FedEx Cup
RANK THIS
WEEK
RANK LAST
WEEK
PLAYER
NAME
Events
Points
# of Wins
# of Top 10's
Points behind Lead
Reset Points
1
1
Rory McIlroy
19
-18
3
14
--
-5
2
2
Xander Schauffele
21
-14
2
6
--
-4
3
3
Brooks Koepka
21
-13
3
9
--
-7
3
3
Justin Thomas
20
-13
1
7
--
-10
5
5
Paul Casey
22
-9
1
7
--
-2
6
6
Adam Scott
18
-8
--
9
--
-3
7
7
Tony Finau
25
-7
--
6
--
-3
8
8
Chez Reavie
28
-6
1
6
--
-1
9
9
Kevin Kisner
25
-5
1
5
--
-2
9
9
Hideki Matsuyama
24
-5
--
7
--
-3
9
9
Patrick Reed
25
-5
1
5
--
-6
12
12
Bryson DeChambeau
21
-4
1
5
--
E
12
12
Jon Rahm
20
-4
1
12
--
-4
14
14
Jason Kokrak
24
-3
--
5
--
E
15
15
Gary Woodland
24
-2
1
8
--
-3

16
16
Tommy Fleetwood
18
-1
--
6
--
-1
16
16
Matt Kuchar
22
-1
2
8
--
-4
16
16
Webb Simpson
21
-1
--
6
--
-4
19
19
Rickie Fowler
20
E
1
6
--
-2
19
19
Sungjae Im
35
E
--
7
--
-1
21
21
Abraham Ancer
27
+1
--
4
--
-4
21
21
Patrick Cantlay
21
+1
1
9
--
-8
21
21
Louis Oosthuizen
19
+1
--
5
--
E
24
24
Marc Leishman
21
+2
1
7
--
-1
24
24
Brandt Snedeker
27
+2
--
6
--
-2
26
26
Corey Conners
28
+3
1
4
--
-1
26
26
Justin Rose
17
+3
1
7
--
-2
28
28
Charles Howell III
27
+4
1
5
--
E
29
29
Lucas Glover
26
+10
--
7
--
E
29
29
Dustin Johnson
19
+10
1
7
--
-3
42
42
Tiger Woods
12
1,069
1
4
--
--



Rory McIlroy won the Tour Championship on Sunday for the second time in four years -- and he's taking home the largest cash payout in golf history.
McIlroy surged past Brooks Koepka to win the FedEx Cup and its $15 million prize, at East Lake in Atlanta.
One shot behind, McIlroy took the lead with a three-shot swing on No. 7 and never let Koepka or Xander Schauffele catch him.
McIlroy closed with a 4-under 66, a score that would have won the Tour Championship in any scoring format. He finished four shots ahead of Schauffele.
“I’m going to enjoy this one tonight,” he said.
McIlroy, who secured his second FedEx Cup title on Sunday, has been playing some of the best golf of his career this season, with 14 top-10 finishes in 19 starts and three wins (The Players Championship, RBC Canadian Open and the Tour Championship) earning him a No. 2 ranking in the latest World Golf Rankings. Since turning professional in 2007, McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, has claimed 17 PGA Tour victories, including four major championships.

He finished at 18 under in the FedEx Cup finale. His actual score was 13-under 267, better than anyone else in the 30-man field.
His win boosts him to No. 2 in the world behind Koepka.
He joined Tiger Woods as the only players to win the FedEx Cup twice since it began in 2007.

Tiger Woods recently underwent surgery to repair his left knee.
Per Woods' official Twitter account, he's expected to make a full recovery following an arthroscopic procedure last week for minor cartilage damage.













