The PGA Tour returns to Paramus this week for the first time since 2014. And Tiger Woods returns to Jersey for the first time since 2013.
PARAMUS — The eyes of the golf world will turn to North Jersey this week, as the PGA Tour returns to Ridgewood Country Club for The Northern Trust.
The best golfers in the world, and most of the biggest names, will be playing in one of the lucrative events on the PGA Tour.
So what should you expect? Here are five big storylines to follow during The Northern Trust.
Expect the crowds to be out in full force to see Tiger Woods. And for good reason. First of all, he’s coming off impressive performances in each of the last two majors. Less than two weeks ago, at the PGA Championship, Woods shot a final-round 64, his lowest-ever final round in a major to finish in second — his best finish at a major in 10 years.
Woods has had some success the last few times he’s played in New Jersey. He finished tied tied for 12th at Ridgewood in 2010 (the only time he played in Paramus). And he finished tied for second at this event at Liberty National GC in Jersey City in 2009 and 2013 (the last time he played in New Jersey).
The 42-year-old is relevant as ever, as proven by the spike in television ratings and the massive crowds at the PGA Championship outside of St. Louis. And Woods has proven that he can once again be a force on the PGA Tour as he returns from four back surgeries, including a spinal fusion last week. All that’s left now is for him to win.
The Northern Trust is the first event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs. And there’s a lot at stake for just about everyone in the field.
So what are the playoffs? Throughout the PGA Tour season, players accumulate points. The regular season wrapped up last week, at the Wyndam Championship, and at that point only the top 125 players in the standings are eligible to compete in The Northern Trust, which is the first event of four in the playoffs.
Only the top 100 in the standings after The Northern Trust advance to the second event of the playoffs, the Deutschebank Championship. Only the top 70 players in the standings advance to the third event, the BMW Championship. And only the top 30 advance to the final event, the Tour Championship.
The winner of the FedEx Cup at the end of the playoffs gets a $10 million reward.
And so there’s a lot at stake all over the leaderboard this week .Those in contention on Sunday will have the chance to claim one of the biggest cash prizes in pro golf. The overall purse for the tournament is $9 million, with $1.62 million going to the winner. The guys near the bottom of the standings are fighting for the chance to advance and secure a career-changing payday. It should be interesting.
The Northern Trust will draw one of the strongest fields the PGA Tour sees all season. The top five players in the world will all be in action: Dustin Johnson (the defending champion at The Northern Trust), Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm. And of the top 30 players in the world, only four will not be playing in Paramus this weekend.
Rory McIlroy took the event off to get his game in order. Rickie Fowler is dealing with an abdominal injury and won’t play. Henrik Stenson withdrew from the tournament on Monday because of an elbow injury and Sergio Garcia finished outside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings, which made him ineligible for the tournament.
Players who withdraw are not replaced. So as of Monday afternoon, only 121 players are set to compete in The Northern Trust. But the field that remains is strong, and don't be surprised to see a big-name leaderboard on the weekend.
After two years on Long Island, the PGA Tour returns to New Jersey for the first time since 2015 when this event was hosted by Plainfield CC in Edison. This will be the fourth PGA Tour event to be hosted at Ridgewood. And the course, an A.W. Tillinghast gem opened in 1929, is a favorite on tour.
Vijay Singh won in 2008, defeating Sergio Garcia in a playoff at 8-under par. Singh, 55, now plays on the senior tour and did not qualify for this event. Matt Kuchar won in 2010, beating Martin Laird in a playoff at 12-under par. Kuchar is 64th in the standings to start the playoffs this year. Hunter Mahan won at 14-under par when the event was played at Ridgewood in 2014. Mahan did not qualify for the event this year.
Players made plenty of birdies at Ridgewood in 2010 and 2014, but expect scoring conditions to be tougher this year. The course has been punished by rain over the last couple of weeks, but it drains well and should play firm by the weekend. But all that rain has made the rough quite thick and tough, which could give the week a major championship feel when it comes to scoring.
So what is it going to take to win.