Triumphs, flops and other FedEx Cup points

Tiger Woods

He was awesome thefinal two weeks, hitting fairways and making putts to win the first Cup in arunaway.

Tim Finchem

Complaintsschmomplaints. The commissioner has a big new TV deal, improving playoffratings and a month during which there was talk aplenty about PGA Tourgolf.

Steve Stricker

The 40-year-old Mr.Nice Guy returned from golf oblivion to win the first playoff event, collecttwo more top 10s and finish second overall.

Rory Sabbatini

He made headlinesto the end, saying those who skipped out should be ineligible to win, and heearned a top 10 in each playoff event and was fourth in the finalstandings.

Tim Finchem

He enduredcriticism from all sides, and Mickelson's BMW dis hinted at deeperproblems.

Scott Verplank

The 43-year-oldskipped Boston, basically forfeiting his chances and bringing "what mighthave been" into play.

Phil Mickelson

He was magnificentin beating Woods head-to-head at the Deutsche Bank, but he killed the Cup'smomentum by bailing on the BMW and darkened the mood further by throwing ahissy fit on the way out.

FedEx

Why didn't the Tourbase the seasonlong race on the money list? A Google search for FedEx Cupreturns 1,980,000 responses.

NBC

Johnny Miller &Co. aired the last three weeks, which had enough buzz and star power to keepthe network--even without Sunday afternoon football--in the conversation.

Cash

The players made itclear that if you want to get their attention, you'd better show up with theprize money.

Camilo Villegas

He started 52nd inthe standings, and with finishes of 21st, tie ninth, tie seventh and tie ninthhe climbed to 24th overall.

Tiger Woods

He won the bigannuity but looked petty complaining about fatigue and the wait to claim his$10 million, and by blowing off the first event in the history of theplayoffs. He also lost to Phil Mickelson straight up in Week 2.

East Lake

A late-summer heatwave all but killed the bentgrass greens.

Golf Channel

The Tour's cablehome took a well-deserved beating for airing Friday's round of the TourChampionship on tape delay even though there was live action taking place.

DeferredPayments

Putting themuch-hyped $10 million in an annuity might be good for the Tour'srelationship with Charles Schwab, but the players hate it.

Luke Donald

Donald fell from23rd at the start of the playoffs to 31st at the end of the BMW, making him thehighest-ranked player not to reach the final event.

For David Feherty'sFly on the Ball, go to GOLF.com.

EIGHT PHOTOS

MIKE EHRMANN (WOODS, STRICKER, MICKELSON, VILLEGAS); DAVID WALBERG (FINCHEM); ROBERT BECK (VERPLANK); NBC (LOGO); VINCENT LAFORET (EAST LAKE)