CBS Sports golf commentator Jim Nantz spoke with The Post’s Mark Cannizzaro in advance of the Northern Trust, the first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which begins next Thursday at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus.

Q: What were your Tiger Woods takeaways from last week’s PGA Championship, and what do you expect from him at Ridgewood?
A: Tiger can seemingly “will” the ball into the hole. No one in the game can match his grit. More than anything technical or swing-wise, the modern-day player should emulate his effort level and determination to fight for every single shot. He never gives up. That Sunday round in St. Louis was phenomenal. He was off line much of the day. As my partner in the booth, Nick Faldo, said, Tiger’s 64 would have been at least a 74 for anyone else in the field. Having said that, coming off a second-place finish, I’m sure he approaches (the Northern Trust) with the mindset that now is the time to win and break through again.

Q: TV is often criticized for showing too much Tiger and not enough of the other stars in contention. When you’re confronted with that question, how do you explain the strategy?
A: We hear it all the time. I heard it after the PGA. But what did we miss? We showed every single shot that Brooks Koepka struck. All 66 of them. Didn’t miss any significant action on the course by any of the contenders. Look at the huge crowd following Tiger. People want to know what he is doing at all times.

Q: What are your favorite elements to what Koepka brings to the game, despite not being one of the more compelling personalities in the sport?
A: Brooks is a star and he’s not going away. I love his game. And for those who knock his personality, they should try to spend some time away from the press conferences and get to know him. I despise that he is being defined as boring. His game is compelling enough for there to be a massive following for him. He brings as much athleticism to the sport as anyone I’ve ever seen.

Q: Are we getting to the point where Rickie Fowler, who withdrew from Ridgewood with an injury, has to win a major championship, and what do you think has held him back?
A: The Rickie story is misrepresented in my opinion. In golf you have to catch it just right, you may play near your absolute best to win a major. But that week someone else might play a fraction better. Rickie was physically less than 100 percent last week and given that, I thought he did a fantastic job just to be in contention. I’ve never been a fan of the “best player without a major” angle. He’s still young enough (29) and he will be playing this game for at least another 15 years. That’s 60 majors for him. I like his chances to win several.

Q: What player who perhaps has not been in the forefront of contention of late might you expect to make some noise in playoffs?
A: Jordan Spieth. I really believe he’s close. He held the 54-hole lead at the (British) Open. He was on the fringe of contention last week. He’s a great player and will be for many years to come. You can’t keep him down for long. He would be my pick heading to Ridgewood.