Predictions: Deutsche Bank Championship

The second event of the 2010 FedEx Cup playoffs gets underway this week, as the Deutsche Bank Championship takes place at TPC Boston. The first tournament of the playoffs didn’t exactly give us a surprise, as one of the most consistent players on tour all year, Matt Kuchar, got the win and is currently in the lead in the standings. But will someone else move ahead of him this week. Let’s make some predictions!

Here are my five favorites for the week:

Dustin Johnson

Honestly, it just seems like this guy is due for a win. After all the turmoil at the PGA Championship, and the meltdown in the final round at Pebble Beach, something good has to be coming for Johnson. And after a strong showing last week, and another spot in the final pairing, this could be the perfect opportunity for him to get his second victory of the season. His play in the final round is always key for him, so it’ll be important for him to get off to a good start, and build some sort of a lead heading into the weekend.

Steve Stricker

Speaking of players that are on a hot streak as of late, Stricker is playing some of his best golf of the season right now. He was fantastic in the month of August, with two Top 10’s and a 18th place finish at Whistling Straits. Oh, and don’t forget that he won here last year, and looked extremely comfortable on this course. He seems to always play well towards the end of the year, and though he hasn’t gotten a win since the John Deere Classic in July, it may just be the perfect scenario for him to get another one here.

Paul Casey

It was sort of odd to hear European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie announce his captain’s picks…..and not hear Paul Casey’s name mentioned. Though he was battling injuries during the early part of the season, and hasn’t got a win on the PGA Tour this year, his stats for 2010 are still pretty incredible. He’s made 11 cuts, and when he’s made the cut, he has only finished outside the Top 25 once. So if he makes the cut, expect him to be in contention. I think there’s great potential for him this week, as he will probably be fired up and out to prove himself in Boston.

Matt Kuchar

Kuchar got his first win of 2010 last week, which seemed long overdue. After all, he’s been one of the best players on tour this season in terms of playing good golf week in and week out, and has ranked first on tour in ball-striking. This felt like a year where he could win several times, but maybe he’s still got a shot at that. When he plays well, he tends to keep playing well, so I think there’s a great chance for him to be right in the mix again this weekend.

Adam Scott

After a very down 2009, Scott has rebounded with a fine season, including a win at the Valero Texas Open in May. He’s finished in the Top 10 in two of his last three tournaments, and seems to really be gaining confidence with the putter right now. A lot of people counted him out last season, but with the type of comeback he’s had this year, it would be great to see him get another win and be in the mix in the chase for the FedEx Cup trophy.

And the winner is…..

This tournament looks like it will be pretty wide open, as the top two players in the world right now aren’t exactly playing consistent golf. Maybe I’m just hoping for the good story, and that’s why I’m leaning towards either Johnson or Casey this week. Honestly though, I think Casey will be a man on a mission here, and will pick up the win, and it might just be in a pretty convincing fashion.

Who is your pick for the week?

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