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 kept his distance the rest of the way to win the Dell Technologies Championship on Monday.

DeChambeau closed with a four-under 67 for a two-shot victory over Justin Rose (68) on 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 $10 million prize wrapped up before the finale.

Queensland’s Cameron Smith was in contention throughout but bogeyed the final hole to drop to third, three shots behind DeChambeau.

DeChambeau, with his third victory this year, is assured of being the No.1 seed when he gets to the Tour Championship, no matter what happens next week at the third playoff event outside Philadelphia.

And he would appear to be a shoo-in to be one of US captain Jim Furyk's three Ryder Cup picks to be announced Tuesday. No one has been close to DeChambeau over the last two weeks.

DeChambeau has become just the second player to win the opening two FedEx Cup playoff events. PHOTO: Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

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 $1,620,000 for the second straight week.

Starting the final round one shot behind Abraham Ancer, and among 10 players within four shots of the lead, DeChambeau had a two-putt birdie from 50 feet on No.7, took the lead with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 220-yard 8th hole, and then hit his approach to six feet to a back right pin at No.9 for his third straight birdie.

Smith tried to make a run at him with a pair of late birdies, but DeChambeau answered with a birdie on No.15 to keep his lead at two shots. Needing an eagle to catch him on the par-5 18th, Smith came up short and hit his second into the hazard and made bogey.

Rose birdied three of his last four holes for a 68 and wound up alone in second.

Furyk's 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 US PGA Championship.

Woods closed with a 71 and tied for 24th. Mickelson, who has played on every Ryder Cup team since 1995, boosted his case by winning a World Golf Championships event in Mexico in March, and he made nine birdies Monday in a closing round of 63.

The top 30 make it to East Lake for the Tour Championship, where everyone has a mathematical chance at the $10 million prize.

- Doug Ferguson, Reuters