A preview and stats for The Barclays in New York - the opening leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs.
Watch all four days of the tournament live on Sky Sports
The Barclays tournament at Bethpage State Park kicks off the sixth year of the FedEx Cup play-off series. The four-tournament series concludes with the Tour Championship in Georgia, where the PGA Tour's No 1 player for 2012 will be crowned at the end of September. This year's Barclays is being played over the famed Black Course in New York State, a venue that hosted the US Opens of 2002 and 2009. This incredibly tough and long course was designed by AW Tillinghurst and opened in 1936. He also laid out Bethpage's Blue and Red courses which, similar to the Black, were opened during the mid-1930s. When the Black staged the US Open three years ago only five players broke 280 and just one competitor bettered this figure in 2002. So who's teeing-up on Thursday? Ernie Els: Psychologically rejuvenated by winning The Open, the South African still possesses the type of game required to thrive on tough layouts. Padraig Harrington: The Irishman tied for 8th at the 2002 US Open and has enjoyed a minor renaissance this season. Hunter Mahan: Tied for 6th at the 2009 US Open, the American has contested every FedEx Cup play-off event since the competition began five years ago. Rory McIlroy: Should be in a buoyant mood following his eight-stroke triumph at the recent PGA Championship. Brandt Snedeker: The 31-year-old could benefit from the fact that Bethpage State Park is a Major championship venue without a Major title riding on the outcome. He has been in good form this year. Steve Stricker: Seems to thrive during the play-off season. No one has contested more play-off rounds than the 45-year-old from Wisconsin. Tiger Woods: Will not want the season to fizzle out, despite failing to win a Major title during 2012. He still has plans to top the Money List and lift the FedEx Cup trophy towards the end of September. FEDEX CUP STATS LOWEST 20 STROKE AVERAGES for PLAY-OFF EVENTS Average (Rounds) 67.75: Tiger Woods (40)69.02: Sergio Garcia (55)
69.17: Jim Furyk (71)
69.19: Steve Stricker (77)
69.29: Camilo Villegas (66)
69.58: Phil Mickelson (72)
69.60: KJ Choi (58)
69.63: Luke Donald (57)
69.65: Matt Kuchar (55)
69.72: Padraig Harrington (47)
69.76: Justin Rose (51)
69.77: Zach Johnson (60)
69.82: Aaron Baddeley (50)
69.82: Jason Day (51)
69.87: Ernie Els (67)
69.88: Adam Scott (60)
69.89: Brandt Snedeker (63)
69.91: Geoff Ogilvy (68)
69.92: Hunter Mahan (77)
70.07: Tim Clark (54) (Min. No. of Rounds = 30) MOST STARTS in PLAY-OFF EVENTS 20: Hunter Mahan
20: Steve Stricker
19: Phil Mickelson
19: Geoff Ogilvy
18: Robert Allenby
18: Ernie Els
18: Jim Furyk
18: Camilo Villegas
18: Bubba Watson
17: KJ Choi
17: Stewart Cink
17: John Senden
17: Vijay Singh
17: Brandt Snedeker
17: Nick Watney (Max. = 20) MOST ROUNDS in PLAY-OFF EVENTS 77: Hunter Mahan
77: Steve Stricker
72: Phil Mickelson
71: Jim Furyk
68: Geoff Ogilvy
67: Robert Allenby
67: Ernie Els
66: Camilo Villegas
64: John Senden
64: Bubba Watson
63: Brandt Snedeker
63: Nick Watney
61: Charley Hoffman
60: Stewart Cink
60: Zach Johnson
60: Adam Scott (Max. = 79) MULTIPLE VICTORIES in PLAY-OFF EVENTS 3: Tiger Woods
2: Dustin Johnson
2: Phil Mickelson
2: Vijay Singh
2: Steve Stricker
2: Camilo Villegas MOST TOP-3 Finishes in PLAY-OFF EVENTS 6: Tiger Woods
5: Steve Stricker
4: Luke Donald
3: KJ Choi
3: Jim Furyk
3: Matt Kuchar
3: Phil Mickelson
3: Vijay Singh
3: Camilo Villegas MOST TOP-10 Finishes in PLAY-OFF EVENTS 10: Steve Stricker
10: Camilo Villegas
8: Jim Furyk
7: KJ Choi
7: Phil Mickelson
6: Luke Donald
6: Ernie Els
6: Sergio Garcia
6: Tiger Woods Lowest Play-Off Rounds 60: Zach Johnson (East Lake, 2007)
61: Mike Weir (TPC Boston, 2008)
61: Brandt Snedeker (Plainfield, 2011)
62: Nine times
63: 25 times Bethpage State Park (Black Course): Par 71; Yards 7,468 The following players posted Top-25 finishes in the US Opens of 2002 and 2009, when staged at Bethpage State Park: Sergio Garcia: 4th / T-10th
Phil Mickelson: 2nd / T-2nd
Steve Stricker: T-16th / T-23rd
Tiger Woods: Won / T-6th