FedExCupDate: Rory McIlroy extends playoff lead with BMW win

The FedExCup is here, and throughout the playoffs we’ll be providing you with up-to-the-second updates of all the action! (OK, maybe not that fast. You don’t want us yelling in your ear.) Only 30 players remain after the BMW Championship. Here’s a look at who booked a ticket to Atlanta for the Tour Championship.

At the top: Rory McIlroy has a stranglehold on the FedExCup following his second straight playoff win. With 3,232 points separating him from Tiger Woods, it’s going to take an off week from McIlroy and a big week from someone else to usurp the 23-year-old. Tiger Woods moved from third to second with a T-4. Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson and Brandt Snedeker round out the top 5 going into the final event.

On the way up: Even though Lee Westwood came up a couple shots short, his T-2 finish was still good enough to see him skyrocket 15 spots in the FedExCup standings to eighth. Phil Mickelson also moved back into the playoff picture with a T-2 that now his him in fourth place (up five spots) heading to East Lake. Sergio Garcia and Steve Stricker went to 12th and 13th respectively (up three spots each) with T-24 and T-26 finishes at Crooked Stick.

On the decline: It feels wrong to pile on Hunter Mahan after his Ryder Cup snub, but he fell nine spots (the biggest drop of anyone inside the top 30) from 14th to 23rd following a DFL finish at the BMW Championship. Webb Simpson’s T-51 saw him drop six spots in the latest standings to 25th. Carl Pettersson also dropped six spots to 17th after a 69th-place finish.

On the bubble: We’ve reached the final event of the playoffs, which means if you aren’t already inside the top 30, you’re going to have to watch the Tour Championship from the sidelines.

Out the door: As you’d expect, some big names are going home after the FedExCup went from 70 players at the BMW Championship down to 30 for the Tour Championship. Bill Haas’ 78 on Sunday cost him the chance to possibly go back-to-back at the FedExCup/Tour Championship. Vijay Singh, Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington, Geoff Ogilvy, Kyle Stanley and Ryan Palmer are some of the other FedExCup casualties. Better luck next year, guys.

All right, your turn. Who’s your pick to take the championship at East Lake?

Devil Ball Golf – Golf – Yahoo! Sports