FedEx Cup – Professional Golf Playoff Begins at the Barclays Tournament – Who Will Win this Year?

Friday, August 28th, 2009 at 7:49 am

The FedEx Cup got underway this week at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey, home of the Barclay Tournament. Coming into this 4 tournament playoff, Tiger Woods as a firm lead in the standings.

Everyone is watching this week to see how Tiger is going to do. He is the odds on favorite to win this year. It has been said by quite a few announcers that he appears to be focused on the FedEx Cup.

So who will walk away victorious this year? It’s really too early to tell, but there will be a great deal of focus on Tiger Woods.

The true winners of this playoff and all the tournaments that are played each year, in my opinion, are the communities and the charities that are involved. Each year millions of dollars are brought in to the community and to the charities by the PGA, their sponsors and the fans that attend. This is truly one of the great accomplishments of professional golf.

Golf, unlike most sports is about giving as much as it is receiving. When you go to a professional tournament as a spectator, the people you see that are working the tournament are volunteers. You have to applaud the individuals that give up a week of their time so that they tournament can be a success. My hat goes off to them.

This week while the FedEx Cup is being played you will see the media focusing on the tournament and the players. There will be endless discussions about Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and other notables, as it should be. They are the reason that people are watching.

I will take some time this week to focus on all the volunteers who have made this tournament possible.
One of the charities that benefits from this tournament is the Jersey City Community Food Bank.

Another charity that will benefit this week is the First Tee. The First Tee is the first initiative of the World Golf Foundation to create new facilities and access to golf with a special emphasis on kids who otherwise may not have an opportunity to experience the game. The true value of this program is based on golf’s unique ability to instill and nurture essential values, such as honesty, integrity, sportsmanship and a solid work ethic in young people who are introduced to the game.

Even in these hard economic times, Americans are stepping up and helping each other through events like this one. It says a lot about who we are and we are made of.

I am proud of the professional golfers who give of themselves freely, spending time after each round to stop and sign autographs, and talk with their fans. They sponsor one day events between tournaments, so they can give something back to their communities. They are truly an inspiration to us all. And, I am proud to be a golfer, and be a part of such a great tradition.

Take a moment the next time you are at a tournament to thank the volunteers for all that they do. I know they will appreciate it.

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