FedExCup victory chances abound at East Lake

ATLANTA (Reuters) - One year after the FedExCup playoffs limped to an anti-climactic finish, the 2009 edition offers a plethora of winning scenarios at this week's Tour Championship.

Every player in the elite field of 30 at East Lake Golf Club has a chance of landing the prestigious FedExCup, along with the $10 million bonus, with victory Sunday in the PGA Tour's final playoff event.

Five of those players, however, hold their own destiny firmly in their hands.

World number one Tiger Woods and fellow Americans Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson and Heath Slocum occupy the top-five spots in the FedExCup points standings.

Should any of that quintet win the Tour Championship, FedExCup honors would automatically follow.

Twelve months ago it was a very different situation with Fijian Vijay Singh having all but secured the glittering trophy before the tournament's opening round.

Singh had won the first two of the four playoff events and simply needed to complete the final round at East Lake to lift the Cup and pocket the lucrative bonus.

"The whole thing is to be in the top five to give yourself a chance," Woods told reporters in the build-up to Thursday's first round.

"Now it's basically a sprint. It's one tournament, a sprint, assuming one of the top-five guys wins the tournament.

"But if it doesn't (happen) then what you've done in the playoffs previous to that will certainly help you to win the championship (FedExCup)."

SEVENTH VICTORY

Woods coasted to an eight-shot victory in the third playoff event, the BMW Championship outside Chicago two weeks ago, and will be bidding for his seventh victory of the year.

He certainly enjoys a high comfort factor at East Lake, having won the 2007 title here with a tournament record total of 23-under 257.

Johnson, who tied for second place behind Woods that year with compatriot Mark Calcavecchia, also relishes playing on the tree-lined par-70 layout.

"I've got good vibes here," the 2007 U.S. Masters champion said. "This course puts a premium on (hitting) fairways and also a premium on putting.

"Those are usually two of my strengths so I hope I can perform at a high level and get myself in contention."

Although Johnson is one of the five who would automatically clinch the FedExCup by winning the Tour Championship, he is reluctant to dwell on what might be possible.

"My outlook on this week is just to treat it as any other week," he said. "There's going to be those thoughts that enter my mind as the week goes on and I think that's natural.

"You've got to embrace them but yet you've also got to put them on the side and get down to business. I'm excited for the week and I'm ready to go."

Australian John Senden squeezed into this week's field at 30th in the points standings and consequently has the slimmest chance of clinching the Cup.

For Senden to accomplish the feat he would have to win the Tour Championship with Woods finishing 30th, Stricker no better than seventh, Furyk no better than fifth, Johnson no higher than fourth and Slocum and Padraig Harrington third or worse.

(Editing by Tony Jimenez)