Steve Stricker primed to win more than $11m?
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Steve Stricker probably doesn’t need the money, but he is well placed to pick up more than $11m this weekend by winning the Tour Championship and consequently the FedEx Cup. Only those players in the top five in the standings have things totally in their own hands and at number six Stricker needs other players to falter in order to win the huge bonus.
The FedEx Cup point’s system is weighted heavily in favour of the winner of the Tour Championship. The sponsors and broadcasters want the FedEx Cup to go down to the wire and it would take something away from the whole concept if the destiny of the massive prize was decided ahead of the season finale for which only the top 30 players in the point’s table are eligible to play.
In the last three seasons the winner of the Tour Championship has also won the FedEx Cup. Some questioned the fairness of a contest that saw Rory McIlroy win two play-off events but lose out to Brandt Snedeker in the pursuit of the $10m bonus. However, if FedEx are putting up such a massive incentive they have every right to expect maximum coverage.
We make Stricker our headline selection and readers last week will know we highlighted two winners in Joost Luiten and Suzann Petersen. The double paid over 300/1 which means even if we don’t pick another winner this season we will be in front. You can follow the writer of this column, Ian Hudson, on Twitter at @RockIan62 and visit his website at www.ianhudsonsport.co.uk for more tips, betting news and strategies.
Stricker should feature at East Lakein Georgia on a course that is relatively short by modern standards and puts a premium on accuracy over distance. The American can still be competitive on short courses like East Lake as he showed by making the payout places in the BMW Championship last week.
The nature of the layout also brings Jim Furyk into the mix but there must be a chance of mental letdown after breaking 60 last week but again faltering at the business end of a big event. Stricker looks more reliable and has the temperament to maintain his form down the stretch if he has the chance to win more than $11m.
