This Week in Golf -- September 1st through September 5th
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}PGA TOUR - DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP, TPC It's the second leg of the PGA Tour Playoffs for the FedExCup and the field has been whittled down to the top 100 on the points list.
After The Barclays last week was shortened due to Hurricane Irene, players should be well rested. Since the New Jersey-based Barclays was reduced to 54 holes, golfers had Sunday off and with Labor Day on Monday, the tour always takes advantage of the national holiday and goes Friday-Monday for this event.
The TPC Boston prepared for Irene and took several TV towers, signs and temporary structures down until the storm passed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dustin Johnson is your FedExCup Playoff Points leader thanks to his abbreviated, but still impressive victory at Plainfield Country Club. Matt Kuchar, the runner-up at The Barclays is second, followed by Nick Watney, Webb Simpson and world No. 1 Luke Donald.
The top 100 are in the field this week, although it's only 99. J.B. Holmes is out of action after brain surgery and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who skipped the first playoff event, is back in action.
Last year, it was an unlikely winner in the second playoff event.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Charley Hoffman fired a nine-under 62 on Monday and won by five shots. He missed the course record at the TPC Boston, but did post a tournament record 22-under 262.
It was his second PGA Tour victory and first since 2007.
Hoffman is back to defend his title and is 33rd on the points list.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}It's bubble time for several players as the top 70 advance to the BMW Championship in two weeks.
Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell, Geoff Ogilvy, Davis Love III, Stewart Cink and Ernie Els will all need a good Labor Day weekend if they are to advance.
Golf Channel has the first two rounds, then early coverage on Sunday and Monday. NBC will carry the end of the broadcast for Sunday and Monday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Next week is a break in the playoffs, but in two weeks, it's the BMW Championship for the top 70 on the points list. Johnson won that title last year.
EUROPEAN TOUR
EUROPEAN MASTERS - Crans-sur-Sierre, Crans Montana, Switzerland - A strong field is on tap in Switzerland as many of the big stars on the European Tour head back to Europe.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Starting with the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, going through the PGA Championship, then with some down time coupled with PGA Tour Playoffs, the European Tour hasn't had big-time fields in recent weeks.
That changes, starting on Thursday.
Major champions Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke, world No. 2 Lee Westwood, world No. 5 Martin Kaymer and Colin Montgomerie headline the field this week at beautiful Crans-sur-Sierre.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Last year, Miguel Angel Jimenez nearly coughed up a six-shot lead to Edoardo Molinari on the back nine Sunday, but the Spaniard got his 18th European Tour victory.
Jimenez birdied the 17th to earn a three-shot win and his first in 22 appearances at the European Masters.
Matteo Manassero became the youngest player to make the cut in a European Tour event at last year's tournament and he took third at 16-under 268.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This event starts the European qualifying for the 2012 Ryder Cup team. Captain Jose Maria Olazabal will be on hand to see who gets a leg up on making the team that will head to Medinah.
Golf Channel has all four rounds.
Next week is the KLM Open in the Netherlands and Martin Kaymer will be back to defend his title.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NATIONWIDE TOUR
MYLAN CLASSIC - Southpointe Golf Club, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania - This is the second year of this event on the Nationwide Tour and for the second year, Pennsylvania's most famous golfer is the honorary chairman.
Arnold Palmer was born and raised in Latrobe, Pennsylvania and will once again be the honorary chairman for the Nationwide Tour's only stop in the Keystone state.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Palmer's grandson Sam Saunders is in the field this week.
History can be made at the Mylan Classic. If Kevin Kisner can successfully defend his title, he would become the first player in tour history to accomplish the feat.
Kisner shot a four-under 67 in the final round to capture his first Nationwide Tour win last year. He beat Geoffrey Sisk by a stroke when Sisk lost a one- shot lead on the 17th hole. Sisk landed in a bunker and took a double-bogey. When Sisk's long birdie putt at 18 stayed above ground, Kisner got the victory.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}J.J. Killeen can earn an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour if he can win this week. Killeen has two victories so far in 2011 and a third gets him the promotion to the big tour.
Golf Channel has all four rounds.
After a week off, the Nationwide Tour returns Sep. 15 for the Boise Open, which Hunter Haas won in 2010.