FedEx Cup: Who needs what

Heading into the Tour Championship, the 2014/15 PGA Tour finale, any of the 29 players in the field can win the FedEx Cup title, but who needs what to win?

The points have been reset as the Tour roadshow arrives at East Lake, so nobody can be ruled out of contention, but it's going to take something special for someone outside of the top ten to take the honours.

1. Jason Day

Just in case

Sitting at number one on the points list with 2,000 points, Day can finish as low as 29th and still have a mathematical chance of winning. A top five spot is likely to be enough. With four wins in his last six starts, it's hard to bet against Day.

2. Jordan Spieth

Just in case

Spieth will win the FedEx Cup if he wins the Tour Championship and can finish as low as in a tie for sixth and still have a mathematical chance of winning. After missing the cut at The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Classic, Spieth came home in a solid 13th at the BMW Championship.

3. Rickie Fowler

Just in case

Fowler will take home the FedEx Cup if he wins the Tour Championship and even a finish as low as tied fourth could be enough. After winning the Deutsche Bank title, Fowler heads to East Lake on the back of a tied for fourth last time out.

4. Henrik Stenson

Just in case

The Swede will win his second FedEx Cup if he wins the Tour Championship. Despite not having claimed a Tour title this season, he can finish as low as tied third and still have a mathematical chance of winning. Stenson finished in a tie for tenth at the BMW Championships after back-to-back runners up finishes at The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Classic.

5. Bubba Watson

Just in case

The two-time Masters champion will take the FedEx Cup if he wins the Tour Championship. It's pretty tight for Watson though, and he can only finish as low as tied second to still have a mathematical chance of taking the title. The world number five finished third at The Barclays and in a tie for 10th at the BMW Championship.

6. Zach Johnson

Just in case

The Open Championship winner needs to bag the Tour Championship title and hope that Day finishes in a tie for second or worse if he's to win the FedEx Cup. For a man who carded a 60 at East Lake in the third round of the 2007 Tour Championship, you never know what can happen.

7. Dustin Johnson

Just in case

It's been a year of so close yet so far for Johnson, and if he's to end that trend he's going to need to win the Tour Championship and for Day to finish in a three-way tie for 2nd or worse and for Spieth to come home in a tie for second or worse.

8. Charley Hoffman

Just in case

Hoffman must win at East Lake and see Day finish third or worse, Spieth finish in a tie for second or worse and Fowler to finish second or worse. It's starting to get a little complicated…

9. Daniel Berger

Just in case

The rookie has to bag the Tour Championship title and, well, have this happen:

Day must finish in a 3-way tie for third or worse
Spieth must finish third or worse
Fowler must finish in a tie for second or worse
Stenson must finish second or worse

10. Patrick Reed

Just in case

The list of permutations is even longer for world number 19 Reed who must win and…

Day must finish fifth or worse
Spieth must finish in a three-way tie for third or worse
Fowler must finish in a three-way tie for second or worse
Stenson must finish in a tie for second or worse
Watson must finish second or worse

The further down the points list a player is, the more things they need to go their way, and so their chances are smaller.

We said the top 10 had the best chance, and they do, but there is a guy sitting at 11th who probably should never be written off…

11. Rory McIlroy 

Just in case

The Ulsterman must of course triumph at the Tour Championship and hope that this happens:

Day must finish tied sixth or worse
Spieth must finish tied fourth or worse
Fowler must finish tied third or worse
Stenson must finish in a three-way tie for second or worse
Watson must finish tied second or worse

30. Harris English

Just in case

Harris English was the last man to sneak into the field, and the man ranked 30th on the points list he can still win. In order to claim the FedEx Cup, English must win the Tour Championship and…

Day finishes 29th or worse, (this would result in a tie, thus a sudden death play-off)
Spieth finishes in three-way tie for sixth or worse
Fowler finishes tied fourth or worse
Stenson finishes tied third or worse
Watson finishes in a three-way tie for second or worse
Zach Johnson finishes tied second or worse

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