Patriots 2019 Draft

Round 1, No. 32 overall: N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State

Wide receiver was rated as the Patriots' No. 1 need, and Harry will be counted on to play a significant part in addressing that. Considering that he was just the second receiver taken in the draft, behind Oklahoma's Marquise Brown, it speaks to how highly New England viewed him among this year's crop of pass-catchers. The Patriots took him over Mississippi's A.J. Brown and DK Metcalf, Ohio State's Parris Campbell and South Carolina's Deebo Samuel -- all of whom were rated higher by several media-based scouting reports. Entering the draft, it was mentioned that if there was one storyline that trumped all others, it was how the Patriots needed help at receiver, yet their history drafting early at the position hasn't produced consistent results. That's part of what makes this an intriguing pick.

A bigger WR with notable ball skills: Director of player personnel Nick Caserio said the 6-foot-2, 228-pound Harry has notable physical attributes, before saying, "One of the things he does well is play the ball in the air. I'd say the coverage in this league is tight, regardless of the type of player or receiver you are. So you're going to have to make some plays in some tight quarters. The windows are smaller, the catches are going to be more contested, so if a player has the ability to do that, that's one of his strengths."

A first under Belichick: The Patriots had never selected a receiver in the first round under coach Bill Belichick (2000-19), although they did trade up for Chad Jackson in the second round (No. 36) in 2006. Still, this pick breaks new ground for the franchise under Belichick. The last time they took a receiver in the first round was 1996, with Terry Glenn.
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Round 2, No. 45 overall: Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt

The Patriots traded up from No. 56 to 45 in the second round to make the pick, which shows how much they coveted Williams. To move up 11 spots, the Patriots traded the 101st overall pick (third round), which they had received as a compensatory choice for the departure of cornerback Malcolm Butler. Williams' physical makeup stands out, as he is 6-foot-3 5/8 and 211 pounds, and has above average length at the position. He could have the chance to develop behind the scenes as the depth chart is loaded in 2019 with Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, J.C. Jackson, Duke Dawson and Keion Crossen. So this is a case of how the Patriots aren't always thinking of the short-term picture when making their picks. Williams has the potential to be a top corner in the future, but might have trouble breaking through in a front-line role as a rookie if everyone is healthy and playing to their potential.

Help in matchup game: Williams' uncommon size at the position could also be tapped in specific game-plans when it comes to matching up against tight ends. In the AFC Championship Game against the Chiefs, for example, the club tapped cornerback Gilmore at times against tight end Travis Kelce. This is a point Bill Belichick made recently, noting how every team presents different matchup challenges, which in turn requires different types of chess pieces to match it.
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Round 3, No. 77 overall: Chase Winovich, LB, Michigan

The 6-foot-2 6/8 and 256-pound Winovich is a high-motor edge player who projects to help fill the void created by Trey Flowers' free-agent departure. One thing that stood out about his play in college was disruption, as he had 34.5 tackles for a loss and 13.5 sacks the past two seasons. In addition, Winovich runs well enough (4.59 in the 40-yard dash) to potentially factor into the special-teams mix. A big personality at Michigan, he could be the 2019 Patriots version of Rob Gronkowski in a sense.

DE depth chart: Michael Bennett, Deatrich Wise Jr., Derek Rivers, Keionta Davis, Winovich, Ufomba Kamalu, Trent Harris. This is a big year for Rivers, the 2017 third-round pick from Youngstown State who has yet to emerge, and Winovich adds another layer to the depth chart at a position that was rated as a No. 5 need entering the draft.
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Round 3, No. 87 overall: Damien Harris, RB, Alabama

Running back isn't a top need for the Patriots, but this looks like a case where the value of the player led the team in his direction at this point in the draft. The 5-foot-10, 216-pound Harris was productive at Alabama, totaling 476 rushes for 3,073 yards (6.5 avg.) with 23 touchdowns, and was a team captain who was considered a strong locker-room presence. Add in his contributions on special teams (e.g. blocked punt in 2017) and the picture comes into focus as to why he would appeal to the Patriots. Harris graduated with his degree in December and obviously came highly recommended by Nick Saban, one of Bill Belichick's closest friends in the business.

