Congratulations to the top 50 players who are still alive in these FedEx Cup Playoffs: you just made a lot of money.
The top 50 was finalized at the conclusion of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis on Sunday, and those 50 pros not only advance to this week’s BMW Championship in Maryland, but they are also guaranteed to be in all of next year’s lucrative Signature Events.
“It’s a grind,” said J.T. Poston, who tied for 22nd Sunday to claim the 50th and final spot. “I’m obviously not in contention to win a golf tournament out there, but it just felt like the same type of nerves. You just know what’s at stake getting into that top 50 and what that does for your year next year, and you’re one good week from making it to East Lake. It’s a big deal making it to the BMW, so hopefully it holds up. But it’s a stressful day for sure.”
Stressful indeed! And it’s only going to get more tense. Now comes the next cutoff, which is for the top 30 players to make it into the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where there’s tons more money to be dished out (and some nice perks to be gained).
But first, here’s a quick recap of the bubble watch from Sunday, which includes the five players who kept their seasons alive by jumping into the top 50 — and the five who fell out of it and are heading home early.
INTO THE FEDEX CUP TOP 50
Kurt Kitayama (52nd to 37th)
What a run for Kitayama, who tied for ninth to not only jump into the top 50 but all the way to 37th to give himself a strong chance of making his first Tour Championship. Even when he won the Arnold Palmer Invitational two years ago, he still came up short and ended his season at the BMW. Now he’s got another shot and is playing well. In his last five starts he’s finished 14th or better four times, and one of those includes his win at the 3M Open.
Bud Cauley (53rd to 46th)
Cauley had just one birdie and one bogey on his card through 16 holes on Sunday, and he was still outside the top 50 after he hit an approach into a green-side bunker on the par-4 17th. But he holed that for an unlikely birdie, and after a par on 18 and T14 finish he was officially in at 46th in the standings. It’s been quite the turnaround for him — a 2018 car crash was followed by a few injury-plagued years, and all of a sudden he’s in all of next season’s Signature Events.
Rickie Fowler (64th to 48th)
Does Rickie get enough credit for the longevity of his career? Perhaps not. He tied for sixth on Sunday to squeak into the BMW with just two spots to spare. He’s had only two top 10s this season but eight top 25s and just three missed cuts.
