2020 Northern Trust: Viewer’s guide, TV times, how to watch

PGA Tour’s top 125 prepare for TPC Boston as quest for $15 million top prize begins with Northern Trust

After Jim Herman’s out-of-nowhere victory Sunday at the Wyndham Championship, the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoffs kick off with the Northern Trust this week at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass.

TPC Boston returns to the PGA Tour course rotation after a brief hiatus when the last Dell Technologies/Deutsche Bank Championship ended in 2018 after a 16-year run. Expect some fireworks as the average winning score over those years was 17 under par.

Defending champion Patrick Reed, who ranks sixth in the FedEx Cup standings, is among the 125-player field. After Sunday’s final round, the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings will qualify for next week’s second of three playoff events, the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club. From there, the top 30 will advance to the season-ending Tour Championship over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta.

The playoffs come at the end of an unprecedented abbreviated season on the PGA Tour as the country grapples with the coronavirus, sports bubbles and fan-free arenas. As is the case since the FedEx Cup debuted in 2007, the winner will become an instant multimillionaire, with $15 million from the $60 million bonus pool.

Tiger Woods, at No. 49 in the standings, returns to action for the first time since he tied for 37th at the PGA Championship two weeks ago. Woods is a two-time winner of the FedEx Cup, in 2007 and 2009.

Brooks Koepka (97), who has struggled with an injured knee and hip, also will play after a week off. PGA champion Collin Morikawa (2) will attempt to build on his first major championship.

Other past Northern Trust winners in the field this week include Webb Simpson (3), Bryson DeChambeau (4), Rory McIlroy (8), Adam Scott (36), Phil Mickelson (67), Rickie Fowler (88) and Charley Hoffman (111).

Once again, the television broadcast will be handled by Golf Channel and CBS. The first and second rounds will be shown by Golf Channel. The weekend rounds will feature early coverage from Golf Channel, with CBS picking up the action in the afternoon.

The Northern Trust TV schedule (times EDT):

Network	Thursday (Round 1)	Friday (Round 2)	Saturday (Round 3)	Sunday (Round 4)
Golf Channel	3-7 p.m.	3-7 p.m.	1-3 p.m.	12:30-2:30 p.m.
CBS			3-6 p.m.	2:306:30 p.m.

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