Expect the unexpected at the PGA TOUR Playoffs

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William McGirt was the last player to join the field in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, slipping into the 125th spot in FedExCup standings after finishing T52 at the Wyndham Championship.

William McGirt.

Chances are you know one thing about him. He was the last man in the field. Snuck in when Justin Leonard bogeyed the final hole.

And the chances of you finding out more about McGirt? Good question.

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If we've learned anything from the first four PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup, it's that someone always gets hot. Someone usually shakes it up. Someone you never expected does something that changes your mind and their career.

Now, we're not saying that this is or isn't the time for McGirt's career to take off. The Wofford grad -- Class of 2001, business economics major -- survived the longest afternoon of his Nationwide-to-PGA TOUR career Sunday afternoon just to get here. But stranger things have happened.

And, after all, this is the year of the kids. And the fresh faces.

We won't belabor the details of Heath Slocum's squeak-in-to-Barclays champ-to-TOUR Championship run two years ago. Or Charley Hoffman's Deutsche Bank win-to-Atlanta run last year.

We will say the kids just may shake this one up. Starting at The Barclays.

Not that we don't want to see Steve Stricker tear it up a few more times and erase any doubts that he does indeed own September the way Freddie Couples used to own those post-regular season events. It's not that we doubt Luke Donald could run away and leave no questions about this best player in the world thing.

But wouldn't it be fun to see the gregarious Keegan Bradley make a serious run? Or Nick Watney hang onto the No. 1 spot for the next four events? Or Rickie Fowler take that British Open focus and . . . well, you know.

These kids aren't just good. They're fearless.

Tiger who? They know a landscape where Tiger Woods doesn't dominate. And where Phil Mickelson has evolved into a big brother/mentor. And where magic just keeps happening.

No Tiger this week? No Rory McIlroy. No problem.

The kids can step up. Just which ones?

It all started back in January when Jhonny Vegas burst onto the scene with that two-continent-wide grin and a confidence that followed up his win at the Bob Hope Classic with a tie for third at the Farmers Insurance Open. Yes, he tried to steal Bubba Watson's thunder there and one-up Mickelson.

After that, it was D.A. Points refusing to buy into the Bill Murray curse and serving up ice cream with him on the way to a win at Pebble Beach. Then Aaron Baddeley, Donald, bomber Gary Woodland, Brendan Steele, Chris Kirk and guys like Fowler, Spencer Levin and the Jasons -- Day and Dufner -- who didn't win, but found themselves in the mix.

They all captured our attention for a while. But now's their chance to take it to another level.

Or to jump in, period. Think McGirt, Cameron Tringale or Josh Teater. Or to simply -- in the cases of Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter, Hunter Mahan or Camilo Villegas -- get back on the radar, period.

Yes, we could get a feel-good story. Ernie Els? Scott Verplank? Sergio? Stewart Cink? Maybe Harrison Frazar or David Toms?

But chances are the storylines will be those kids and their energy. Bradley has taken the Wanamaker on a fun-filled picture tour the last 10 days. He's got the momentum and a sudden death playoff record -- 2-0 -- that most of golf would die for. Ben Crenshaw's 0-8 comes to mind.

Fowler has taken monochrome and flat brims to a new level -- have you seen his galleries? -- but what got our attention this year was that British Open. Play like that the next few weeks and it might mean not just Tiger, but Bieber Who?

And there's our leader, Mr. Watney. Nice. Polite. Hits the fool out of it and has the rest of the bag to go along with it. Two wins on two strong courses. Not a lot of buzz other than we expected him to step up at a major. That'll have to wait until next year. But the next four weeks are definitely within his control.

We could go on, but we won't. This week is just step one. Make a mark here and someone could be off and running. At least to next week. Maybe on down the road to Atlanta.

It could be a Bradley or a Webb Simpson putting some distance between themselves and the next cut. It could be Strick. It could be, well, McGirt.

What we know will happen given the trend is . . . . somewhere in the mix, a kid -- or kids -- will be shaking this thing up.

Melanie Hauser is a columnist for PGATOUR.COM and can be reached at melaniehauser@gmail.com. Her views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR. Follow her on Twitter @melaniehauser.