The PGA Tour regular season recently came to an end with the Wyndham Championship, where players had their last chance to make the cut-off for the postseason. Players needed to finish in the top 70 in the season-long points standings in order to advance to the three-week playoffs. The tournament was made even more intense after storms washed out the first round, forcing players to play at least 36 holes on Sunday. The Tour playoffs consist of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, BMW Championship, and the Tour Championship, with the top 30 players in the standings competing in the final event starting on August 29.
For those who did not make the top 70, they will likely participate in the Tour’s fall events to improve their standings and maintain their full playing privileges. Notably, some surprising players failed to make the playoffs, including Davis Riley, Andrew Putnam, Lucas Glover, Nicolai Hojgaard, Harry Hall, Brice Garnett, Chris Gotterup, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland, and Tiger Woods. Matt Kuchar, who had made the playoffs every season since the FedEx Cup began in 2007, missed out this year after missing 11 cuts in 19 events.
Rickie Fowler, one of golf’s most popular players, also failed to make the playoffs with only two top 25 finishes in 20 events this year. Webb Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open winner, had a disappointing season with just one top 25 finish in 12 events. Gary Woodland made a return this year after missing time due to a brain tumor, but finished outside the top 150 in the standings. Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner, finished 220th in the standings after playing in just five events. Despite his legendary status in the sport, Woods did not qualify for the postseason this year.
As the playoffs begin, players who missed the cut-off will focus on regrouping and preparing for the upcoming fall events to improve their standings for next season. The PGA Tour playoffs offer an exciting opportunity for players to showcase their skills and compete for prestigious titles. Despite the disappointment of missing out on the postseason, players will use this experience as motivation to come back stronger and more determined in the future.
