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Rickie Fowler needs another big week at the BMW Championship to reach the FedEx Cup playoffs’ final stop.
The PGA Tour’s equivalent of the conference championship is here, with the second leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs, the BMW Championship, set to tee off. It’s the last chance for players to advance to the Tour Championship.
The Tour is returning to Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., for the first time since Patrick Cantlay beat Bryson DeChambeau in a playoff in 2021.
A lot has changed since then, as evidenced by DeChambeau’s presence (and, quite frankly, Cantlay winning a tournament), and the Tour hopes changes to the course itself are evident, too. Caves Valley underwent a speedy 100-day renovation in mid-2023, and clearly the Tour and the course would like to avoid scores like 27-under, which is what got Cantlay and DeChambeau in that playoff.
BMW Championship Returns to Caves Valley
Will that actually happen? Eh …
Here’s all you need to know about Caves Valley Golf Club.
Caves Valley Golf Club (Owings Mills, Md.)
Par: 70 (35-35)
Yardage: 7,601
Purse: $20 million ($3.6 million to the winner)
Defending champion: Keegan Bradley (played at Castle Pines Golf Club)
Notes: As mentioned, Caves Valley underwent significant renovation since last hosting the BMW in 2021. … The biggest change, at least in terms of score, is the course will now play to a par-70 after playing to a par-72 previously. … Additionally, the renovation moved around some of the green complexes, getting them closer to hazards and allowing what the club and Tour hope are more challenging pin placements. … To combat the steamy late-summer mid-Atlantic weather, there’s a new PrecisionAire system under the course that should keep the course playing firmer and faster with more consistent green speeds.
BMW Championship 2025 Picks
The winning score almost certainly won’t be 27-under, as just changing par will ensure that gets depressed some. And maybe it will play a little tougher if it’s firmer. But the bones are still the bones, and the most likely reality is this will be another birdiefest. Length off the tee is huge, especially paired with a solid wedge game, and if that’s the case, it’s probably going to turn into a putting contest.
In a 49-man field, it’s hard to find a ton of value, but the equation is basically players who fit the skill set and should be motivated to have a big week to make sure they’re among the top 30 who make it to East Lake.
Here are three BMW Championship picks to win (odds from GolfOdds.com).
Cameron Young (25-1): He’s already in the East Lake mix, but he has all the skills to play well here, and he’s on a heater. Young finally broke through and won the Wyndham Championship and followed that up with a top-5 in Memphis last week. His season-long hot putter hasn’t faltered, and he’s got motivation as he tries to cement his Ryder Cup team spot.
Matt Fitzpatrick (35-1): Not the greatest number, all things considered, as he’s apparently a popular play this week. But it does make sense. He’s plenty long off the tee, and he needs to harness it — he was all over the map last week with driver — but it’s still pretty open. The Englishman has gained strokes putting the last four starts and at No. 40, he needs a solid week to advance.
Rickie Fowler (65-1): It came down to Fowler or Chris Gotterup for the final pick here (so, congratuations to Gotterup on his win), but the number was too enticing on Fowler. Has he won since the 2023 Rocket Mortgage? No. Is he a perfect skill fit? No. But Fowler is playing better, he’s rolling it well (last week aside), and he needs a big week to get through to East Lake. He sounds motivated to do just that, and if he gets a week where it all lines up, he’s live to win.
Mike Cole Mike Cole covers golf as well as the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans for Heavy.com. He previously worked at NESN where he covered Boston sports (and much more) for 15 years. More about Mike Cole
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