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6 reasons to watch the remainder of the PGA Tour season

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As another major season passes by, it's time to take a look at the remainder of the PGA Tour schedule. While no marquee events are left, there is still plenty to look forward to with five weeks of golf still to be played.

In no particular order, here are six reasons to continue to watch the PGA Tour.

1. The playoffs

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The FedEx Cup playoffs are far less prestigious than major championships - despite what the PGA Tour may want you to believe - but the fields in both series of events are loaded and worth watching.

The 2019 edition will be different than seasons past. The Tour cut the playoffs from four events to three, making it an even quicker sprint to the finish in an attempt to qualify for the Tour Championship.

2. Presidents Cup race

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While the Ryder Cup is by far the more competitive of the team-format exhibition competitions, the race for this year's American Presidents Cup team is as intriguing as ever.

With stalwarts Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth having down years, the decisions facing captain Tiger Woods will be both difficult and interesting. Will he pick himself as a playing captain? Can Mickelson keep his streak of playing in every team event since 1995 alive? Will the struggling Spieth be left at home?

The first eight spots are granted at the conclusion of the Tour Championship.

3. Chase for top 125

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With only two weeks remaining on the schedule, it's crunch time for the fringe players on the FedEx Cup points list. Those who qualify for The Northern Trust also lock up a Tour card for next year. Whoever fails to make the playoff's first event, barring they do not have exempt status on the PGA Tour from other methods, will be forced to fight for conditional status in 2019-20 during the newly named Korn Ferry Tour playoffs.

For obvious reasons, the PGA Tour tends to focus on their marketable stars. However, the majority of players competing each week are playing for their livelihoods, with notable names Daniel Berger, Jason Dufner, and Zach Johnson currently sitting on the outside of the top 125 looking in.

4. Monitoring Tiger's health

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Tiger didn't look like the Masters-winning version of himself at Royal Portrush last week. The cold and wet conditions did no favors for his nagging back issues, but those weather conditions won't be a problem for the remainder of the year as the PGA Tour returns stateside.

For now, cold weather appears to be the root of his health issues. But as the next month or so rolls along, there will be greater cause for concern if Tiger begins withdrawing from FedEx Cup playoff events.

5. New-look Tour Championship

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In order to avoid the awkwardness of having a different FedEx Cup champion and winner of the Tour Championship, the PGA Tour overhauled the format to ensure only one player goes home with the trophies on the season's final Sunday.

Now, the No. 1 seed on the points list heading into East Lake will start the tournament at 10-under. The second seed will start at 8-under, third at 7-under, and so on until Nos. 26-to-30 start at even par. This staggered start simplifies the awards ceremony but complicates who actually can be considered the winner of the tournament.

Regardless of how it plays out, the Tour Championship will be interesting to watch, and the event's success will ultimately be decided by how the players receive the tournament.

6. Will Koepka care?

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Koepka continued to take the stance that he doesn't actually care about regular PGA Tour events, saying he only practices before majors. Does the fact he's in the heart of a FedEx Cup race change anything?

In a similar scenario last season, he didn't record a top-five finish in four playoff events after winning his first PGA Championship. Koepka came T-26 in the 30-man field at last year's Tour Championship. Time will tell if he's changed his tune on caring about the $10-million grand prize.

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