Deutsche Bank features tourney within a tourney

Associated Press

norton, mass.

This was exactly what Rickie Fowler wanted to hear.

“I’d pick him,” a voice called out behind the ninth green Thursday at the TPC Boston, causing Fowler to look over his shoulder and smile.

Too bad this pronouncement came from the caddie for Justin Rose, and not Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, who now has the increasingly difficult decision of picking four players to fill out his American team.

The 99-man field in the Deutsche Bank Championship, which starts today, feels a lot smaller than that. This is the second event in the FedEx Cup playoffs as it moves closer to the Tour Championship and a shot at the $10 million bonus. But at least for the first few days, the chatter in a half-dozen players who face what amounts to the final audition before Love announces his picks Tuesday in New York.

Fowler is one of those players trying to make an impression. So is Hunter Mahan, who played two groups behind him in the pro-am. And right behind Mahan was Nick Watney, who wasn’t even part of the Ryder Cup equation until he won The Barclays on Sunday. That made him No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings, which made him happy. And it made Watney part of the Ryder Cup conversation, which made him ... well, he’s not sure what to think.

Watney was such a long shot to make the Ryder Cup team a week ago that he hasn’t been measured for a team uniform, and when Love hosted an informal dinner at the PGA Championship three weeks ago for potential Ryder Cup players, Watney didn’t even get invited.

“For all I know, I’m not even in the conversation,” Watney said. “I’m really not sure. All I can do is go and try to play my best. I know that’s watered down and cliche, but it’s really true. I’m not really shooting for any number or, ‘If I finish in the top 10 I’ll make it’ because I’m just not sure. I guess I’ll just to continue my momentum.

“And if I get that call, I could probably walk to Indy just as fast as fly because I’ll be super, super excited.”

Indianapolis, where the BMW Championship will be played next week, is the third stop in the playoffs. Getting to Crooked Stick is the goal for some three dozen players at the TPC Boston, because only the top 70 move on.

Among those on the bubble are Vijay Singh (No. 59), Pat Perez (No. 65), Sean O’Hair (No. 74) and Jason Day (No. 88).

Tiger Woods, whose injury-filled season a year ago kept him out of the playoffs, returns to the Deutsche Bank Championship. He won on the TPC Boston in 2006, the year before the FedEx Cup began. Woods fell to No. 3 in the standings because of a dismal weekend at Bethpage, and because players are grouped by their FedEx Cup seeding, he will play the opening two rounds with Watney and Brandt Snedeker, another Ryder Cup possibility.