The strength of the PGA TOUR is truly evident on weeks like this.

There is simply no shortage of big-time golf tournaments and talented players to play in them, as this week’s Deutsche Bank Championship proves. Coming on the heels of the PGA Championship and the World Golf Championship-Bridgestone Invitational, the Deutsche Bank Championship offers a $5.5 million purse, is played on an immaculate Tournament Players Club course, the TPC Boston designed by Arnold Palmer, and features World No. 1 Tiger Woods in a field of 156 players.

Three of the top six in the world -- Woods, Vijay Singh and ’03 champion Adam Scott -- highlight an entry list that also includes former major champions like Mark O’Meara, David Duval, Justin Leonard, Steve Elkington, and Lee Janzen.

What’s more, the event is guaranteed to spill over to a Monday finish. That’s because the tournament doesn’t begin until Friday. Well, Monday is Labor Day. Not everyone gets to rest, and there is certainly much laboring to be done if the boys in pleats plan to put a stop to Woods’ latest winning streak, which has now reached four with his playoff victory over Stewart Cink at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational.

It should be well worth the wait for players and fans alike.

Last year: After missing the cut in his previous start, Olin Browne won his third PGA TOUR title and first since 1999 by shooting a closing 4-under-par 67 and defeating Jason Bohn by a stroke at the TPC Boston. Browne emerged from a five-way tie at the start of the day, the largest 54-hole group of leaders on the PGA TOUR since the 1983 Bank of America Colonial.

How he did it: A birdie at the 17th was the difference as Browne finished at 14-under 270. Browne, who won $990,000, more than he had made in any one year on the TOUR, fended off a large group of contenders -- 21 within two shots at the start of the final round -- by playing mostly mistake-free golf. He suffered one bogey Sunday and just three over his last 54 holes.

Strange but true: Until last week at the Bridgestone Invitational, Woods had never won a tournament after surrendering a 36-hole lead. What’s amazing, though, is that only six times has he ever trailed through 54 holes after sitting in first place through 36.

True but not so strange: Is Tiger’s recent streak (four wins and a second) following his missed cut at the U.S. Open unusual? Hardly. In his seven TOUR starts after missing the cut at last year’s EDS Byron Nelson Championship, which ended his record run in the money at 142, Woods finished no worse than a tie for fourth.

If the course could talk: “Hit it big and go for broke...when the occasion calls for it. Otherwise, let prudence be your guide.”

Worth Knowing:

• Davis Love III is planning to shut it down for a month after this week to give a needed rest to his aching upper back and neck, which has bothered him on and off for the last couple of years. He won’t return until the World Golf Championships-American Express Championship in England the week after the Ryder Cup.

• The U.S. Ryder Cup team features 10 former Nationwide Tour players if you include Captain Tom Lehman. The others: Jim Furyk, Chad Campbell, Stewart Cink, Chris DiMarco, J.J. Henry, Zach Johnson, Vaughn Taylor, David Toms, and Brett Wetterich. The Nationwide Tour has produced 28 Ryder Cup and 32 Presidents Cup participants.

• The U.S. team is currently in Ireland doing reconnaissance at the K Club and returns home Wednesday. Because of that and the run of big events in previous weeks, only Woods, Henry and Taylor are headed to Boston. Henry is playing his fifth event in a row.

Dean Wilson is sixth on TOUR in total birdies. (Feldman/WireImage)

• Dean Wilson, winner of The INTERNATIONAL, is making his 28th start of the season at the Deutsche Bank Championship, holding on to his lead of most tournament appearances thus far in ’06. He has made two of three cuts at the TPC Boston with a tie for 17th his best finish.

• New England players have done well in their home area lately, with Henry and Brad Faxon winning the Buick Championship the last two seasons. Joining Faxon and Henry this week are other local favorites Billy Andrade, Brett Quigley, James Driscoll and Tim Petrovic. Also in the field on a sponsor exemption is Rob Oppenheim, winner of the 2002 Massachusetts Amateur and current money leader on the Canadian Tour.

• Rookie Steven Bowditch of Australia made his first cut of the season at the Reno-Tahoe Open after a season full of intrigue that includes eight missed cuts, four disqualifications and two withdrawals in his previous 14 starts.

• Ernie Els, who has fallen to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Ranking, said last week at Firestone that only now is he feeling close to 100 percent after suffering a knee injury last July that ended his 2005 season. Might need to watch him closely this fall.

TI’s power ranking for the Deutsche Bank Championship: 1. Tiger Woods, 2. Adam Scott, 3. Lucas Glover, 4. Carl Pettersson, 5. Ryan Moore.

Parting shot: “Am I in Ryder Cup mode? You know, I’m always in Ryder Cup mode. That’s me. I wish we could play Ryder Cup every week because I think it brings out my best. It certainly brings out my emotions.” -- U.S. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup standout Chris DiMarco.