FedEx Cup bubble watch: Who’s in danger of missing the playoffs?

The PGA Tour regular season concludes this week with the Wyndham Championship, marking the end of a pivotal chapter in professional golf. For only the second time since the inception of the FedEx Cup playoff format, just 70 players will advance from the regular season to next week’s FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis. While players’ Tour cards are secure, the stakes remain high with a $100 million FedEx Cup bonus pool motivating every competitor to secure their spot in the postseason.

Last year, Justin Thomas narrowly missed out on the playoffs after enduring his toughest season as a PGA Tour member, a dramatic reminder of golf’s inherent uncertainty—even for its most prominent stars.

This year, Jordan Spieth, Thomas’ close friend, finds himself in Greensboro aiming to improve his current standing. Ranked 63rd in the FedEx Cup standings, Spieth is a lock for the playoffs but far from where he envisioned himself at the start of the year. With the bottom 20 players being eliminated after the St. Jude Invitational—a group that could include Spieth—he’ll need a strong performance at the Wyndham to boost his ranking.

“Whether it’s the Playoffs or people making moves for eligibility, there’s a lot at stake at this event,” Spieth remarked on Tuesday. “My goal this week is to move up as far as I can in the FedExCup and head into the Playoffs on a high note.”

Spieth also reflected on Thomas’ situation last year, acknowledging the unique drama the end of the season brings. “There’s going to be a tournament to win, but you almost get double the excitement with guys making the playoffs and others trying to secure their spots for next year,” he added.

With these pressures in mind, here are some of the key players fighting for their 2024 playoff lives this week:

### 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs Bubble

#### Near the Bubble but Locked into the FedEx St. Jude Championship
– **No. 60 Peter Malnati**
– **No. 61 Ben Griffin**
– **No. 62 Min Woo Lee**
– **No. 63 Jordan Spieth**

#### On the Bubble
– **No. 66 Nick Dunlap:** A two-time PGA Tour winner this season, Dunlap could still miss the playoffs if events don’t go his way. His first win, as an amateur, didn’t award him any FedEx Cup points. His second win in Tahoe last month, his first as a professional, lifted him into playoff contention. With a small buffer between him and 71st place, he should make it to Memphis.

– **No. 67 Jhonattan Vegas:** Vegas ended a seven-year winless streak last month at the 3M Open, positioning himself well for a playoff spot after missing out last year.

– **No. 70 Brendon Todd:** Todd enters this week as the bubble boy. After a season marked by consistency rather than standout performances, Todd likely needs more than just a weekend appearance at the Wyndham to secure his place in Memphis.

– **No. 71 Victor Perez:** Perez is the first man out of the playoffs entering this week. After a strong showing at the Paris Olympics and a T4 finish, he needs another top-10 finish to secure his postseason spot in his first year as a PGA Tour member.

– **No. 72 Davis Riley:** Riley secured his first individual PGA Tour win this season at the John Deere Classic, but with that being his only top-10 finish, he needs a strong showing this week to guarantee his playoff spot.

– **No. 74 Kurt Kitayama:** After a stellar 2023 season, Kitayama’s form has dipped this year. He needs a solid performance in Greensboro to ensure he’s in the 2025 Signature Events.

#### On the Outside Looking In
– **No. 76 Lucas Glover:** Last year, Glover won the Wyndham Championship to jump from 112th to the playoffs, where he won again the following week. This year, he hasn’t recorded a top-10 finish and has missed four of his last six cuts.

– **No. 79 Keith Mitchell:** Known for his driving, Mitchell has had an inconsistent season with three top-10s but also six missed cuts. He needs a strong finish to maintain his perfect playoff record.

– **No. 80 Nicolai Hojgaard:** Hojgaard impressed on the international stage but has struggled on the PGA Tour, needing a top-10 finish this week to make the playoffs.

– **No. 86 Charley Hoffman:** Hoffman’s runner-up finish at the WM Phoenix Open was a highlight, but he needs a win this week to have any chance at the playoffs.

#### Longshots
– **No. 104 Rickie Fowler:** Fowler’s 2024 season has been a disappointment, and with no top-10 finishes, his regular season is over as he declined to enter the Wyndham Championship.

– **No. 113 Matt Kuchar:** Kuchar is in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in the FedEx Cup era. He needs a victory to extend his streak.

– **No. 117 Joel Dahmen:** Like Kuchar, Dahmen needs a win this week, but with three consecutive missed cuts, his prospects are dim.