Tiger Woods commits to Barclays at Bethpage Black
Defending US Open champion Tiger Woods watches his drive on the practice range in preparation for the U.S. Open Golf Championship at Bethpage State Park's Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y. (June 16, 2009) Credit: AP
Tiger Woods will play in the Barclays at Bethpage Black next week, having officially committed to the event Monday. He is likely to play in a group next Thursday and Friday with PGA Championship winner Rory McIlroy, who also is expected to commit, tournament officials said.
Woods recently praised the Black Course, on which he won the 2002 U.S. Open, and seemed to indicate he would be in the field for the first event of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs. But occasionally, he has skipped the tournament, so it was reassuring to organizers that he officially entered.
He and McIlroy rank 1 and 2 on the FedEx Cup points list, which determines groupings for the first two rounds of the Barclays. Unless someone passes one of them at the Wyndham Championship this weekend, they will play together next Thursday and Friday. Jason Dufner will fill out the threesome if standings remain intact.
The top 125 players on the FedEx list make the playoffs. Among those trying to play their way in this weekend are John Daly, coming off a tie for 18th at the PGA, and Chris DiMarco, a Long Island native.
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