The Barclays

Ridgewood Country Club @ Paramus, New Jersey
- Dates: Thursday, August 21 – Sunday, August 24
- FedEx Cup Points: 190,001
- 2008 Purse: $7,000,000 (Winning Share: $1,260,000)

TV Schedule
First Round – Thursday, August 21 – Golf Channel 2pm-6pm EST
Second Round - Friday, August 22 – Golf Channel 2pm-6pm EST
Third Round – Saturday, August 23 – CBS 3pm-6pm EST
Final Round – Sunday, August 24 – CBS 2pm-6pm EST

The Course

Ridgewood Country Club
Course Par Value: 71
Course Yardage: 7,304

One of the premier golf clubs in the land, Ridgewood offers links open to the public as well as rated as the club’s semi-private (members only) Championship course. However, the professionals this week will be playing an 18 hole composite of the East, Center, and West Courses. It was founded in 1890 and designed by A.W. Tillinghast, his vision of a course coming to reality in 1929. This venue has played host to several historic events, including the 2001 Senior PGA Championship (won by Tom Watson), the 1990 US Senior Open (won by Lee Trevino), the 1974 US Amateur (won by Jerry Pate), and the 1935 Ryder Cup (won by the US, 9-3).

The history of the tourney is not as long but is still steeped in tradition. The Barclays was founded in 1967, as Jack Nicklaus won the first event that year. Other notable winners of the event include: Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Andy North, Lee Elder, Curtis Strange, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Hale Irwin, Lee Janzen, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington.

In 2007, Steve Stricker won his first PGA TOUR event since 2001 at the first event in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Stricker birdied four of the final five holes on Sunday to overtake K.J. Choi. Stricker vaulted to the top spot in the FedExCup points standings with the victory, ultimately finishing second to Tiger Woods in the FedExCup. The victory came in his 148th start since his last victory at the 2001 World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship.

Holes to Watch

Hole 5 (Par 4, 291 yds): Commonly known among the Tour constituents as the “Five and Dime,” this 291-yard par 4 has become one of Ridgewood’s signature holes, called the “five and dime” because veteran duffers would hit a 5-iron off the tee followed by a 10-iron up to the narrow plateau green surrounded by six dangerous bunkers. Players want to avoid sand on the left side of the green where hopes of par go to die. The green is one of the more difficult reads on the course. This hole claims a place on Golf Digest’s “Top 500 Best Holes in the World” and holds a place among the Sports Illustrated “Top 18 Tillinghast Holes.” The Met Golfer also rates it in their “Dream 18.”

Hole 8 (Par 3, 217 yds): The green on this elongated par 3 is one of the more challenging dance floors on the Tour. The surface runs away from the approach and is lined with deep and treacherous sand along the back side. Hit the beach and getting up and down may prove the most cumbersome challenge on the course this week.

Hole 13 (Par 5, 626 yds): As the Tour explains on their course tour, many of Tillinghast’s more popular designs contain a par 5 resembling Pine Valley’s 7th, renowned for the the second shot that must carry “Hell’s Half Acre,” a vast expanse of sand. Both this hole and #3 include this trademark. However, instead of sand, these holes feature a series of heavy-rough covered mounds that span the fairway mid-hole. Not only is this hole well over 600 yards long, the green is deceptively fast, well-protected, and tucked into a narrow corner of the course.

Hole 17 (Par 5, 594 yds): The drive is as tough as you will find on any course at Ridgeway with a fairway making a sharp left, forcing players to cut the dogleg (at least a little) to avoid damaging rough and trees to the right. A strong second shot is required to avoid the cross bunker on the left side of the fairway, leading to a horrific (in terms of golf) gigantic tulip tree that towers over the corner on the right side of the fairway. It requires power and accuracy to reach the small green and carry past the false front. As the final par 5, the temptation to make that final surge will prove deadly for those that overshoot one of the more challenging greens on the links.

2007 Review

PLACE PLAYER FINAL
1 Steve Stricker -16 (268)
2 K.J. Choi -14 (270)
3 Rory Sabbatini -13 (271)
T4 Mark Calcavecchia -12 (272)
T4 Geoff Ogilvy -12 (272)
T4 Ernie Els -12 (272)
T7 Phil Mickelson -11 (273)
T7 Rich Beem -11 (273)
T9 Robert Garrigus -10 (274)
T9 Ian Poulter -10 (274)
T9 Jerry Kelly -10 (274)
T12 Steve Flesch -9 (275)
T12 Woody Austin -9 (275)

2006 Review (@ Westchester Country Club)

PLACE PLAYER FINAL
1 Vijay Singh -10 (274)
2 Adam Scott -8 (276)
T3 Brett Quigley -7 (277)
T3 Billy Andrade -7 (277)
T5 Fredrik Jacobson -6 (278)
T5 Tom Pernice, Jr. -6 (278)
T5 Jeff Sluman -6 (278)
T5 Luke Donald -6 (278)
T9 Mathew Goggin -5 (279)
T9 Ian Poulter -5 (279)
T9 Jason Bohn -5 (279)
12 Graeme McDowell -4 (280)

The Field

As the first of four tourneys serving as the structure of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, The Barclays will draw many of the world’s best to New Jersey for a battle of tremendous financial reward, granting the right for further financial rewards. The purse comes just a bit shy of a major, but the right to move forward and tackle such a tall challenge is the most alluring gift awarded to the winner (and those on the top of the leaderboard behind him).

This year’s field includes the bulk of top names you might consider for top-tier spots in your fantasy league: Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Kenny Perry, Sergio Garcia, Stewart Cink, Geoff Ogilvy, Anthony Kim, and Steve Stricker.

There are also some of the more promising names in the class of up-and-comers that will be on the links, including Boo Weekley, Andres Romero, Aaron Baddeley, Carl Pettersson, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Hunter Mahan, Sean O’Hair, Brandt Snedeker, and Ryuji Imada.

Of course, the veteran crowd will be well represented, including golfers like Rod Pampling, Scott Verplank, Woody Austin, Ben Curtis, Justin Leonard, Stephen Ames, Jim Furyk, Billy Mayfair, and fan favorite Rocco Mediate.

Noteworthy names that will not be in the mix include Brent Geiberger, Shigeki Maruyama, Arron Oberholser, Jose Coceres, Fred Funk, Rich Beem, John Daly (coming off his first made cut in some time), and, surprisingly, Lee Westwood (he’s decided to take a pass and go on vacation with his family).

Tags: Fantasy Golf