Cameron Smith and Jason Day are legitimate chances to win the FedEx Cup, Marc Leishman needs a miracle after just sneaking in while Adam Scott will have to wait another 12 months until he can return to the US PGA Tour’s Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club.
That was the fallout after Keegan Bradley’s playoff win over Justin Rose at a rain-delayed BMW Championship at Aronimink Golf Club and the top-30 to compete in the final event of the season determined.
Entering the week in 48th position in the FedEx Cup standings, Scott was in need of a high finish in order to secure a return to East Lake, but an opening round of 74 had him on the back foot from the outset. Rounds of 68-66-68 were a positive way to end the week yet it wasn’t enough to advance his position, his tie for 51st seeing him drop three places to 51st in the final FedEx Cup standings.
Leishman could very easily have also fallen out of the Tour Championship field had he not launched a late rescue mission in his final round. Ranked 22nd in the FedEx Cup at the start of the week, Leishman was two-over on his round after consecutive bogeys at the 11th and 12th holes – his second and third of the day – but made birdie at 13, 16 and 18 to turn in one-under. A birdie at the fourth hole was countered by a bogey at the par-3 fifth but a 12-foot putt for birdie at the par-5 ninth and a final round of 68 elevated him into a tie for 41st and 29th position in the FedEx Cup.
While Leishman’s chances of winning the $US10 million FedEx Cup prize purse would require points leader Bryson DeChambeau to finish 28th or worse among a raft of scenarios, the equation is slightly easier for Smith and Day.
Tied for 65th at the BMW Championship after his blistering start to the FedEx Cup Playoff events, Smith heads to East Lake in 10th position in the standings. In order to claim the overall title, he would not only have to win the Tour Championship but have those currently in the top-five all finish fourth or worse in order to overtake them.
The scenario is similar for 12th-ranked Day, who would need to win and then hope DeChambeau finishes in a three-way tie for sixth or worse, No.2 Justin Rose finish fourth or worse and the remainder of the top-five finish third or worse to win the overall points race.
In position to contend at Aronimink on the back of a second-round 64 that featured six birdies and no blemishes on his card, Day began the final round tied for 15th but three bogeys in his opening eight holes made his Monday assignment a difficult one. Birdies at the ninth, 12th and 16th holes saw the Queenslander get back to even-par for his round, dropping nine places to finish in a tie for 24th.
Regardless of what happens this week there will be a sizeable payday waiting for the three Australians.
Making his first appearance at the Tour Championship, if Smith were to maintain his position in 10th he would collect a FedEx Cup bonus cheque for $US500,000, 12th would net Day an additional $US290,000 while 29th would be good enough for Leishman to pocket an extra $US180,000.
Qualifying for the Tour Championship also comes with a guaranteed invitation to all four Majors in 2019.
