FedEx Cup Playoff Starts With Barclays; 144-Men Field Begins Race To No. 1

Paramus, NJ (AHN) - Practically anyone among its 144 players stands to have an equal chance of winning the FedEx Cup, which tweaked its format in the playoffs this year.

After the Wyndham Championships last week, Kenny Perry leads the entire field with 99,500 points heading to the final four playoff events for the FedEx Cup.

Starting with The Barclays, the first playoff tournament which starts Thursday, all 144 players begin play with the hope of advancing to the Deutsche Bank Championship next week. Only the top 120 points leaders get to participate in the Norton, MA, event.

This year, the PGA Tour awarded more playoff points to golfers who will compete successfully in the four playoff events-The Barclays, the Deutsche Bank, the BMW Championships and the Tour Championships.

Tiger Woods, who is currently sidelined by a knee injury, is the incumbent champion in the FedEx Cup and holds the most points at 100,000. Phil Mickelson follows Perry in third place at 99,250 points.

Padraig Harrington, the British Open and PGA Championship winner, is at fourth and Anthony Kim holds the fifth spot.

The bottom three slots are occupied by Jeff Overton, Glen Day and Lee Janzen.

Carl Pettersson, the winner at Wyndham, improved to 13th place in the points standings.

The Barclays, to be played at the Ridgewood Country Club here, offers 11,000 points for the winner, the same points to be given at the Deutsche and at the BMW. The Tour Championship will allot 12,500 points for the champion.