BMW Championship: A preview and best bets for the third leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs

We're down to the final 70 in the FedEx Cup play-offs and this week they're off to Cherry Hills Country Club.

This is the first time the Colorado course has been used for the BMW Championship although the venue is steeped in history. It was here in 1960 that the great Arnold Palmer came from seven back on the final day to win the 1960 US Open.

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Since then it's staged the 1978 US Open (won by Andy North) and the 1985 US PGA Championship (won by Hubert Green) while Jack Nicklaus captured the 1993 US Senior Open there.

Designed by William Flynn (whose other notable works include 2004 US Open venue Shinnecock Hills) and opened in 1922, it underwent a significant restoration by Tom Doak (a disciple of Pete Dye) in 2008.

The course

Cherry Hills measures in at 7,352 yards which is on the long side for a par 70 although the ball will fly given that its location is a mile above sea level. It has small greens. Phil Mickelson won the 1990 US Amateur there and said recently: "I have a picture of every hole painted in my mind from 24 years ago. I'm so excited to go back there." The left-hander needs a big week to progress to the final 30 who will battle it out for the $10m bonus fund in the Tour Championship in Georgia but reckons this week's test will suit him. "The altitude requires different shots. I think that there's some things that give me a bit of an advantage - past knowledge on how far shots fly, club selection and so forth. I'm looking forward to having a good week. I've always loved playing at that altitude." As a two-time winner of The International which was played in Denver, he has the history to back it up.

FedEx Cup standings

The top 10: 1) Chris Kirk, 2) Rory McIlroy, 3) Hunter Mahan, 4) Jimmy Walker, 5) Matt Kuchar, 6) Bubba Watson, 7) Jason Day, 8) Jim Furyk, 9) Jordan Spieth, 10) Rickie Fowler.

The top nine have already made it through to the finale while Fowler is virtually a lock too. However, some big names need to pull something big out this week.

Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Graeme McDowell and Charl Schwartzel all need a top four finish if they want to make the final 30 and contest the $10m jackpot.

R1 Tee-times (US unless stated)

Starting at hole 1
1120 Steven Bowditch (Aus), Ernie Els (Rsa), J.B. Holmes
1131 Stuart Appleby (Aus), Justin Rose (Eng), Keegan Bradley
1142 Webb Simpson, Billy Horschel, Kevin Na
1153 Russell Henley, Adam Scott (Aus), Martin Kaymer (Ger)
1204 Phil Mickelson, Chesson Hadley, Will MacKenzie
1215 Erik Compton, Freddie Jacobson (Swe), Jason Bohn
1226 Matthew Every, Kevin Streelman, Russell Knox (Sco)
1237 Kevin Stadler, Brian Harman, Ryan Moore
1248 Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed
1259 Matt Kuchar, Jimmy Walker, Bubba Watson
1310 William McGirt, Tim Clark (Rsa), Charl Schwartzel (Rsa)
1321 Morgan Hoffmann, Ben Crane, Jerry Kelly

Starting at hole 10
1120 Marc Leishman (Aus), George McNeill, Brian Stuard
1131 Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Gary Woodland, Harris English
1142 Jason Day (Aus), Jim Furyk, Jordan Spieth
1153 Chris Kirk,