<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2OmG18_0nzV7hrF00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2OmG18_0nzV7hrF00" width="1200" height="891" > The second leg of the PGA Tour's 2023 FedEx Cup Playoffs kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 17 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. The top 50 players in the <a href="https://www.pgatour.com/fedexcup/official-standings.html" rel="nofollow"> FedEx Cup standings </a> make up the field this week for the <a href="https://ontapsportsnet.com/golf/bmw-championship-2023-odds-fedex-cup-pga-tour-olympia-fields-rahm-scheffler" rel="nofollow"> 2023 BMW Championship </a> , but only 30 players will head to East Lake next week for the Tour Championship. Here are some quick thoughts on the top 20 players in the 2023 FedEx Cup standings leading into the penultimate event of the season. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Jon Rahm (1st in FedEx Cup Standings) Rahm is the front-runner for the FedEx Cup and the PGA Tour's Player of the Year award. The two-time major champion returns to Olympia Fields as the defending champion. With course conditions expected to be treacherous again, there are plenty of reasons to like Rahm's chances this week. Scottie Scheffler (2) After 19 consecutive top-12 finishes, the World No. 1 hasn't cracked the top 20 in his last two outings. There have been signs that his elite ball-striking run could be over, and the putter has been ice-cold for months. But on a U.S. Open-style track like Olympia Fields, Scheffler's tee-to-green game will keep him in the mix. Rory McIlroy (3) After a sluggish start to 2023, McIlroy has rattled off eight straight top-10 finishes, highlighted by a win at the Genesis Scottish Open. McIlroy finished T12 at the 2020 BMW Championship, but I expect him to finish closer to the top this time. All parts of the game are rolling right now for Rory. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Lucas Glover (4) Glover is the <a href="https://ontapsportsnet.com/golf/lucas-glover-defeats-patrick-cantlay-st-jude-championship-fedex-cup-standings-pga-tour" rel="nofollow"> hottest golfer in the world right now </a> , and if you told me that two months ago, I would have rolled my eyes in response. The switch to the broomstick putter has done wonders for the 43-year-old veteran, and a high-end finish this week secures his spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, in my opinion. Don't be shocked to see Glover's name pop up again on the leaderboard this week, as his steady tee-to-green game will be an asset on this course. Patrick Cantlay (5) Two-time defending champion of the BMW Championship nearly won his fourth career PGA Tour Playoff event last week at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Two top-five finishes in his past four starts suggest Cantlay is starting to find his rhythm. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Max Homa (6) Homa didn't showcase much for most of the summer, but he's coming into Olympia Fields with three consecutive top-12 results. While it's great to see Homa playing well again, I don't have much confidence in his game at a major championship-style venue. Maybe one day. Viktor Hovland (7) Hovland finished T40 at the 2020 BMW Championship, but he's grown immensely over the last three years. The 25-year-old Norwegian has only one result outside the top 20 since the PGA Championship in May. I think Hovland makes a run for the trophy this week at Olympia Fields. Wyndham Clark (8) Clark has cooled off since winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, as he's failed to crack the top 20 in his past four outings. The upside is undeniable though, and Clark has already beaten the PGA Tour's best players twice this season. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Brian Harman (9) The Open Champion Golfer of the Year, Harman frequently plays a clean game from tee to green and has been putting the lights out lately. I don't expect him to take down Olympia Fields this week, but I didn't think he would win at Royal Liverpool. Tommy Fleetwood (10) Tommy had yet another close call last week but missed out on the playoff with Cantlay and Glover by one stroke. Classic. While the win continues to elude the Englishman, he's now finished inside the top 10 in five of his last six starts. Keegan Bradley (11) Keegan hasn't had his best stuff since winning the Travelers Championship in late June for his second victory of the season. The Ryder Cup continues to be on Bradley's mind, and he's aware that a high-end finish this week will help secure his spot. Picking up a third win will punch his ticket. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Rickie Fowler (12) Like Keegan, Rickie hasn't been great since winning the Rocket Mortgage Classic just over a month ago. The recent form from Fowler isn't ideal, but he's been sturdy on most of the difficult courses featured this summer. It's also worth noting Fowler has the 18-hole course record at Olympia Fields, as he fired a seven-under 63 at the 2007 Fighting Illini Invitational, which he won. Tony Finau (13) It's been a bumpy ride for Finau this summer, as a T7 at the 3M Open two weeks ago is his only top-10 finish since winning the Mexico Open in late April. The putter has been downright atrocious for far too long, and it's been a while since he contended against the best players on Tour. Taylor Moore (14) <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> Moore has put together a spectacular season, picking up his first PGA Tour win and playing into the BMW Championship with a solo fifth last week. When his game is right, Moore can hang with the big dogs. But Olympia Fields will be quite a challenge for him. Russell Henley (15) Henley has sneakily been dynamite for a few months now, as he's finished outside the top 20 in just three of 13 starts since the beginning of March. The recent form has been supreme, with a T2 at the Wyndham Championship, followed up by a T6 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week. The lack of distance with his driver could cause issues at Olympia Fields, but he'll be playing from the fairway more frequently than most players. Nick Taylor (16) Taylor's win at the RBC Canadian Open and two runner-up finishes have given him a chance at the $18 million grand prize given at the Tour Championship. But with inconsistencies off the tee and around the green recently, it's hard to project Taylor playing well at Olympia Fields. Si Woo Kim (17) Si Woo was riding the broomstick putter to success earlier in the summer, but it seems his luck has run out with the new flat stick. Kim has been spectacular from tee to green all season long though, and if he can piece together a tidy week with his short game, there is a world where he wins this event. Tom Kim (18) Despite reports of a serious ankle injury, the 21-year-old phenom has returned to peak form over the past month. Kim placed T6 at the Genesis Scottish Open and T2 at the Open Championship while overseas, and he was in the mix over the weekend in Memphis. However, on a long and punishing course this week, the lack of distance from the driver may prevent Kim from winning the tournament. Xander Schauffele (19) It's been a season to forget for Schauffele, as he remains winless for the campaign and has just one runner-up finish. There's no denying he's talented enough to win a PGA Tour Playoff event, but it doesn't feel like he's playing well enough leading into this week. Adam Schenk (20) The 'Boom or Bust King' himself, Schenk either finds himself in contention on the weekend or is already back home by Friday night. He's guaranteed four rounds this week at Olympia Fields, and with six top-10 results since the Valspar Championship in early March, it's not crazy to think Schenk can handle his own against the best on Tour. He's already gotten this far, and he finished T6 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week. 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Mountain View, CA

Only 50 players on the PGA Tour are still alive for the 2023 FedEx Cup Trophy.