Local Knowledge: Cog Hill and the BMW Championship

The FedExCup Playoffs are in full swing on the PGA Tour. This week's stop? A much-anticipated return after a one-year hiatus to the newly renovated Dubsdread course at Cog Hill Golf and Country Club for the third leg of the playoffs, the BMW Championship. Cog Hill Director of Instruction Kevin Weeks took a few minutes from his busy schedule to tell us about the excitement, the course changes and a particular player who he thinks could rise to the top.

PGA.com: It's been a couple of years since the PGA Tour last played an event at Cog Hill. Tell me a little about the excitement that comes with having the world's best players return.

Weeks: The excitement level is amazing. People are extremely excited. There's a buzz like I can't remember in years past, especially considering there's a new course [redesigned].

Tiger Woods returns to Cog Hill this week, a venue where he has four career wins. (Rogash/Getty Images)

PGA.com: Tiger Woods will be playing this week. He's a four-time winner at Cog Hill over the years. What is it about the course, in your opinion, that suits his game so well?

Weeks: He says he suits his eye. It's no secret he's the best in the world. When you play on a course that suits the eye of the best player in the world, you're in trouble. Cog Hill has always rewarded a good shot.

PGA.com: While the course has certainly fit Tiger's eye in previous years, I understand a lot of changes have been made since the players last saw the course. Can you tell us about a few of those changes?

Weeks: There are many significant changes this time around. Two that really stand out for me are the seventh hole and the 18th hole. At No. 7, it used to be a driver over bunkers and a little flip wedge to the green. We took out the bunkers and trees and added a lake that takes a 300-yard-plus drive to clear. It's certainly a tougher driving area now.

We've lengthened many holes, but on No. 18 in particular, we dropped the green down closer to the water. Before, players could miss left and the ball would hang up. No if you miss left, it'll most likely go in the water.

PGA.com: Chicago has always been an incredible hotbed for golf. How difficult was it for the community to not host a Tour event last year?

Weeks: It was tough. When you have a tournament in the same place forever like you had here, you eventually start to somewhat take it for granted. Last year, we didn't have a Tour event. In fact, our only professional golf tournament in the area was a Nationwide Tour event. It's safe to say that since the PGA Tour is back this week, there's much more buzz and excitement than in years past. I like to stay away from clichés, but in this case it's definitely an instance of absence making the heart grow fonder.

PGA.com: Final question. So far in the playoffs, we've had two champions who couldn't have been bigger opposites in terms of the standings. Heath Slocum won the Barclays as the next-to-last man in the field at 124. Steve Stricker won last week at the Deutsche Bank Championship ranked No. 2 in the standings when the week started. With a field of 70 at Cog Hill this week, the cream is certainly rising. Do you think we'll have a surprise winner because the course changes level the playing field? Or, do you think we're more likely to see one of the old Cog Hill usual suspects hoisting the trophy on Sunday?

Weeks: I've been getting this question a lot lately. I think it'll be the top guy, Tiger Woods. For him, it's been a while since he won, so he's due. He's starting to play good, as we saw in that final-round 63 at Deutsche Bank. All these guys are good, but I look for Tiger to do something special here. I don't know why, I just think he'll do it this week.