This is the final week for players to jump into the FedEx Cup playoffs and begin their journey to East Lake.
This week’s Wyndham Championship offers players one last opportunity to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. The final 125 spots – and the top 125 exempt players for the 2017-18 season – will be determined by Sunday.
There is hope. Since the FedEx Cup playoffs began in 2007, as many as five players have jumped into the playoffs in the final regular-season event. A year ago, two players emerged from outside the top 125 – Kyle Stanley and Shawn Stefani. Two years ago, Davis Love III went from No. 186 to No. 76, the largest move up the standings in playoff history.
This season’s bubble boys are No. 124 Daniel Summerhays and No. 125 Geoff Oglivy, the 2006 U.S. Open winner. Trying to break into the playoffs are Georgia Tech graduate Cameron Tringale at No. 126 and Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, at No. 127.
No player has ever started the Wyndham Championship outside the playoffs and qualified for the Tour Championship. Ernie Els came closest in 2011 when he began at No. 126 and finished 67th.
Three players (Jim Furyk, Jerry Kelly and John Senden) will see their streak of making the playoffs each year come to an end. Furyk and Kelly, who now primarily competes on the Seniors Tour, aren’t in the Wyndham field. Senden is taking a leave of absence to be with his family while his son has treatment for a brain tumor.
The four-week playoff schedule begins next week at The Northern Trust, formerly known as The Barclays. The playoffs conclude with the Tour Championship, Sept. 20-24, at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Perno win Georgia PGA Match Play
Donn Perno, the PGA professional at Peachtree Golf Club, defeated Kyle Owen, the PGA professional at Dunwoody Country Club 1-up in the championship match of the Georgia PGA Match Play Championship contested at Peachtree. Perno won the sixth hole with a birdie and never relinquished the lead. Perno also won the event in 2013.
Owen defeated Georgia Golf Hall of Famer James Mason of Dillard 3 and 1 in the morning semifinal. Perno advanced via forfeit when Wyatt Detmer of Callaway Gardens was unable to play because of a previous commitment.
Claxton wins Georgia Open
Former PGA Tour and Web.com Tour veteran Paul Claxton, now the PGA professional at Hawk’s Point Golf Club in Vidalia, won the Georgia Open at The Ford Plantation. Claxton shot a 13-under 275 and defeated Jimmy Beck of Columbus, Tim O’Neal of Savannah and Dylan Freeman of St. Simons Island by four shots.
The low amateur was Kennesaw State’s Wyatt Larkin, who won the Atlanta Open two weeks earlier, and University of Georgia golfer David Mackey. They tied for fifth at 8 under.
Mitsunaga, Mao reach Round of 32
University of Georgia golfer Rinko Mitsunaga of Roswell and Johns Creek’s Janet Mao, who plays at Northwestern, reached the Round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in San Diego. UGA’s Bailey Tardy of Peachtree Corners and Milton’s Madison Caldwell, who plays at Kennesaw State, advanced to match play but were eliminated in the first round.
