Millions on offer, but few Aussies

JASON Day says it’s irrelevant that Australia has its smallest ever contingent in the US PGA Tour playoffs because all are capable of taking out the $US10 million FedExCup prize.

The quartet of Day, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith is the fewest for Australia since the fourevent playoffs series was created in 2007. But, ranked sixth on the points standings, Day has again given himself a redhot chance at becoming the first Australian to claim the FedEx Cup crown.

Former world No. 1 Day tees off at this week’s Northern Trust at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey, buoyed by an astonishingly consistent record at the playoffs opener.

The Queenslander won the 2015 event at nearby Plainfield Country Club and his 10 appearances have yielded five top-six finishes and nine top-25s. With two US tour victories this year, Day is confident of launching another post-season challenge.

“I guess I have always ar- rived at this event knowing you need to get off to a good start and you have to focus because it’s 125 of the best players on the PGA Tour,” Day said.

Day is already all but assured of advancing to the playoffs finale — the 30-man Tour Championship in Atlanta, Georgia. If he can move into the top five seeds for the finale, he can guarantee the FedEx title if he wins at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club.

“It’s crucial to play well this week and propel myself into the top five and then I control my own destiny,” Day said.

He was unperturbed by the small number of countrymen who also qualified for the postseason.

“Four Australians, I don’t think there is anything to it,” he said. “It’s a cyclic thing and this year you have four great players so it’s quality over quantity I guess.”

Next best of the Australians on the FedEx standings at 22nd is Marc Leishman, who has been paired with two-time FedEx Cup champion Tiger Woods for the first two rounds.

Scott sits 73rd on the FedEx standings.