BMW Championship 2019: Power ranking the top ten at Medinah

Seventy players at this week’s BMW Championship FedEx Cup Playoff event are vying to become part of the 30 moving on to the Tour Championship.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs have a little more sense of urgency with the format changing from four events to three this year. We trimmed down from 125 players at last week’s Northern Trust to 70 here at the BMW Championship at Medinah Country Club.

The 1924 Tom Bendelow design/Rees Jones redesign is hosting the BMW Championship for the first time.

Its Course 3 is the most well-known at the 54-hole complex. It’s hosted three U.S. Opens (’45, ’79, ’90), two PGA Championships (’99, ’06) and one Ryder Cup (’12). Course 3 is a 7,657-yard par-72 treelined parkland style course. Most holes are relatively straight and the course should yield some birdies for those who can keep it in the fairway.

Early weather forecasts show temperatures getting up to the low 80s without precipitation.

Tiger Woods reached 18-under to win by five at the 2006 PGA. Eight players reached double digits under par that year, as well.

Players’ motivations vary at the end of a long season come Playoffs time. Those who are already exempt into all of next year’s majors and are confident in their world ranking may see these final two events as the end of a slog.

Others still see a lot of value in maxing out the end of the 2018-19 campaign. Take Abraham Ancer’s runner-up last week. That locks him into East Lake and sets him up beautifully for 2019-20.

Reaching the Tour Championship equals more guaranteed money, major championship exemptions, and on and on. It’s career-changing stuff.

Just something to keep in mind when setting a DFS lineup or looking for longer odds to win. Also worth noting: There is no 36-hole cut this week. Everyone who makes the start is in for the long haul.

Here’s who I’m rolling with this week in the Land of Lincoln.