‘Mad Scientist’ owns winning formula for FedEx Cup

NORTON, MASS. Bryson DeChambeau has found the right formula for the richest part of the PGA Tour season.

Coming off a four-shot victory last week in New Jersey, the 24-year-old physics major known as the “Mad Scientist” pulled away with three straight birdies to close out the front nine and cruised the rest of the way to the Dell Technologies Championship on Monday.

DeChambeau closed with a 4-under 67 for a two-shot victory on the TPC Boston, becoming only the second player in the 12 years of the lucrative FedEx Cup to win the opening two playoff events.

Vijay Singh did it in 2008 before the points system was changed to create more volatility. Singh effectively had the US$10-million prize wrapped up before the finale.

DeChambeau, with his third victory this year, was assured of being the No. 1 seed at the Tour Championship, no matter what happens next week at the third playoff event, which takes place just outside Philadelphia.

He appears to be a shoo-in to be one of U.S. captain Jim Furyk’s three Ryder Cup picks on Tuesday. The idea is to find the hottest player to fill out the team, and no one has been close to DeChambeau over the last two weeks.

DeChambeau, who started the year at No. 99 in the world, moved past Rory McIlroy to No. 7. He finished at 16-under 268 and made $1.62 million for the second straight week. Justin Rose birdied three of his last four holes for a 68 and wound up alone in second.

For a potential Ryder Cup pick, Furyk will make his fourth selection after the BMW Championship. The likely choices would seem to be DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods; they finished Nos. 9, 10 and 11 when qualifying ended for eight automatic berths after the PGA Championship.