The PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup tee off this week at THE BARCLAYS, the first of four playoff tournaments to determine the FedExCup champion.  The pressure is on as only the top 100 players in the standings after The Barclays advance to the Deutsche Bank Championship next week. CBS Sports broadcasts the third and final rounds of the star-powered tournament on Saturday, Aug. 27 (3:00-6:00 PM, ET) and Sunday, Aug. 28 (2:00-6:00 PM, ET), from Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J., live on the CBS Television Network. 

Jim Nantz, the two-time Emmy Award Winner for "Outstanding Sports Personality - Play-by-Play" and five-time National Sportscaster of the Year, and most recently Pro Football Hall of Fame Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award Winner, serves as anchor of CBS Sports' golf coverage. Sir Nick Faldo, winner of six major championships and more than 40 tournaments worldwide, serves as lead analyst. Ian Baker-Finch calls the action at the 17^th hole and Gary McCord at the 16^th hole.  David Feherty and Peter Kostis serve as on-course reporters.

 Nick Watney, No. 1 in the current FedExCup standings, is one of three players in the top five with multiple wins this year.  Watney has reached the TOUR Championship twice, finishing 12^th in the final FedEx Cup standings in 2010 and 2011.  Steve Stricker enters the PGA TOUR Playoffs at No. 2 in the standings for the third straight year. He is the only player to play in every round of the PGA TOUR Playoffs and has the most career Top-10 finishes in playoff events. Phil Mickelson enters the PGA TOUR Playoffs ranked No. 6 in the standings. He is the only player to start the Playoffs inside the top six in the standings in each year of the FedExCup. Defending champion Matt Kuchar returns to The Barclays after winning on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff last year.   Watney, Stricker, Mickelson and Kuchar take on the top players in the FedExCup standings including last week's Wyndham Championship winner Webb Simpson (No. 3), Luke Donald (No.4) and PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley (No. 5).      

The top 123 of 125 players from the PGA TOUR regular-season, based on FedExCup points,  play this week at The Barclays (Charl Schwartzel and J.B. Holmes will not be in the field).  Among the other players to compete in this week's Playoff are:   K.J. Choi, Bubba Watson, David Toms, Gary Woodland, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Brant Snedeker, Dustin Johnson, Hunter Mahan, Rory Sabbatini, D.A. Points, Rickie Fowler, Zach Johnson, Jhonattan Vegas, V.J. Singh, Ryan Palmer, Bo Van Pelt, Lucas Glover, Justin Rose, Kevin Na, Charley Hoffman, Sean O'Hair, Robert Allenby, Sergio Garcia, Jim Furyk and Jeff Overton.  (For the complete field go to PGA TOUR.COM)

The other tournaments hosting the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup are the Deutsche Bank Championship (narrowed to a field of 100 players), the BMW Championship (70 players) and the season-ending TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP presented by Coca-Cola (30 players). 

Lance Barrow is Coordinating Producer and Steve Milton is Director of CBS Sports' golf coverage.  Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

"OFF THE TEE" WITH PETER KOSTIS

Right now the favorites are still players like Nick Watney and Luke Donald, who have played well all year. Having said that, some of them aren't on great form coming in. You have to look at the players who have been hot lately like Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson.  I look for them to continue their hot play, especially Simpson who won last week on a Donald Ross course and is going to play another Donald Ross course at the Barclays.  These next few weeks are more about the guys who are out of the top 30 and having a chance to move into the top 30 and give themselves a chance to win at the TOUR Championship. Another way of looking at it is the guys at the top can separate and give themselves some margin for error going into the TOUR Championship. But, that hasn't been the case lately.  I look for someone to come out of the pack this weekend.  Anyone of the 123 players can win and put themselves into contention like Heath Slocum did at Liberty National in 2009. There may be a first-time winner again.  

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CBS Sports Contact:   Robin Brendle               212/975-1533              rlbrendle@cbs.com    

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