England to build on their winter series win in South Africa

The stakes are high at the Wyndham Championship, which begins Thursday at the Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., and only part of it has to do with the $1 million winners share of the $5.6 million purse.Just as important are the 500 FedExCup points on the line, and viewing promises to be dramatic as players vie for coveted positioning in the final event before the first leg of the playoffs at The Barclays next week. The top 125 players in the FexExCup Standings will earn spots into The Barclays, which is why all but three players ranked 100-150 are in the field this week.Sitting on the magic number is South Korean Whee Kim at No. 125, but even that spot might not be good enough at the end of the week. Rookie Jon Rahm is in the field playing on conditional status and should the impressive former amateur star win this week, he would automatically convert to official FedExCup status and qualify for The Barclays.The Top 120 players in the FedExCup standings are likely to earn a spot in the first leg of the playoffs with a top-125 finish this week, with all players below them needing strong showings to improve their positions. For example, Camilo Villegas, who skipped the Olympic Games to try to improve his FedExCup standing, enters the week at No. 150 and may need a top-five finish to earn enough points to play next week. The good news? Villegas won the event in 2014 with a final-round 63 and has made the cut in all five appearances.It all equates to high drama over the weekend as every drive, chip and putt could dramatically affect those hovering around the bubble -- and determine whether their season ends this week.Advice for those who want to secure their playoff spots? Go low.Davis Love III, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain who is not in the field this week, won the Wyndham for the third time last year at 19-under, with all finishers in the top nine posting four rounds in the 60. Sedgefield has played as the easiest par 70 on the PGA Tour each of the past two seasons.Ryan Moore, who is coming off a victory at the John Deere Classic last week, posted four rounds in the 60s to finish in a tie for 10th in last years Wyndham -- along with Tiger Woods, who was making a last-ditch attempt to make the playoffs.I like this golf course a lot, said Moore, who won the event in 2009 in a three-way playoff against Jason Bohn and Kevin Stadler. I think its a great course, a lot of character. Youve got to hit a lot of different shots off the tees, into the greens, a lot of different clubs. I enjoy golf courses like that. Its not just get up, hit a driver as far as you can, try and hit a mid-iron and long iron into every single hole. Theres lots of different types of holes out here and thats kind of fun, interesting golf.Moore moved up to No. 23 in the FedExCup standings with last weeks victory. Also comfortably in the field for the Barclays is Tour rookie Harold Varner III, who is 79th. And as a North Carolina native, Varner III is another big fan of Sedgefield. This is his first entry into the Wyndham, although Varner III has played the course many times, and his parents and some teammates from East Carolina will travel to watch the tournament this week.Just real excited, he said. I love playing at home. Just ready to get going. Took the last two weeks off, just been itching to get back.It should be a good time.There are several former winners at Sedgefield, including Brandt Snedeker, who enters No. 6 in the FedExCup standings, making him the highest-ranked player in the standings in the field this week. Other former winners include Carl Pettersson, Arjun Atwal and Webb Simpson, who earned his first Tour victory at Sedgefield in 2011. He and wife, Dowd, named their third child Wyndham in 2014. Simpson has broken par in 19 of his past 24 rounds at the event, posting a win along with three more top-10s.I love coming here, he said. I said to some people last night, living in Charlotte, Quail Hollow is kind of a home tournament as well, but this is a lot closer to home to Raleigh for me. It feels like my home event.I love this golf course. We dont play enough courses on Tour, I dont think, that are as good as this in terms of playability. I feel like, no matter how far you hit it off the tee or what your skills are, everybody is really equal starting the week.Other top names in the field this week include Patrick Reed (No. 8 in FedExCup points), Justin Thomas (No. 9), Kevin Na (No. 10) and Kevin Kisner (No. 11).But the real focus is on those on the bubble -- with former Tour winners Scott Stallings and Kyle Stanley currently sitting at No. 126 and 127. Top 125 not only means a spot in the playoffs, but a Tour card for the 2016-17 season. Those from 126-150 will have conditional status with limited starts -- or choice where those opportunities come. Below that? Its back to the Web.com Tour.Every player from No. 114-135 is in the field. And there is certainly hope. Love III vaulted from No. 186 to 76th with last years victory. In all, five players secured their playoff berth at the Wyndham last year. Among them?One Camilo Villegas.Its a special place for me, Villegas told PGATour.com of Sedgefield. A lot of great people there, and great memories obviously of 2014. It hasnt been the best year. I need to step it up. Custom Calgary Flames Jerseys . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Wholesale Flames Jerseys . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. https://www.cheapflames.com/ . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. Cheap Flames Jerseys . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Flames Jerseys 2021 . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services.James Anderson has urged England to build on their winter series win in South Africa when Test action resumes this summer. England won the four-Test series 2-1 to move to fifth in the ICC Test world rankings.The national sides next two assignments see them play Sri Lanka and Pakistan, and Anderson - who is scheduled to play the first three games of the county championship season for Lancashire - says it is vital England build on their winter success. Our Test form has been a bit inconsistent so it was nice to get a series win out in South Africa against the number one team in the world, he told Sky Sports News HQ. This summer its important for us not to rest on the success of that tour, weve got to keep improving. James Anderson This summer its important for us not to rest on the success of that tour, weve got to keep improving.Weve got two strong Test teams in Sri Lanka and Pakistan coming up and we need to keep improving and get some good results against them.Andersons presence in the Lancasshire squad for their first three fixtures has been described as a massive boost to the team by captain Steven Croft, and the seamer is happy to be on board for an extended period of time.ddddddddddddIt can be difficult coming in just for the odd game so its going to be nice to be around the squad for a little bit and to feel like a full member of the squad, Anderson said. Im really looking forward to the first few games and hopefully we can get off to a good start.Since we won the County Championship in 2011 our four-day form has been a bit inconsistent and weve been up and down.So weve got to try to stay in division one for a few years and set a foundation to build on.Anderson will turn 34 this summer but he is keen to play on for as long as he is physically possible.The way I feel at the moment I feel fit and fresh and Ill try to stay on the park for as long as possible, he said.Ive just got to keep taking wickets and as long as Im doing that Ill keep playing as long as my body allows. Also See: WATCH: Monday Night Cricket ODI series: Key moments WATCH: Roy in the nets England fixtures/results ' ' '