Woods Needs Strong Two Weeks So He Can Take Annual Barclays Pass

Hey, we finally found a way to make the playoffs interesting! Jim McCabe reports on the possibility of Tiger only getting in one playoff event barring a resurgent game the next two weeks.

“Don’t think he can skip it,” the colleague said. “It might be the only playoff event he gets into.”

It was a funny observation, but the fact that it might also be true strikes at the heart of this matter. Woods enters this crucial two-week stretch – Bridgestone Invitational, followed by the PGA Championship – in scramble mode, desperate for solid performances just to make sure his 2010 season continues into September.

OK, so it’s difficult to picture the FedEx Cup playoffs without him. And, sure, some of us wouldn’t be surprised if he reeled of consecutive wins and vaulted near the top of the money list. But is it also possible that Woods will stumble each of the next two weeks and not be much of a story for the playoffs?

Presently, Woods sits 80th on the money list, 111th in the FedEx Cup standings and ninth on the Ryder Cup points list. If he were anyone else, he’d be an afterthought with such status. Instead, he’s on everyone’s mind, and that’s why he’s probably more interesting than ever.