The Starter: Round 1, The Barclays

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The first round of The Barclays is set to begin. Golf Channel will televise live action Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m. ET. LIVE@ coverage on PGATOUR.COM will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET with "On The Tee."

Groups we're watching

Tee time Players   8:21 a.m. ET No. 10 Nick Watney, Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson The top three in the FedExCup standings meet immediately. Simpson is the hottest hand, coming off his Wyndham win. 12:55 p.m. ET No. 1 Gary Woodland, Mark Wilson, Matt Kuchar Wilson led the FedExCup standings earlier in the year after two victories. Kuchar won The Barclays last year. 1:06 p.m. ET No. 1 Luke Donald, Keegan Bradley, Phil Mickelson The ultra-consistent Donald can make a huge case for Player of the Year with a FedExCup title run. 1:50 p.m. ET No. 1 Arjun Atwal, Padraig Harrington, William McGirt The last three in the standings play together; can one get hot and ride all the way to Atlanta?

MORE ROUND 1: Tee Times | TOUR REPORT: The Barclays news, notes

WHAT TO WATCH IN ROUND 1
• Season-saver?: Players such as Ernie Els, Ian Poulter and Camilo Villegas can salvage their years with great play in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. Story

• All the scenarios: A few players are locked into the Deutsche Bank Championship and beyond; others have to finish at certain spots or higher. How to advance

Round 1 weather forecast

Thunderstorms Temp: 86 high/63 low 60 percent chance of thunderstorms in afternoon. PGA TOUR officials will continue to monitor Hurricane Irene for its possible effect on weekend play.

Player Notes

Here are some of the players you'll see during Thursday's coverage on Golf Channel:

KEEGAN BRADLEY The PGA TOUR rookie has enjoyed one of the best rookie seasons in the last decade on the PGA TOUR with wins at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and earlier this month at the PGA Championship, becoming the first player to win in his first appearance at a major since Ben Curtis in 2003. Both of Bradley's two victories have come in playoff fashion. Bradley enters the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup with a higher ranking than any other rookie has entered the Playoffs in the five-year history of the FedExCup. MATT KUCHAR Kuchar, who won The Barclays on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff last year and nearly went on to win the FedExCup, continues to be one of the most consistent players on TOUR with eight top-10 finishes in 2011, including a runner-up finish at the Memorial. In 2010 and 2011 combined, Kuchar has 19 top-10 finishes, the most on the PGA TOUR over that timeframe. PHIL MICKELSON Enters the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup ranked No. 5 in the standings. He is the only player to start the Playoffs inside the top 6 in the standings in each year of the FedExCup.