As the four major golf tournaments conclude, the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship begins Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., offering one last chance for players to boost their FedExCup points. This event is critical because it determines the field for the $100 million FedExCup Playoffs, which include the $20 million FedEx St. Jude Championship next week.
Rickie Fowler’s Position Heading into the Playoffs
Rickie Fowler currently sits at No. 52 on the FedExCup points list, ensuring his participation in the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. However, only the top 50 players will move on to the BMW Championship, and the top 30 will advance to the lucrative Tour Championship, where $60 million is at stake. Thus, Fowler faces strong motivation to move up in the rankings at Sedgefield.
Yeah, I definitely believe there’s some good golf coming up (for me) and it wouldn’t be a bad thing if it happened to be in the next few weeks,
Fowler said Wednesday.
Improved Performance and Health Fueling Fowler’s Climb
At 36 years old, Fowler has steadily improved over recent weeks, moving up the FedExCup points standings with consistent finishes. He tied for 15th at the Truist Classic in May, then followed with a 16th place at the Charles Schwab Challenge, a T-7 finish at the Memorial, 18th at the John Deere Classic, and a shared 14th place at the Open Championship, highlighted by a strong final round of 65.
The California native credits better physical health for this upward trend, allowing him to compete more pain-free than in previous seasons.
Just working on getting the body feeling better,
Fowler explained.
(I’ve) struggled with a few things. Yeah, just been in a better spot and been able to go out and play as much pain-free as we can. But that’s probably been one of the biggest thing(s), just allow myself to go play.
Definitely nice to see some trending in the right direction, some good solid finishes. Yeah, looking forward to hopefully putting together a good little run and finish up the season.
Significance of Breaking into the Top 50
Last year, Fowler finished 101st in the FedExCup standings and missed major tournaments like the Masters and the U.S. Open this season. Making the top 70, and more importantly the top 50, represents a major turnaround for him.
Achieving a top 50 position would secure Fowler not only continued participation in the playoffs but also invitations to all eight signature PGA Tour events next year, each carrying a $20 million purse this season. This milestone could significantly impact his earning potential and competitive opportunities going forward.