A Quick Nine: Tour Championship

Each week during the official PGA Tour season, a panel of CBSSports.com staffers each will identify nine players to watch in three distinct categories -- longshots, favorites and ‘tweeners. The picks will be based on a combination of homework, guesswork and just plain instinct.

Note: Odds courtesy of Las Vegas Hilton Sports Book and/or Golfodds.com.

Favorites
Steve Elling CBSSports.com Senior Writer	Ross Devonport CBSSports.com Fantasy Writer	Dan Lubin CBSSports.com Golf Producer
Tiger Woods Two of his four blown 54-hole leads have come at East Lake. Do you believe in harbingers? If so, it’s good week to bet against him. (Even) Jim Furyk Only eight of the 30 players in the field teed it up last year at East Lake. Furyk tied for second-best among the returning group. (12/1) Padraig Harrington Has played event three times, never finishing better than T7. But if he keeps his drives in Fulton County, I like his chances. (12/1)	Tiger Woods Everyone should be shaking in their boots after the BMW performance. The bookies certainly are with these odds. (Even) Padraig Harrington Sticking with Paddy again this week. Comes into East Lake with four top-six finishes and a T10 in his last five events. (12/1) Jim Furyk Has top-10s in each of his last two events and finished T15 at The Barclays. Also has a stellar record here, with six top-10s in 11 trips. (12/1)	Tiger Woods Tiger has a win and two second-place finishes in his last three visits to East Lake. I expect him to be in the mix again Sunday. (Even) Steve Stricker Fell off the pace with a T53 at Cog Hill, but Stricker is still guaranteed the FedEx Cup with a win. (15/1) Jim Furyk Still winless since 2007. His T2 and T8 in the last two playoff events puts him in a great spot to claim the FedEx Cup. (12/1)

Under the radar
Steve Elling CBSSports.com Senior Writer	Ross Devonport CBSSports.com Fantasy Writer	Dan Lubin CBSSports.com Golf Producer
Retief Goosen The Goose never finished worse than fourth from 2003-06, including a win five years ago. But he didn’t play the past two seasons. (25/1) Kevin Na Gonna keep writing it until somebody listens. Only Woods and Stricker have more top-10s this season. Na has zero wins, however. (50/1) Zach Johnson Has incredible professional performance record in Georgia and finished second to Woods here in 2007. Wins $10 million with victory. (20/1)	Sean O'Hair Back-to-back top-10s at the Deutsche Bank and the BMW and shot 64-66 on the week back at the 2005 Tour Championship. (25/1) Retief Goosen Winner here in 2004, Goosen clearly knows how to make his way around East Lake as he’s never finished outside the top 10 in five visits. (25/1) David Toms Toms hasn’t been playing the best golf lately with not one top-10 in his last eight events, but I like him here for some reason. (40/1)	Retief Goosen 2004 winner of the Tour Championship. He has always played well at East Lake. Will the ball striking be there, however? (25/1) Padraig Harrington Paddy is putting together a fantastic close to 2009. He's finished top 10 in all three playoff events. (12/1) Sean O'Hair T8 in Boston, sole 4th in Chicago. O'Hair has picked up his game in the playoffs, but he's been inconsistent for much of 2009. (25/1)

Longshots
Steve Elling CBSSports.com Senior Writer	Ross Devonport CBSSports.com Fantasy Writer	Dan Lubin CBSSports.com Golf Producer
Steve Marino Can anybody really be a longshot in a 30-man field? It’s hard to say he’ll claim his first PGA Tour win here, but he could surely contend. (50/1) David Toms Contender for Comeback Player of the Year played Tour Championship every year from 1999-06, with three top-10s in that span. (40/1) Jerry Kelly In three Tour Championship appearances, has finished third, fourth and T13. Not bad for journeyman Jerry. (60/1)	Dustin Johnson Johnson’s length should help him immensely this week, and he has been playing great golf lately with his two top-10s, two top-25s and a T30 in his last five events. (40/1) Jerry Kelly Kelly’s scoring average is down more than a shot and a half from last year, and he has a third, a fourth and a T13 in three visits to East Lake. (60/1) John Senden First in greens, which should help him this week, but he’s got to get his putter rolling (116th) if he wants to contend. (60/1)	John Senden Was the 30th and last qualifier for this week. The Aussie leads the tour in GIR thanks to his typically great iron play. (60/1) Luke Donald Statistically one of the best putters on tour this season - 1st in Putting Average and 4th in Putts per Round. (40/1) Kevin Na He's come up big in the playoffs -- T24, T11 and T8 -- to make his first Tour Championship. (50/1)