EDISON, N.J. — By the time the seventh threesome of the morning arrived at the tee box for its starting time Thursday at the Barclays, all 94 seats in the grandstand behind the 10th hole at Plainfield Country Club were filled, and an overflow stream of fans spilled down the stairs like an overturned cup of beer, the breakfast drink of choice for a few of the spectators.
The largest crowd of the day had gathered to follow Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Bubba Watson, who occupy the top three spots in the FedEx Cup standings.
The scene was a nightmare for Watson, who is unnerved by large crowds and grows anxious when people are behind him.