RB depth chart: Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, Harris, Brandon Bolden. All five currently project to make the roster, as this is one of the strongest positions on the roster from top to bottom. Given the possibility of injuries at the position, the Patriots are well covered insurance-wise.
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Round 3, No. 101 overall: Yodny Cajuste, OT, West Virginia

Swing offensive tackle was rated as the team's No. 3 need and the 6-foot-4 7/8 and 312-pound Cajuste is a top candidate to fill it. The Patriots have had success drafting and developing offensive linemen under respected line coach Dante Scarnecchia, so his presence adds a layer of confidence to any selection because it surely comes with his recommendation. However, Cajuste's injury history bears watching, as he is coming off pre-draft surgery on his quad and he has battled multiple knee injuries prior to that.

OT depth chart: Isaiah Wynn (LT/LG), Marcus Cannon (RT), Cajuste (LT/RT), Cole Croston, Cedrick Lang, Dan Skipper, Ryker Mathews.

What's next: The Patriots have three fourth-round picks (118, 133, 134) and four seventh-rounders (239, 243, 246, 252) on Saturday's third day. They haven't addressed tight end and quarterback to this point, which were rated as higher needs entering the draft.




Round 4, No. 118 overall: Hjalte Froholdt, C/G, Arkansas

The Patriots had solid background on Froholdt because he was recruited to Arkansas by Bret Bielema, and then played for Bielema, who is now in his second season on New England's staff. Froholdt's first name is pronounced YELL-duh, and he will provide future insurance with starting left guard Joe Thuney entering the final year of his contract in 2019. Also, top center/guard backup Ted Karras is in the final year of his contract. This will increase the competition along the interior of the offensive line, which was rated as the team's No. 6 need entering the draft.
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Family is the most important thing to Stidham

Jarrett Stidham shares why relationships are so important to him and how the Copeland family took him in when he was in high school.


Round 4, No. 133 overall: Jarrett Stidham, QB, Auburn

Stidham was a pre-draft visitor to the Patriots, along with a handful of other quarterbacks, so he was squarely on the team's radar. Could he be the team's quarterback of the future? Given that the Patriots waited until the 133rd overall pick to select him, it's a wait-and-see type of situation and expectations should be tempered. As for the position snapshot, Tom Brady hopes to play until he's 45 years old, and the Patriots obviously hope he does. So the 6-foot-2 3/8 and 218-pound Stidham will initially compete for a backup role in 2019 with veteran Brian Hoyer (who enters the last year of his contract) and second-year man Danny Etling (2018 seventh-round pick from LSU). In years when the Patriots have drafted a quarterback in the early to middle rounds, they haven't hesitated to keep three on the initial 53-man roster.


Round 5, No. 159 overall: Byron Cowart, DT, Maryland

The 6-foot-3, 298-pound Cowart appears to have some scheme versatility, with the possibility to play some different techniques, which is ideal for the Patriots' multiple scheme. He could be viewed as a "traits" pick in the sense that his physical makeup is NFL-ready, but his production hasn't necessarily matched it. He was once the top high school recruit in the country. So the projection is that the Patriots can harness those traits and bring out the best in Cowart. With Lawrence Guy, Mike Pennel, Adam Butler, Frank Herron and David Parry on the interior DT depth chart, Cowart is a developmental prospect who will vie for a back-end roster spot or possibly land on the practice squad.



Round 5, No. 163 overall: Jake Bailey, P, Stanford

Incumbent Ryan Allen only signed a one-year deal as a free agent this offseason, so the possibility that the Patriots would draft a challenger/potential replacement was real. This is the spot the Patriots have traditionally drafted specialists, with coverage whiz Matthew Slater (2008), punter Zoltan Mesko (2010) and long snapper Joe Cardona (2015) all picked in the fifth round. A player selected at this point in the draft is no lock for a roster spot, so the club has viewed specialists as a solid value in this area. Bailey has a big leg, and unlike most punters in Bill Belichick's tenure, is right-footed. The team traded a late seventh-rounder (No. 246) to move up four spots to select him, ensuring another punter-needy team wouldn't jump ahead of them, which is a small price to pay for a player who could be a long-term answer at punter.


