power Rankings: Deutsche Bank Championship |
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Tiger WOODS |
Woods has finished first or second in six of his last eight starts, including last week's T2. He is first in the FedExCup standings and is ranked in the top 25 in GIR, putts per GIR, driving distance, scrambling, and scoring average. |
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Ernie ELS |
Last week's T2 was his fourth top-10 in his last six starts. He was T3 in his only appearance at TPC Boston in 2008. Look for Els to close the deal if he gets into contention this week -- he's seventh in final-round scoring average. |
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Steve STRICKER |
The Playoffs have become Stricker's time to excel. His T2 last week was his fifth career top-10 in the Playoffs and eighth top-20 finish. He's earned top-15 finishes in the last three years at TPC Boston and ranks second on TOUR in scoring average. |
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Padraig HARRINGTON |
He did not have a great Playoff run last year, but started this year with a tie for second. It was also his third consecutive top-10 finish on the PGA TOUR. Over his last three events Harrington has converted 74 percent of his scrambling attempts. |
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Jim FURYK |
Furyk is ranked eighth in scoring average and 18th in the FedExCup standings, but is looking for his first win since 2007. He tied for seventh last year at TPC Boston and has finished in the top 15 in each of his last seven Playoffs starts. |
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Robert ALLENBY |
Allenby comes ranked in the top 20 in greens in regulation, total driving, and proximity to the hole from the fairway. Coming off his third consecutive top-25 finish, he is playing well and has finished in the top 20 in four of five career starts at TPC Boston. |
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Ian POULTER |
Poulter has posted top-20 finishes in his last three starts on the PGA TOUR. He has missed the cut in his two starts at the Deutsche Bank Championship, but enters ranked in the top 15 in scrambling, putts per round, and scoring average. |
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Steve MARINO |
Marino, who has finished in the top 15 the last two weeks, has been striking the ball well and ranks 18th in greens in regulation. He tied for tenth at TPC Boston in 2008, and eight of his 10 rounds on the course have been par or better. |
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Y.E. YANG |
Yang is making his first career start at TPC Boston, but he has notched a lot of "firsts" this season so this one should be easy. He posted his sixth consecutive top-25 finish last week in his first Playoffs start, and he's currently sixth in the FedExCup standings. |
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Heath SLOCUM |
Slocum jumped from almost the bottom to almost the top of the standings with last week's win. Now third in the FedExCup standings, he is definitely on his way to Atlanta. He ranks 12th in ball striking and is tied for seventh in proximity to the hole. |
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