BMW Championship Preview: Can Spieth Bounce Back?

After a one-week respite, the PGA Tour is back in action this week and now there remains only two events left on the schedule. There remains a lot to be determined too, such as who will win the FedEx playoffs, who will win player of the year and who ends the season as the No. 1-ranked player in the world.

My interest lies in the player of the year race as up until six weeks ago it was a lock that Jordan Spieth would take the crown. He's still the heavy favorite, but if Jason Day wins the final two events of the season, then it makes things awfully interesting. As for who ends the season No. 1? That's never really interested me. Sure, it's cool when a guy who's worked his entire life to get to the top of the rankings finally gets there, but after he does, then I lose all interest. The fact that Spieth was No. 1, then he wasn't, then he was again is of little consequence as it holds no real-world value. That said, Jason Day's quest to be No. 1 likely will be a dependent on winning the FedEx playoffs and may help his cause to win Player of the Year. So in that sense, there is some correlation, I suppose.

Whatever the case, I'll always be more interested in what happens on the course as opposed to some ranking system that rarely decides much for those near the top. In case you are wondering, yes, this is my preemptive strike again all the fuss that the commentators are going to make about the world No. 1 this weekend.

This week: BMW Championship - Conway Farms Golf Club, Lake Forest, Ill.

Last Year: Billy Horschel shot a final-round 66 on his way to a two-stroke victory over Bubba Watson.

PLAYERS TO CONSIDER

Jason Day

His momentum has certainly slowed since his most recent win a few weeks back, but it hasn't died altogether. My worry about Day is his putting and his ability to keep up his torrid pace. When we last saw him, he wasn't making those long putts that were so crucial to his success the last two months. If he finds the putter again this week, he'll win, it's that simple.

Jordan Spieth

There's obviously something off about Spieth's game, but the week off may be all he needs to get back on track. His struggles lately are really inexplicable, but he's just too good to continue to falter. Spieth will get it together starting this week.

Henrik Stenson

It's the broken record portion of the preview, but as I said last time out, this is no time to get cute. Stenson nearly won two weeks ago and has shown a knack for playing well during the playoffs, so he should be considered alongside Spieth, Day and any other top-tier golfer this week.

Jim Furyk

Furyk has quietly had a very nice run the last couple months. In fact, in non-majors, he's finished no lower than T11 in his last four starts. It's hard to imagine Furyk topping a field this strong with all of his troubles closing the last few years, but top 5 is certainly not out of the picture.

Daniel Summerhays

With a field of only 70 golfers, it's tough to find someone who could be called a sleeper, but Summerhays fits the bill. Why even consider Summerhays against a field like this? Well, he's finished in the top-10 the last two events, both of which were against the same players.

PLAYERS TO AVOID

Billy Horschel

Things just aren't working out for Horschel this fall as they were last fall. Horschel made the cut two weeks ago, but faltered on the weekend and finished in 72nd place. He is the defending champ, but his win last year was on a different course.

Phil Mickelson

Mickelson is coming off of four consecutive rounds in the 70s at the Deutsche Bank Championship, but more than that, he just hasn't had that fire that we've been so accustomed to over the years. There just aren't any signs that Mickelson plans to end this season with a bang.

Paul Casey

When we last saw Casey, he was in the midst of withdrawing from the Deutsche Bank Championship with a back injury. I should just repeat the previous sentence again, because it's all I really need to build a case against Casey, but it might look like an error, so I'll do it this way.

Tony Finau

By any measure, Finau has had a fabulous rookie season, but it looks like he may be running out of gas. It's a long haul for most of the players on the PGA Tour, but for the rookies, who take every opportunity to play, it can be quite the grind. There's certainly no shame in fading down the stretch of a rookie campaign.

Jimmy Walker

While it's doubtful that Walker is running out of gas, there's certainly something going on with his game over the last month. Walker's last three starts have resulted in two missed cuts and a T69. Walker has played well during the FedEx playoffs in previous years, but this doesn't seem to be his year.

ONE AND DONE GOLFER

Last week: Charl Schwartzel (T6) - $174,825; Season - $5,408,347

This week: Daniel Summerhays - It's that time of the year. There just aren't that many names to choose from, so I might as well go with the hot hand. Hot as of two weeks ago anyway.

YAHOO PICKS

Points: 5,556
Rank: 4,687

This Week:

Group A: Henrik Stenson, Webb Simpson

Group B: Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson

Group C: Daniel Summerhays, Danny Lee

SURVIVOR PICK

Last week: Matt Kuchar (T9); Streak - 3

This week: NA