WITH the Major season and the Olympics now behind us, the focus of the golfing world turns to qualification matters.
In Europe, that means the lesser lights trying to get into the top 110 on the money list to retain their cards, or the top 60 to be in the field for the DP World Tour Championship come November.
In America, it’s all about jostling for postion for the FedEx Cup play-offs, which start with The Barclays in New York next week.
On both sides of the Atlantic, meanwhile, many of the elite players will be concentrating on securing their places for the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine at the end of next month.
That’s why Lee Westwood is teeing it up in the D&D Real Czech Masters near Prague this week, where he will be joined by hopefuls Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick.
And it also why the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield County Club in North Carolina has a deeper field than is usually the case.
Patrick Reed, the 2013 champion, has hot-footed it from the Olympics to protect his position in the eighth and final automatic place in Davis Love’s US team.
He leads the betting this week, but the fact he is a 16/1 jolly suggests it really is wide open.
Brandt Snedeker and Rickie Fowler are just outside Love’s team at present and while they would be hopeful of wild cards, they’re doing their utmost to make the Ryder Cup on merit.
One man who is guaranteed to be at Hazeltine is Jim Furyk, who has been named as a vice-captain, but he is still keen to play and I have a feeling he could force Love’s hand with a strong showing this week.
The veteran comes in on the back of a closing 58 at the Travelers Championship, and his tail will be up for this.
Furyk has only played here once before, in 2011 when he was ninth, but the short course which puts a premium on accuracy and iron play is right up his street and I expect a good week from him, so get at the widely available 22/1.
Webb Simpson has little chance of a Ryder Cup spot, but he has been playing well of late, with a third at the Dean and DeLuca Invitational and a 13th at the USPGA the highlights.
The 2011 winner of the Wyndham, Simpson is a North Carolina native who relishes playing at home state, as shown by his top six finishes in each of the last two years.
He has to have an each-way chance at 25/1, while I also like the place claims of William McGirt, a 40/1 shot who won his first PGA Tour event at the Memorial in June and has recorded top 10s at the Bridgestone and the USPGA since.
He also has two top 15s from two Sedgefield outings.
HAVE A PUNT
Jim Furyk, Wyndham Championship, e/w, 22/1 (General)
Webb Simpson, Wyndham Championship, e/w, 25/1 (General)
William McGirt, Wyndham Championship, e/w, 40/1 (Bet365)
