The BMW Championship, that fancy shindig for the top 50 golfers who managed to keep their jobs this year, has kicked off at Bellerive. Here in St. Louis, Scottie Scheffler, who’s apparently got a trophy-collecting habit, is back as the reigning champ. I just hope his shelves aren't groaning under the weight.
Gary Woodland, who’s only snagged one win this season – a rather quiet little affair, you might think, considering the company – has clearly decided to crank things up a notch. He marched through Thursday like he was heading to jury duty, until the 18th, anyway. A single bogey, a tiny crack in his otherwise solid facade, popped up to spoil an otherwise perfect scorecard. Still, his jump in the FedEx Cup standings, from a respectable 31st to a much cozier 12th, means that a trip to Atlanta for the Tour Championship isn't just wishful thinking anymore; it's looking like a genuine possibility. For a former Jayhawk, playing this close to home – a mere three-and-a-half hours away, which in pro golf is practically next door – must feel like a real homecoming.
Woodland’s charge included a shot on the par-4 11th that was pure audacity, an eagle that seemed to laugh in the face of physics and common sense. That little beauty shot him to six under, giving him a fat three-stroke lead over the ever-present Justin Thomas. Four shots further back, you’ve got Aaron Rai and Akshay Bhatia, probably contemplating the sheer agony of being so close and yet so ridiculously far from the top. Woodland himself described the eagle as a "good number," which is about as understated as it gets, before admitting to the glorious racket a crowd makes when they can’t see the ball go in. I bet the celebration involved more quiet head-shaking than enthusiastic dancing.
Meanwhile, the usual suspects, Scheffler and McIlroy, are once again hogging the top two spots on the betting sheets. It’s all very predictable, which is great if you like your drama served lukewarm, but it does take a bit of the punch out of an event this big. The bookies, bless their numbers-crunching hearts, have Scheffler as the favorite, which is about as surprising as finding a sand trap on a golf course. Still, the battles for the slightly less glamorous positions offer some entertainment, especially for those who enjoy watching the wealthy slug it out on perfectly manicured grass.
The weather forecast, that fickle beast, is promising a sticky St. Louis affair, with clouds and sun doing their usual dance. It’ll be a mild 84 degrees, with only a 25 percent chance of rain – a true golfing unicorn, that. This tournament, the second leg of the FedEx Cup gauntlet, mercifully spares us the usual cut. All 50 players get to stick around, no doubt with the quiet dignity befitting their esteemed profession.