Peter Maine
The BMW Championship will be held on August 15–18 at the Medinah County Club in Medinah Illinois. It is the penultimate tournament of the 2019 FedEx Cup Playoffs, in which Tiger Woods is the defending champion. It will conclude the 2018–2019 PGA Tour season with the top 70 players on the tour’s season-long FedEx Cup points list will compete in the tournament.
At the conclusion of the tournament, only the top 30 will move onto the Tour Championship. Crucially, the BMW Championship winner will get at least a 2-stroke head start in the Tour Championship. The advantage highlights how the BMW Championship might just determine the FedEx Cup champ. So, who stands the best chance of topping this week’s tournament in Medinah? Here are four players to watch out for:
Brooks Koepka
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Koepka is the world’s number 1 golfer at the minute, and he will be the overwhelming favorite to win BMW Championship. He has been extremely consistent, having won a major in each of the past three years and he has raised his game to new heights this year. He won the PGA Championship for a second time in a row, and could have won a second Masters if it wasn’t for Tiger Woods. Koepka is playing well, and will look to close the season out in style.
Patrick Reed
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Reed is coming to Medinah on a winning note, having won the Northern Trust. His victory at the Liberty National Golf Club in New Jersey was his first since the 2018 Masters, and it could not have come at a better time. Reed was 50th in the FedEx Cup points list prior to the Northern Trust. But with the win, he moved up to 2nd, just behind Koepka. Perhaps more importantly, the Northern Trust win is sure to give Reed a much-needed confidence boost. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if he continues his fine play in Medinah.
Rory McIlroy
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McIlroy is a dark horse. The Northern Irishman finished 6th in the Northern Trust, yet was in contention for much of the tournament. But as The Independent reports, an erratic final round proved disastrous for McIlroy. Still, the former world number 1 is due for a breakthrough after years of heartbreak. bwin Golf’s Open Championship Preview noted how McIlroy’s last major victory was at the 2014 PGA Championship. It is a long time without a win, but McIlroy has the talent to break it. Reed broke a year-long drought last week and McIlroy might very well break his streak at the BWM Championship.
Xander Schauffele
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Like McIlroy, Schauffele is also a dark horse. But the young American might actually be playing better golf than the Northern Irishman. Schauffele finished tied for 2nd in this year’s Masters and tied for 3rd in the U.S. Open. All in all, Schauffele has finished in the top 5 in 4 of his first 9 majors. That is an impressive feat for the 2017 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Winning the BMW Championship will signal Schauffele’s arrival among golf’s elite.
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