This Week in Golf - September 2nd through September 5th

Golf Betting Lines

08/30/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP, TPC Boston, Norton, Massachusetts - Remember everyone, the second leg of the PGA Tour Playoffs starts on Friday to accommodate the American Labor Day holiday.

The new FedEx Cup points leader is Matt Kuchar, fresh off his victory at The Barclays on Sunday. Kuchar hit one of the best shots of the season in the playoff against Martin Laird. Kuchar's seven-iron from the rough, under a tree to two feet was as clutch a shot as you'll see.

That gave Kuchar his third PGA Tour victory and first since last year. He now stands atop the FedEx Cup points list, with three more playoff events to go in pursuit of that really large check.

Laird, who hit a darn good shot himself from the rough in the playoff, but nowhere near as good as Kuchar's, moved to third on the points list.

The man in second is the upcoming event's defending champion, Steve Stricker.

One year ago, Stricker birdied his final two holes on Monday to come from behind to win this title. He finished one stroke better than Scott Verplank and Jason Dufner and two better than Dustin Johnson, Angel Cabrera and Padraig Harrington.

Stricker ended up on top, but it was a mess through most of Monday. Eight different players owned at least a piece of the lead in the final round, but it came down to Stricker, Dufner and Verplank.

Dufner first got into the clubhouse at 16-under par, followed by Verplank, but Stricker was still on the course. Stricker drained a 15-foot birdie putt at the 17th and kicked in a two-foot birdie putt on the par-five closing hole to get the win.

Stricker continued his spectacular golf in the playoffs Sunday. He shot a five-under 66 on Sunday at The Barclays and shared third place with Kevin Streelman.

Last week's field included the top 125 on the FedEx Cup list, but that number was shrunk down to the top 100.

Tiger Woods was on the outside looking in last week. He was 112th, but his tie for 12th at The Barclays moved him to 65th. Woods won here in 2006, so maybe this is the week he breaks that winless streak of 2010.

This is the final week for Corey Pavin to make his decision on his four captain's picks for the American Ryder Cup team. Woods is certainly under consideration, as is Anthony Kim, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover. All are in the field this week.

Colin Montgomerie rounded out his team on Sunday with Edoardo Molinari, Padraig Harrington and Luke Donald. Harrington and Donald are in the field on Friday. So too are Paul Casey and Justin Rose, the two biggest names snubbed by Monty.

Golf Channel has the action on Friday and Saturday before NBC takes over on Sunday and Monday.

Next week is the third playoff event, the BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Ill. Woods hoisted the trophy last year en route to his second FedEx Cup in three years.

EUROPEAN TOUR

EUROPEAN MASTERS, Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland - The first event since the European Ryder Cup was finalized and exactly one member of Monty's team is in the field.

Miguel Angel Jimenez will tee it up in Switzerland, but no one else from the European team is heading to the mountains. In fact, more vice-captains are in the field than team members. Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn are in the field.

One of the other big names scheduled to play is Greg Norman. The two-time major winner hasn't played a competitive round anywhere in almost 12 months after shoulder surgery.

Louis Oosthuizen, the reigning British Open champion, has also committed to the field.

Alexander Noren took home the title last year when he shot a five-under 66 on Sunday. The victory was Noren's first on the European Tour, and his only one to date. Noren has one top 10 in 2010 and that came at the China Open.

Golf Channel has the telecast all four rounds.

Next week is the KLM Open in the Netherlands, which was won by Simon Dyson last year.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

FIRST TEE OPEN AT PEBBLE BEACH, Pebble Beach Golf Links & Del Monte Golf Club, Monterey, California - Jeff Sluman goes for a third consecutive win at this championship this week.

Sluman has one other Champions Tour victory besides the two at Pebble Beach, and he hasn't enjoyed the greatest season in tour history. He has five top 10s in 2010, but two of them came in his last two starts.

Sluman aced the fifth hole and shot a four-under 68. He was the only player under par in the final three groups on Sunday, as the winds hit the California coast.

The last six players on the course last year (Sluman, Mark McNulty, Tom Lehman, Bob Gilder, Loren Roberts and Mark O'Meara) combined to shoot 14-over par on Sunday.

Play rotates over the two courses for the first two rounds, then Pebble Beach hosts on Sunday. Golfers compete with junior players and amateurs, with the top 22 juniors and top 10 amateur teams advancing to the final round.

Sluman and the other players in the field might have a fighting chance this week. Bernhard Langer, who collected his fifth Champions Tour title of the year on Sunday at the Boeing Classic, is not in the field.

Those final six players on the course last year are all in the field this year, with the exception of McNulty.

Fred Couples is scheduled to be on hand to see if he can get back into the winner's circle. Couples hasn't won since the Cap Cana Championship in late March.

Golf Channel will carry all three rounds.

Next week is the Songdo Championship, which is a new event on the Champions Tour.

NATIONWIDE TOUR

MYLAN CLASSIC, Southpointe Golf Club, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania - There's a new event on the Nationwide Tour and it's situated the Pittsburgh suburbs.

Arnold Palmer was named the honorary chairman of the tournament. Palmer's grandson Sam Saunders is in the field.

With nine tournaments left on the schedule, players are jockeying for position to get into the top 25 on the money list. That's the magic number for a PGA Tour card in 2011.

Chris Kirk took the money list lead on Sunday with his second victory of the year at the Knoxville News Sentinel Open. He's not in the field this week, so maybe Jamie Lovemark can reclaim his spot on the top.

Golf Channel has all four rounds.

Next week is the Utah Championship, which was won last year by Josh Teater.