Round 7, No. 252 overall: Ken Webster, CB, Mississippi

This pick is similar to how the Patriots selected Western Carolina CB Keion Crossen late in the 2018 seventh round based on some unique athletic traits. The 5-foot-10 7/8 and 203-pound Webster ran a 4.43 time in the 40-yard dash and had a 43-inch vertical jump, which is off the charts. Webster missed the 2016 season after tearing ligaments in his knee, and he joins a well-stocked cornerback depth chart. His best chance to earn a roster spot, again similar to Crossen, likely will be tied to special teams).








Patriots have the oldest 53-man roster in the NFL right now

Cutdown day has come and gone, and the New England Patriots now have 53 players on their roster. While there will be changes over the course of the next few days, weeks and months, we do know what the core of the team’s 2019 version will look like — one that will try to defend the Patriots’ Super Bowl title. We also know that the roster is a deep one from top to bottom; and quite old compared to the rest of the league.

In fact, the Patriots currently have the oldest 53-man squad in the NFL. Based on a breakdown by The Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski, we analyzed the roster age of the world champions and found out that it averages 27.2 years of age (27.0 median) after the recently reported wide receiver transaction (N’Keal Harry to injured reserve; Demaryius Thomas re-signed). This makes the team clearly the oldest in all of football.

For comparison, the second-oldest team in the league — the Philadelphia Eagles — has an average age of ‘only’ 26.6 years on its 53-man squad. The NFL’s youngest squad, meanwhile, checks in at a spry 25.2: the Miami Dolphins, who are currently rebuilding under first-year head coach and former Patriots defensive play caller Brian Flores, are younger than any other squad in pro football at this point in time.

The reasons for the difference and New England’s ranking at the bottom of the list can quickly be spotted. Look no further than the quarterback position: despite still being the NFL’s best passer, 42-year-old Tom Brady is also the oldest non-specialist in the league. His main receiving weapons not even counting 38-year-old Benjamin Watson, who is suspended for the first four weeks of the regular season, include a 33-year-old Julian Edelman and a 31-year-old Demaryius Thomas.

Brady and some of his offensive skill players are not the only older players expected to see considerable action this season. In fact, a total of twelve players on the current active roster are over the age of 30. All of them are either expected to serve as starters or key rotational pieces:

    Nate Ebner (special teamer; 30), James Develin (fullback; 31), Marcus Cannon (offensive tackle; 31), Demaryius Thomas (wide receiver; 31), Patrick Chung (safety; 32), Devin McCourty (safety; 32), Jason McCourty (cornerback; 32), Michael Bennett (defensive end; 33), Julian Edelman (wide receiver; 33), Matthew Slater (special teamer; 33), Stephen Gostkowski (kicker; 35), Tom Brady (quarterback; 42)

That being said and despite being voted the worst team in the NFL terms of talent under the age of 25 earlier this offseason, the Patriots certainly also have plenty of young players to potentially build upon for the future — from preseason standouts such as edge defender Chase Winovich and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to projected starters/core reserves such as offensive tackle Isaiah Wynn, running back Sony Michel, and cornerback J.C. Jackson.

Nevertheless, New England needs to find suitable replacements for the older players that drive up their average age over the next few seasons. And none of them is more important than the quarterback spot, where 23-year-old rookie Jarrett Stidham will serve as Tom Brady’s lone backup this year. While he may or may not be the heir to Brady’s legendary throne, he has shown some encouraging skills this summer to beat out veteran Brian Hoyer.















