This is the last time the number 125 will hold such significance on the PGA Tour, for more than two decades the alpha of men’s professional circuits.

Since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007 the top-125 finishers on the points list both qualify for the Playoffs and keep their card for the following year.

From next year, the magical number to qualify for the Playoffs will be 70 as the Tour works to combat the disruption caused by the Saudi backed LIV Golf Tour.

Take a bow Rickie Fowler, the last ‘bubble boy’ to bear the number 125 ahead of the end of season money grab that is the Playoffs.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: Tony Finau has been the man of the hour in recent weeks on the PGA Tour, but his second Tour title actually came at this event in 2021.

The tournament was The Northern Trust Open at the time and played at Liberty National in New Jersey where Finau defeated Cam Smith in extra holes.

RIGHT: Tony Finau defeated Cam Smith in extra holes at the first Playoffs event last season. PHOTO: Stacy Revere/Getty Images.

Both players blistered the back nine to get to 20-under before going to sudden death where it was a bit of an anticlimax when Smith hit his drive out of bounds on the first extra hole.

Many expected that win to open the floodgates for the talented American but it took almost a year before he would win again, which he did in back-to-back weeks last month on the Tour.

COURSE: Another of the purpose-built-for-tournament-play TPC network layouts that the Tour regularly visits, TPC Southwind is a familiar course for the bulk of the field.

A regular on the schedule since 1989 there will be few surprises and past performance will prove a valuable guide when considering potential contenders this week.

Water is in play on more than half the holes though at this level that tends to be less of a concern than for those of lesser skill who frequent the fairways the bulk of the year.

Scoring fluctuates at this event depending on time of year (the tournament was played ahead of the U.S. Open in June for several years) though is more often than not in the 10- to 15-under-par range

The almost-island green at the par-3 11th (which bears a striking resemblance to the 17th at TPC Sawgrass) always attracts plenty of attention though it is the Cape Hole finisher (another nod to Sawgrass) which is more dangerous.

Like the Florida home of The Players, the finishing hole has been the scene of plenty of drama and will have even a two or three shot leader nervous.

Cam Smith makes his first start since winning The Open in July at The Old Course. PHOTO: ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images.

PRIZEMONEY: US$15,000,000

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

PLAYERS TO WATCH: There are some big names missing from this week’s event thanks to the war with LIV Golf but the biggest names will all be in Tennessee this week.

Open winner Cam Smith makes his return to tournament golf and will likely fancy his chances this week after his last outing at the course.

That was last year at the WGC event where he finished T5 after a blistering second round 62.

Form on return from a major victory is always a finnicky proposition but Smith is the type of player likely to return playing as well after the celebrations as he was before.

Like his win at St. Andrews, though, he will need to be at the top of his game because the field will be as good as the one he overcame last month.

Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas … the list goes on and will ensure and intriguing competition ahead of the field being cut to 70 for next week’s second Playoffs event.

Perhaps the one player who won’t attract a lot of attention though they should will be Daniel Berger who is a two time winner at the venue and was T2 and T5 the two times it hosted the WGC.

72-HOLE RECORD (TPC Southwind): 264 (-16, Brooks Koepka, 2019, Hideki Matsuyama, Abraham Ancer and Sam Burns, 2021)

18-HOLE RECORD (TPC Southwind): 61 (Tom Lewis, Bob Estes, Jay Delsing)

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: Adam Scott (2013), Jason Day (2015)

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Marc Leishman, Percy, Cam Davis, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Lucas Herbert and Cameron Smith

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Friday (Fox Sports 503 5am – 9am)
Round 2: Saturday (Fox Sports 503 5am – 9am)
Round 3: Sunday (Fox Sports 503 3am – 4am)
Round 4: Monday (Fox Sports 503 3am – 8am)
*AEST, check local guides