2013 FedEx Cup: Deutsche Bank Preview and TV Schedule

Jun 13, 2013; Ardmore, PA, USA; Rory McIlroy walks up to the 4th green during the first round of the 113th U.S. Open golf tournament at Merion Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: JD Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

It’s hard to believe that it has been a year since Rory McIlroy rolled into Boston, hot off a his dominating PGA Championship win at Kiawah Island to take two of the four FedEx Cup events. McIlroy won both The Deutsche Bank, and The BMW Championship en route to winning the money title on both tours, and the Race to Dubai Championship. He just couldn’t beat Brandt Snedeker to win the The FedEx Cup.

2013 is a different story, and Rory McIlroy is still seeking his first win of the season. He comes to the Deutsce Bank in 36th place on the FedEx points list,  improved his 49th starting position at the Barclays, and appears to have his game back on-track to maybe make a move late in the season.

The 2013 Deutsche Bank Championship gets underway on Friday morning with the top 100 players in the world at the Arnold Palmer designed TPC Boston. The 7207 yard par 71 layout opened in 2002, but was remodeled five years later by Brad Faxon and Gil Hanse to give it a New England look and feel.

You will have to adjust your schedule for this tournament as it will start on Friday morning and ends on Monday. This takes advantage of the Labor Day weekend and gives us golf fans something to watch at the end of a long holiday weekend.

Tiger Woods is foregoing his normal appearance in the Notah Begay charity event on Wednesday to rest his ailing back, Woods was in obvious pain at the Barclays last week where he hung on for a second place finish. With Adam Scott only 168 points back in the FedEx standings, and Scott, along with Phil Mickelson nipping at his heels for the Player of The Year award, Tiger is keeping his eye on the prize as he rests up for the Friday start.

If he can make it through the Deutsche Bank, he will get a week off before the finale’ with the BMW, and The Coca Cola coming in consecutive weeks stating the 12th of September. Tiger will be replaced in the NBIII tournament by Gary Woodland.

If you enjoyed the playoff atmosphere at Liberty National last week, it’s only going to get better this week at TPC Boston. Only the top 70 players after the Deutsche Bank will move on to the BMW in two weeks.

There are some interesting early round pairing for Friday and Saturday. Tiger Woods, if he doesn’t withdraw will play with Adam Scott, and Phil Mickelson. They will go off the 10th tee at 8:40 AM on Friday, and during prime time Saturday off the first tee at 1:10 PM.

Matt Kuchar, who had a final round melt-down on Sunday will play with Brandt Snedeker and Justin Rose. Snedeker was having back problems as well at the Barclays, and missed the 36 hole cut. Justin Rose is the wild card pick at PGATour.com to win in Boston. That would put the US Open Champion dead in the center of the POY conversation.

I would keep my eye on Rory McIlroy this week. He is on the verge of breaking out of his slump. He hasn’t been able to sustain a run this year, but he obviously likes TPC Boston, and we have seen him miss a cut one week, and run away with a tournament the following week. I don’t think we have seen the last of him this year.

TELEVISION: Friday-Saturday, 3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Sunday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC). Monday, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (GC), 2-6 p.m. (NBC).