Dark Star Orchestra Setlists


Christmas Eve
at Wellmont Theatre, Montclair, NJ, USA

    Set 1:
    Alabama Getaway
         Dancing in the Street
    (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas cover) (with “Tighten Up” jam)
       Dire Wolf
         Keep On Growing
    (Derek and the Dominos cover)
        Brown-Eyed Women
       Lost Sailor
         Saint of Circumstance
         Deal
    (Jerry Garcia cover)


    Set 2:
    Happy Birthday to You
    (Mildred J. Hill & Patty Hill cover) (Lisa Mackey’s birthday)
      Box of Rain
        Sunrise
    Cryptical Envelopment
      Drums
    The Other One
      Cryptical Envelopment
      Easy Wind
    Bird Song
    (Jerry Garcia cover)
      After Midnight
    (J.J. Cale cover)

    Set 3:
    In the Midnight Hour
    (Wilson Pickett cover)
        Eyes of the World
       Estimated Prophet
    Terrapin Station
     Help on the Way
      Slipknot!
     Wharf Rat
    Turn On Your Love Light
    (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)

    Encore:
    White Rabbit
    (Jefferson Airplane cover)






Your Birthday
at Historic Ashland Armory, Ashland, OR, USA


    Set 1:
    Good Morning, School Girl
    (Sonny Boy Williamson cover)
    Mama Tried
    (Merle Haggard cover)
    Doin' That Rag
    Hard to Handle
    (Otis Redding cover)
    It Hurts Me Too
    (Tampa Red cover)
    Dancing in the Street
    (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas cover)
    Overseas Stomp (The Lindy)
    (Memphis Jug Band cover)
    New Orleans
    (Gary “U.S.” Bonds cover)
    Cosmic Charlie
    The Golden Road (To Unlimited Devotion)

    Set 2:
    Dark Star
    St. Stephen
    The Eleven
    Death Don't Have No Mercy
    (Reverend Gary Davis cover)
    Alligator
    Drums
    Alligator
    Caution (Do Not Stop on Tracks)
    Feedback
    And We Bid You Goodnight
    (The Pindar Family & Joseph Spence cover)

    Encore:
    Turn On Your Love Light
    (Bobby “Blue” Bland cover)





Valentines Day
at Memorial Hall, Orland, CA, USA

    Set 1:
    Bertha
    Black-Throated Wind
    (Bob Weir cover)
    Next Time You See Me
    (Junior Parker cover)
    Dire Wolf
    Big Boy Pete
    (The Olympics cover)
    You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)
    (Loretta Lynn cover)
    Loser
    (Jerry Garcia cover)
    Pride of Cucamonga
    The Race Is On
    (George Jones cover)
    Mr. Charlie
    I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water
    (Stonewall Jackson cover)
    Good Lovin'
    (The Young Rascals cover)

    Set 2:
    Loose Lucy
    Green, Green Grass of Home
    (Johnny Darrell cover)
    Let Me Sing Your Blues Away
    Here Comes Sunshine
    Box of Rain
    Weather Report Suite
    Let It Grow
    Eyes of the World
    China Doll
    Not Fade Away
    (The Crickets cover)
    Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad
    (Henry Whitter cover)
    Not Fade Away
    (The Crickets cover) (reprise)

    Encore:
    My Sisters and Brothers
    (Charles Johnson cover)





Laura’s Birthday
at Matthews Theatre, Princeton, NJ, USA


    Set 1:
    Good Times
    (Sam Cooke cover)
    Feel Like a Stranger
    Sugaree
    Victim or the Crime
    Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo
    When I Paint My Masterpiece
    (Bob Dylan cover)
    Bird Song
    (Jerry Garcia cover)

    Set 2:
    Iko Iko
    (Sugar Boy and His Cane Cutters cover)
    Man Smart, Woman Smarter
    (King Radio cover)
    Standing on the Moon
    Truckin'
    Spoonful
    (Willie Dixon cover)
    Drums
    Space
    The Other One
    Morning Dew
    (Bonnie Dobson cover)
    Throwing Stones
    Not Fade Away
    (The Crickets cover)

    Encore:
    And We Bid You Goodnight
    (The Pindar Family & Joseph Spence cover)