2014 BMW Championship: Preview And TV Schedule

By Les Bailey | Sep 2, 2014

Sep 16, 2013; Lake Forest, IL, USA; Zach Johnson holds the BMW Championships winners trophy after the final round of the BMW Championship at Conway Farms Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a short week as The BMW Championship gets underway on Thursday morning at the historic Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver, Colo. and will host the top 70 players in FedEx Cup points standings after the Deutsche Bank Championship. The exciting Monday finish at TPC Boston yielded yet another leader with only one event left until the Tour Championship next week.

It was a big win for 29 year-old Chris Kirk at TPC Boston on Monday, and was even more special, considering he played the last 36 holes with the number one player in the world. The former Georgia Bull Dog played side by side with Rory McIlroy, and beat him head-up. Unfortunately, his only bogey of the day coming at the 18th hole, may have cost him a nod from Tom Watson tonight for the last Ryder Cup position.

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The big movers coming into Denver this week have to be Geoff Ogilvy, and Billy Horschel. They both had problems at the 72nd hole, but Oglivy moves from the 100th position going into the Deutsche Bank all the way up to 24th, and the former Florida Gator moved from 82nd position to 20th.

Both have enough points to make the Tour Championship next week if they can just hold serve in Denver.

It was the shot heard around the world in 1960 when Arnold Palmer launched a seven-shot comeback in the final round of the US Open by driving the green on the first hole at Cherry Hills. It remains one of Arnie’s best wins in his great career.

The 7466 yard par 71 layout at Cherry Hills Country Club was designed in 1922 by William Flynn, and has hosted many top events in it;s long, illustrious history. Andy North won the US Open here in 1978, and Hubert Green won his only Wanamaker trophy in the 1985 PGA Championship.

The first US Open played at Cherry Hills was in 1938, and won by Ralph Guldahl. Phil Mickelson won the US Amateur Championship here in 1990.

The 70 remaining players in the FedEx Cup playoff will not have to face a cut this week, but as it stands, only the top thirty will move on to Atlanta next week. Jerry Kelly picked up the 70th, and final berth this week on the power of an eagle at the 18th hole on Monday, but will need to kick up his game a notch if he wants to move on.

The winner at the BMW will get the final 2500 point winners points before the points are reset for the finale’ next week. After a 346 yard drive, and a birdie on 18, Rory McIlroy retains the second position this week. The top five, after the points are reset will win the FedEx Cup Championship with a win at East Lake.

With a bunch of new faces around the top of the standings, this playoff can only get better as we are now half way to defining a champion for 2014. What a better place than a grand old course out West to provide the setting.

If you think Rory McIlroy has driven the ball well all year, wait until he gets on a tee at the mile-high course near Denver. They will be calling it the launching pad by the time this week is over.

• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 4-8 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (NBC). Sunday, noon-2 p.m. (GC), 2-6 p.m. (NBC).

• RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 2-8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, noon-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).