Monday Backspin: Another unexpected win; more

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Another week, another unexpected finish. We should be used to this by now because it's been the prevailing theme throughout the season.

Sure, Charley Hoffman had three top-10s since mid-July, but his victory Sunday at the Deutsche Bank Championship came largely out of nowhere.

"I wasn't even close to anything for the most part starting the week or starting the Playoffs," Hoffman said. "Just trying to advance into next week."

It had been 3 ½ years since Hoffman last won and he started the day four shots out of the lead. Of course, leading going into Sunday on the PGA TOUR this year has been more of a burden than a benefit. Only 15 of 38 54-hole leaders or co-leaders have gone on to win this season.

Champion's Replay

Want to hear what Charley Hoffman had to say about winning the Deutsche Bank Championship? Click here Deutsche Bank: Final Leaderboard More coverage: • Highlights • Hoffman interview • Complete tourney coverage

Hoffman started the day four shots off the lead but made four birdies early in the round before holing out for birdie from the bunker on No. 13. The TOUR's resident green man (he wears a lot of green because of his sponsorship by environmentally friendly Waste Management) made three birdies over his final four holes to finish at 22 under to tie the tournament record and more importantly earn a five-shot victory.

This year, Hoffman didn't even qualify for a major. Now, he's second in the FedExCup standings, will play in all four majors next season (including his first Masters) and, at least for a moment, was a blip on Corey Pavin's radar screen as a potential Captain's Pick for the Ryder Cup.

"It's a no-brainer. Best ever," Hoffman said of where this win ranked in his career.

It also puts him squarely in the race for the $10 million that goes with winning the FedExCup, something that hadn't even entered Hoffman's mind until after the victory.

"I guess that's why this format is pretty unique and special," Hoffman said. "You can come out of nowhere sort of like Heath (Slocum) did last year and myself this year and hopefully have a chance there in Atlanta."

Stock up

Adam Scott: The Aussie has all but locked up Comeback Player of the Year honors after recording his third top-10 in his last four starts and fourth of the year. That's more than he's had the last two years combined. FedExCup rank: 15 (19 last week) Jason Day: How good has Day been since his breakthrough in Dallas? He's had four top-10s, three of which have come in the last three weeks. And in every one of those last three starts, he's had a chance to win. FedExCup rank: 4 (14 last week) Steve Stricker: It took an eagle on his final hole Sunday, but Stricker recorded his ninth career top-10 in the Playoffs with a ninth-place finish at TPC Boston. It was also his fourth top-10 in his last six starts. FedExCup rank: 3 (2 last week)

Stock down

Anthony Kim: There was no way Corey Pavin could justify picking Kim for the Ryder Cup, not with four straight missed cuts and just one sub-70 round in that span. Kim missed the cut in Boston and is a combined 15 over since his return. FedExCup rank: 34 (27 last week) Padraig Harrington: A third missed cut in his last five starts means Harrington's season on the TOUR is over as he was eliminated from the Playoffs. It also means he'll have to scramble to play some European Tour events to stay sharp going into the Ryder Cup. FedExCup rank: 73 (57 last week) Jeff Overton: After seven top-12 finishes in his previous eight starts, Overton hasn't so much as sniffed the top of the leaderboard in his last three, finishing 71st, 56th and missing the cut at TPC Boston. FedExCup rank: 19 (12 last week)

THE BACK NINE: 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. How long was Charley Hoffman's road to this point? Longer than you might think. "Zach Johnson and I reminisce every once in a while. We were traveling together. I think he missed his first 10 and I missed my first 16, and we pretty much weren't very good," Hoffman said. "But we learned how to travel. There's a lot more to golf than just playing golf, traveling, dealing with Monday qualifiers, time -- how much you need to practice, how much you don't need to practice. I definitely learned a lot that first year on the Nationwide Tour."

2. This week's toughest elimination from the Playoffs: Kris Blanks. He thought he was moving on when he closed with a 70 only to get bumped from the Playoffs when Charlie Wi birdied the last hole.

3. On the flip side of that were Andres Romero and Tom Gillis. Romero only made it to Boston via a 40-foot birdie on the final hole the week before at The Barclays. Sunday, Romero shot 72 and squeaked by again, getting to 68th in the standings. Gillis, meanwhile, moved from 92nd to 48th thanks to a pair of 65s on the weekend.

4. Three straight rounds in the 60s for the first time this year is just another sign that Tiger Woods is inching his way back to being the player he was. Remember, he went through a "slump" in 1998 when he underwent a swing change and once he adapted, I'd say things turned out alright for him.

5. The Rules Violation of the Week goes to Chad Campbell, who was disqualified Saturday after it was discovered that he failed to register for the Deutsche Bank Championship. There have been some odd rules snafus this year, but this was actually the second time Campbell has forgotten to register. This one cost him the rest of the Playoffs. "Just can't believe you make a mistake like that," Campbell said. "Just kind of slipped my mind."

6. You know what I like? Scott Verplank's decision to get a cortisone shot to play in next week's BMW Championship after a wrist injury forced him to withdraw from the Deutsche Bank Championship. He's what you call a gamer. He was also the one who moved to No. 70 in the FedExCup standings, one spot ahead of Blanks.

7. The reaction to the decision to suspend the rule that disqualifies a player if he misses his pro-am tee time was mixed, but most (self included) thought it was something that could have waited until the off-season to do. "It's only affected one player so far this year, and that was Jim," said Tiger Woods. "I can understand it; I just thought it might have been a little premature, a little early to do that."

8. Matt Jones just squeaked into the BMW Championship, ranking 64th in the FedExCup standings after last week's Deutsche Bank Championship. If that wasn't enough to worry about, he's getting married in the off week. Which is he more nervous about? "I would say TOUR Championship," Jones said. "I'm not nervous about the wedding at all."

9. Stat of the Season That May Only Interest Me: Matt Kuchar may have taken a slight lead in the Player of the Year race, but Phil Mickelson is right there, too. Consider this: Mickelson was better than anyone in the majors this year, playing them in a collective 18 under. The guy who's second? Tiger Woods at 13 under.

The Forward Spin

The top 70 in the FedExCup standings advanced to this week's BMW Championship at Cog Hill, where Tiger Woods has won five times, including last year. Jim Furyk has had some success there, too, though, winning in 2005 and finishing second last year. If there's anywhere in the Playoffs where Woods can win, it's here, obviously. In addition to the five victories, he owns the tournament scoring record and the course record with a 62 in last year's third round. That broke the previous mark of 63, which had been shot eight times -- twice by Woods, in the first round in 2003 and the final round in 2007.