Geoff Johnson
With the last major of the year out of the way, it’s time for the FedEx Cup race to get fully into swing. The Dell Technologies Championship (Aug. 30th-Sept. 4th) is the second round of the playoffs, where it hosts the top 100 points leaders at TPC Boston. The top 100 include all the best players on tour, so the start list reads a lot like a major. Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Jordan Spieth will all be there.
Defending champ Rory McIlroy might sit out this event and possibly for the rest of the season. He’s visibly struggling with a back injury and the lingering effects of a rib fracture, and seems to be talking himself into an extended break. If he does return, and come back healthy, he’ll be among the favorites to win, but that’s not very likely.
Two thousand fifteen champion Ricky Fowler is currently in the top 5 in FedEx cup points and has been playing well recently. He finished T5 at the PGA Championship and ninth at WGC-Bridgetsone, was a threat to win at the US Open, and finished second at Memorial. He’s got the game to win here, and might even be a contender for the FedEx Cup itself.
The winners of all this year’s majors are set to tee off at TPC Boston. Justin Thomas recovered from a string of missed cuts after the US Open to win the PGA Championship, US Open winner Brooks Koepka will be comfortably within the points ranking, as will Open champion Jordan Spieth and Masters winner Sergio Garcia. Of the four, Spieth’s game likely matches up best with the course, although Koepka won in similar conditions at Erin Hills. Here’s a fun fact for you: Koepka posted the lowest cumulative score among 2017 majors, a stat he padded by running away with the US Open.
TPC Boston is a very difficult course, boasting a 152 slope rating, some of the meanest rough and fescue this side of Erin Hills, and tricky layouts. That should reward accurate, consistent players like Spieth while neutering long drivers like Dustin Johnson. It also levels the playing field a little, as even one error can be truly disastrous in some places.
Odds to win:
- Dustin Johnson: 5/1
- Brooks Koepka: 7/1
- Jordan Spieth: 7/1
- Jon Rahm: 10/1
- Ricky Fowler: 12/1
- Rory McIlroy 24/1
Props:
- Odds a 2017 major winner wins the Dell Technologies Championship: 2/1
- Odds Rory McIlroy plays: 1/1
