Featured Group: Simpson, Johnson, Kuchar Sep. 14, 2011 By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents At each PGA TOUR event this season, a featured pairing will be highlighted prior to the first round. Here is the featured group for Thursday and Friday at the BMW Championship. Webb SIMPSON, Dustin JOHNSON, Matt KUCHAR RD. 1 tee time (No. 10): 11:53 a.m. ET RD. 2 tee time (No. 1): 12:59 p.m. ET Golf Channel LEMONT, Ill. -- Two of them have already won this year during the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. One of them, in fact, has accomplished that feat for the second straight season. The third member of this star-studded group finished second in the FedExCup a year ago and is primed for another shot in 2011. Pretty strong Featured Group to follow in the first two rounds of the BMW Championship, don't you think? Indeed. Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar rank Nos. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, in the FedExCup. They tee off No. 10 at Cog Hill at 10:53 a.m. on Thursday and No. 1 at 11:59 a.m. on Friday. Simpson is the hottest player on TOUR right now. The 26-year-old took over the top spot in the FedExCup standings last week when he beat Chez Reavie with a birdie on the second hole of sudden death at the Deutsche Bank Championship -- capturing his second win in his last three starts. Simpson's breakthrough victory came last month at the Wyndham Championship in the final event of the Regular Season. But it was hardly a shocker -- Simpson had two runner-up finishes already in 2011, including a playoff loss at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In addition, Simpson has finished in the top 25 in all but five of the 22 tournaments he's played this year to lead the PGA TOUR in that category. His 49 rounds in the 60s is also a TOUR best. Simpson has only played the BMW Championship once, tying for 61st in 2009. Based on last year's points, anyone who came to Cog Hill ranked seventh or better could wrest the No. 1 spot away from Simpson with a win this week at Cog Hill. But the past Wake Forest All-American likely will fall no further than third, which means he'll control his destiny at East Lake next week and can win the $10 million bonus with a victory at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola. "At the end of the day, we want to win golf tournaments, but when $10 million is at stake, you can't not think about that," Simpson said. "Part of me is kind of happy this week isn't determining who's going to win because you get one more week to focus on the golf. I know in Atlanta it'll be a lot more focus I'm sure on the $10 million. Still the goal remains you want to be in the top five position going into East Lake." Johnson is actually defending his title at the BMW Championship after beating Paul Casey by one shot a year ago. That victory, which was his second of the season, propelled Johnson to second in the FedExCup entering the TOUR Championship. He went on to tie for 22nd at East Lake and finish fifth there. According to last year's points, Johnson can drop no farther than sixth in the FedExCup this week. The South Carolinian briefly held the top spot when he beat Kuchar by two strokes three weeks ago at The Barclays, which was shortened to 54 holes by Hurricane Irene. Kuchar, who was bidding to successfully defend his title at The Barclays, has been a top-10 machine over the last 21 months -- and that consistency was rewarded with his runner-up finish in the FedExCup last season. He has 20 top-10 finishes in 47 starts over the last two years, including nine in 2011. Kuchar's worst possible position entering the TOUR Championship next week is eighth, based on last year's points. He hasn't ranked outside the top 30 at any point over the last two years -- the only player on TOUR who can say that this year and one of just seven with that distinction in 2011.