Tuesday 23 August 2016 17:00, UK
The FedExCup playoffs get underway this week at The Barclays. Ben Coley looks at those likely to impress at Bethpage.
Jason Day defends his title in The Barclays, an event he won by six shots last year albeit at a very different golf course.
It's safe to say that if the Australian shoots 19-under at Bethpage, the score he managed at the altogether easier Plainfield Country Club, he'll definitely be winning and probably with even greater ease than was the case in 2015.
Without doubt, Bethpage Black is the toughest course currently rotating as host for this event, with only champion Nick Watney able to reach 10-under in 2012. It's a venue which has hosted two US Opens this century and birdies will surely be hard to come by once more.
That will suit Day perhaps more so than Rory McIlroy, who along with Dustin Johnson looks one of the key dangers if he can get off to a solid start and show some improvement for a likely switch in putter. But all three are short enough in an event which has thrown up some minor surprises in the past.
Victory for Bubba Watson can never really be called a surprise, but at towards 50/1 he's certainly not among the market leaders this week.
Chiefly, this is down to a low-key summer, but the highlight came last time out when he finished eighth in Rio and while that field lacked depth, representing his country will have given this patriotic son of a military man a real boost entering an important part of the season.
As things stand, Bubba isn't inside the automatic Ryder Cup qualification spots and he has one event left to take the decision out of Davis Love's hands, with so much competition for wildcard selections meaning he can take nothing for granted.
The Barclays, played on this extremely long golf course, presents a fine opportunity to do what Brandt Snedeker did last week and seal a place in the tean. Watson was 10th here in 2012 and also played well in the '09 US Open, when nowhere near the player he is now.
With form at other courses which tie in nicely with this one and his power a massive asset, Watson looks the best each-way value.
Billy Horschel would need to win here if he's to make a late bid for the Ryder Cup, something he missed out on in 2014 despite winning the FedEx Cup.
Clearly he has the pedigree in terms of landing these end-of-season events and last week's top-five finish in the Wyndham Championship suggests he's poised to strike.
All of Horschel's best efforts have come when he's teed up the previous week and he can ride the wave at a course which plays to his ball-striking strengths.
Another who hits the ball long and straight is Emiliano Grillo, who has been a factor in the biggest and best events all summer.
The Argentine is improving with each passing week, won twice at around this time last year and looks overpriced given how well he's playing.
Whether or not Keegan Bradley can hole enough putts to win remains to be seen, but he's certainly driving it as well as he ever has and that could carry him into contention.
The history of this golf course shows that putting well isn't particularly important - see Lucas Glover's US Open win and top-10s for the likes of Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen four years ago - and Bradley has more experience of the golf course than just about anyone in this field.
Finally, throw some loose change at Aaron Baddeley, a dynamite putter who won just a few weeks ago and has form on tough golf courses with small greens.
Over in Denmark, Martin Kaymer has the class to rubber-stamp a Ryder Cup wildcard place with victory at a course which should suit him.
This short, technical test in front of big crowds and with wind likely to play its part is right up the German's street, and he's been threatening to win just about every time he's teed it up in Europe this year.
Dangers are aplenty, but with Matt Fitzpatrick and Andy Sullivan entitled to take their eyes off the ball and Thomas Pieters having endured a hammer blow to his own Ryder Cup hopes on Sunday, the pick of the alternatives come from further down the betting.
Richie Ramsay will love this course, has plenty of solid recent form and knows how to win, so he gets the vote for the next best ahead of Anders Hansen, who played brilliantly after a slow start last week and is enjoying his second coming.
Daniel Im could be inspired by Paul Peterson's success in the Czech Republic and also deserves a mention along with the consistent Magnus A. Carlsson, who is a solid top-20 bet.
Watch The Barclays and the Made In Denmark throughout the week live on Sky Sports - your home of golf
