FedExCup notes: Don't just focus on top 125

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With two PGA TOUR events this week, more than 200 pros have a chance to earn FedExCup points. And with just three weeks left before the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup begins, it's important to take advantage of every opportunity.

But while players currently outside of the top 125 in points are scrambling mainly to secure a Playoffs spot, those higher up on the points list should not be content merely in maintaining their position.

To make an extended Playoffs run and claim one of the 30 spots at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola -- the finale of the four-event Playoffs schedule -- it's advantageous to finish the regular season inside the top 30.

Last year, just seven players ranked outside the top 30 entering the Playoffs made it to THE TOUR Championship. Among those seven were Heath Slocum, who started the 2009 Players next-to-last (124th in points) but won The Barclays and eventually finished eighth in FedExCup points; and Marc Leishman, who finished tied for 15th at the Deutsche Bank Championship and tied for second -- his career best -- at the BMW Championship en route to winning Rookie of the Year honors.

Slocum and Leishman, incidentally, are ranked next to each other in 2010 FedExCup points going into this week. Slocum is 49th and playing in the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Leishman is 50th and is taking the week off after finishing tied for 15th at The Greenbrier Classic.

Those two are much closer to the top 30 than two-time FedExCup champion Tiger Woods, who began play this week 111th in points. The only scenario in which Woods could move into the top 30 on Sunday would be to win (worth 550 points) for the eighth time at Firestone; his possible rank, depending on how others play, would be 26th.

Even if Woods were to win at Firestone and at next week's PGA Championship (worth 600 points), his total points would still fall short of getting him inside the top five going into the last regular-season event, the Wyndham Championship.

Sergio Garcia is also one of the notable players who seek to make a big move down the stretch. Garcia, who has finished inside the top 10 in points two times in the first three years of the Playoffs, finds himself in 100th place.

McDOWELL'S QUEST: Graeme McDowell wasn't a TOUR member when he won the U.S. Open, so he didn't receive the 600 FedExCup points that goes with that win. Since then, he's joined the TOUR and has stated his goal of earning enough points to make the Playoffs.

McDowell began play at Firestone this week 218th in points. A win would move him into 56th spot in the points, while a second-place finish would move him inside the top 125.

TURNING STONE: Vaughn Taylor (35th), Brian Davis (41st), Charles Howell III (44th) and Bryce Molder (48th) are the highest-ranked FedExCup players at this week's Turning Stone Resort Championship, which gives 250 points to the winner.

Should one of those four players win Turning Stone, he would be projected to move inside the top 30. Taylor, in fact, could move inside the top 20 with a win.

TRIPLE-FIGURE AVERAGES: Four players are averaging more than 100 FedExCup points in each start this season.

Anthony Kim, who just returned from a three-month layoff following thumb surgery, has averaged 152 FedExCup points in his eight starts this year. Kim is ranked 10th overall.

Ernie Els, who has led the FedExCup points race for 19 consecutive weeks, is averaging 125 points per start.

Steve Stricker, right behind Els in points, is averaging 121 points, while Masters champion Phil Mickelson is averaging 110 points.