NORTON, Massachusetts |
NORTON, Massachusetts
(Reuters) - Tiger Woods, boosted by a strong display at the Barclays
tournament, has a good chance to qualify for the rest of the FedExCup
playoff series at the Deutsche Bank Championship starting on Friday.The American world number one, who announced his long-expected divorce from his Swedish wife Elin nine days ago, has yet to win this season but felt he was close to his best at Ridgewood Country Club last week.
"If I would have putted a little bit better in the middle two rounds, then I would have been right there," Woods told reporters after signing off with a four-under-par 67.
"I'm very pleased. I drove it pretty much on a string all week, and really controlled my irons. I certainly haven't won all year but this was a week that I was very close at."
Woods climbed from 112th in the FedExCup points list to 65th and must remain in the top 70 to qualify for the third event, next week's BMW Championship at Cog Hill outside Chicago.
The leading 30 then advance to the Tour Championship finale in Atlanta from September 23-26.
Woods needs to finish between 52nd and 57th at the TPC Boston this week to book his place in the next round of a series that pays the final points winner a $10 million bonus.
WINNING VENUES
"I'm looking forward to it," the 14-times major winner said. "The next three events, the next three venues, I've won on."
The way this year's FedExCup series is structured, players can make up a great deal of ground in just one event.
Britain's Martin Laird rocketed from 95th to third in the standings with a runner-up finish at Ridgewood while American Kevin Streelman climbed 84 spots to 18th after tying for third.
Some players on the PGA Tour feel such advances are too severe for someone who has not won a tournament the previous week but Streelman is simply taking full advantage.
"My goals have changed a little bit after last week," he said on Wednesday. "My big goal early in the year was to get to the BMW, being that I'm from Chicago and grew up going to take lessons at Cog Hill each weekend.
"So I know that course very, very well, and I'm going to have a great gallery out there. I want to make sure I continue to play well, stay in the top 30 and get to Atlanta."
Steve Stricker, who lies second in the FedExCup standings behind fellow American and Barclays champion Matt Kuchar, will be defending his title this week.
Stricker birdied the final two holes to win last year's Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC Boston by a shot from compatriots Scott Verplank and Jason Dufner.