Hard to win two in a row? Sure. Except that Dustin Johnson already has won three straight this year – the Genesis, WGC-Mexico, and WGC-Match Play in February and March. So no problem here in picking him in the Dell Technologies Championship a week after he was the choice here and produced a come-from-behind victory in the Northern Trust. Johnson’s dominant play last winter launched him into ranking as no. 1 player in the world. After the famous misstep on the stairway on the eve of the Masters, Johnson went thru a mediocre spring and ramped up his game during the second half of summer before winning for the fourth time this season. In addition to his performance statistics, Johnson ranks fourth in the field this week in fit for the course.

The second event on the FedEx Cup schedule has a new sponsor, going from Deutsche Bankto Dell Technologies. The course remains the same – TPC Boston — as it has been for the entire 15-year lifetime of this event. The top stats in correlation with success at TPC Boston are driving distance and greens in regulation, per the Hawley course fit statistics. The three players ahead of Johnson in course fit are, like Johnson, big hitters — Rickie Fowler, Tony Finau, and Rory McIlroy.

Several among the top players have been playing at an even higher level recently than reflected in their ratings. Tops among these are Paul Casey, Jordan Spieth, and Charley Hoffman. Casey is on a great run, having three top-five finishes and two top-15 finishes in his last five starts going back to the Travelers in late June. Not far behind the three just mentioned are Hideki Matsuyama, Henrik Stenson, and Justin Thomas. Among the not-quite-superstars who have been playing great lately are Kevin Chappell, Ian Poulter, and Jhonattan Vegas.

With Labor Day coming up Monday, this event again is going with a Friday-to-Monday schedule. There is no event the following weekend as the NFL gets started, then the final two events of the season end Sept. 17 and 24.