How FedExCup Playoffs bubble unfolded Sunday at Wyndham Championship
The Wyndham Championship, held at the water-logged Sedgefield Country Club, concluded with a high-stakes finale, yet the drama didn’t alter the top 70 of the FedExCup standings. Despite a weekend of challenging weather and marathon rounds, the FedExCup Playoffs field remained unchanged, with the same 70 players who were projected to advance holding their positions.
Top 70 Bubble After Wyndham Championship:
1. 65. Brendon Todd
2. 66. Seamus Power
3. 67. Nick Dunlap
4. 68. Jhonattan Vegas
5. 69. Emiliano Grillo
6. 70. Victor Perez
7. 71. Davis Riley
8. 72. Andrew Putnam
9. 73. Kurt Kitayama
10. 74. Luke List
11. 75. Adam Svensson
The Wyndham Championship, originally scheduled to kick off on Thursday, was disrupted by Tropical Storm Debby, forcing the opening round to be postponed until Friday. The tournament then turned into a grueling test, with players completing rounds on an extended Sunday. Some competitors faced the extraordinary challenge of finishing as many as 39 holes in a single day.
Veteran Matt Kuchar, who had previously set the record as the only PGA TOUR player to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs every year since the competition’s inception, saw his streak come to an end. Despite leading the Wyndham Championship after two rounds, Kuchar’s chances of continuing his consecutive Playoffs appearance streak were dashed. He needed a win to advance, but after a challenging third round, he fell out of contention. Kuchar’s final round was cut short; although he hit his drive on the 18th hole, he chose to complete it on Monday morning, which had no impact on the Playoffs standings given his position was already secure outside the top 70.
Victor Perez, who started the week clinging to the 70th spot in the standings, had a particularly nerve-wracking finish. The pressure mounted as Ryo Hisatsune made a strong push up the leaderboard, threatening to displace Perez. Hisatsune, a rookie from Japan, needed a top-two finish to have a chance at breaking into the top 70. Although Hisatsune put up a valiant effort, finishing tied for third after a missed par putt on the 72nd hole, he couldn’t surpass Perez.
The drama of the final day was palpable. Max Greyserman, who started the day leading the tournament, faced a major setback with a quadruple bogey on the par-4 14th hole. Despite the hiccup, he remained in contention and ultimately finished tied with Aaron Rai at 17-under for the lead. However, this did not impact the Playoffs bubble since both Greyserman and Rai were already safe within the top 70.
The situation for Davis Riley, who started the final round as the last player in at 71st place, looked bleak as he struggled to make headway. Riley’s chances of moving into the top 70 were slim as he posted an even-par 70 on Sunday, finishing one shot behind Perez. Riley’s bid to make the Playoffs faltered as Perez made a crucial 5-foot par putt on the 18th hole, securing his spot.
The Wyndham Championship concluded with Aaron Rai as the victor, but for those on the bubble, the outcome was already determined. The top 70 players on the FedExCup standings list advanced to the first of the three Playoff events, the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis. The top 50 after this event will move on to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado. Finally, the top 30 players after the BMW Championship will qualify for the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
As the Wyndham Championship came to a close, the standings were locked in, and the top 70 players began preparing for the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Despite the intense competition and the challenging conditions, the same 70 players who entered the final event of the regular season remained unchanged. The Playoffs were set, and the focus now shifts to the next stage of the FedExCup race.
