A sprint to the finish

It's down to a one-tournament sprint with the emphasis on the sprint. A total of 72 holes await the PGA Tour's best in the season ending finale that has caught the public's imagination.

Fairways and flagsticks are the order of the week - not cool, calculated and pace yourself. East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia, isn't going to know what hit it as the Tour rolls into town once again.

That's what the FedExCup powers-that-be wanted, and it's exactly what they've got; a bunched-up, 30-player line-up waiting at the starting gate for The Tour Championship, a run for the FedExCup and, of course, the $10 million bonus.

Yes, this third version of the playoffs is, without question, the best to date. It's given us drama, surprises, excitement, heartbreak and even a few chills.

It's given us the best player in the world missing more putts than he usually misses in a year and making up for it on Saturday afternoon with a course-record 62.

It's given us another surprise in Heath Slocum, in a season of them and another young man from Down Under Marc Leishman, who is ready for the big time. It's given Steve Stricker, rapidly heading towards the nickname of 'Mr September', not only the second seed going in to the Championship, but also a quickfire rise to world number two.

Most of all, it's given every player who qualified for this four-tournament run a chance to make it to East Lake and win it all.

Yes, it's been a scramble - from New Jersey to Boston to Chicago and some familiar names have said goodbye, including the top four finishers in the 2008 standings (Vijay Singh, Camilo Villegas, Sergio Garcia and Anthony Kim).

Singh never made it to the BMW Championship, while the fashionable threesome of Camilo, Kim and Sergio - all of whom had opportunities for a return trip - said goodbye in Chicago.

So we are down to a final 30 - they have all had a week off; a week to catch up, take more than a few deep breaths, fix what's not working and polish up what is.

Everyone is still in with a chance, not only of winning the coveted Tour Championship title, but also the FedEx bonus pool. Tiger has the pole position after his magnificent win two weeks ago, and the new points reset ensures an advantage for the top five - Tiger, Stricker, Jim Furyk, Zach Johnson and Slocum. As it should be, if any one of those five wins the tournament, he wins the FedExCup; it doesn't matter how the other four finish. But if those five don't win, it's wide open for the other 25.

The third time is looking encouraging for the playoffs. It's given us new faces, drama and a real race on the horizon in Atlanta.

On the other side of the pond the Race to Dubai and the season ending Dubai World Championship is rapidly approaching and Europe's best are busy polishing their spikes ready for a charge to the finish.

It all makes for a fantastic climax to the season. Can anyone stop Tiger in Atlanta and the scramble for the play-offs? Who will cross the line first in the Race to Dubai?

Who needs the Ryder Cup when you have events like this to look forward to ...well, actually, the 'race to Celtic Manor' is the longest of them all and it is only just beginning. Bring it on! It'll be fun to watch.