Top 70 bubble watch: PGA Tour players currently in (and out) of the FedEx Cup Playoffs

July 31, 2023

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It’s last call for the FedEx Cup Playoffs and a handful of big names on the PGA Tour are lining up for one last shot.

After the conclusion of this week’s Wyndham Championship, the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings will qualify for the first event of the playoffs, the FedEx St. Jude Championship (Aug. 10-13). The top 50 will then advance to the BMW Championship (Aug. 17-20), and the top 30 will ultimately punch their tickets to the season-ending Tour Championship (Aug. 24-27). This year, the total bonus pool for the FedEx Cup Playoffs is a whopping $75 million.

With the regular season coming to a close on Sunday at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, players ranked No. 60 (670) to No. 80 (538) are separated by just 132 points. Each of the last 10 players in and first 10 players out are in the field this week, too.

Cam Davis (No. 69) played his way just inside the top 70 with a T-10 at the 3M Open, same with Lee Hodges, who rose from No. 74 to No. 33 thanks to his win at TPC Twin Cities. Meanwhile, Justin Thomas dropped after his 3M Open missed cut (but more on him to come).

Here are some notable PGA Tour names who are on the outside looking in for the 2023 FedEx Cup Playoffs.

MORE: FedEx Cup Standings

Lowry is a surprise name to see on this list if you take his tournament stats at face value: 17 events, nine top 25s and just three missed cuts.

However, he has just one top 10 this season after logging four the last two seasons. A 10th top 25 would do the former Champion Golfer of the Year wonders if he has postseason plans.

Shane Lowry of Ireland looks on from the 16th hole during Day Three of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 15, 2023, in the United Kingdom. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Thomas has been on the hot seat for the majority of the summer and it’s no surprise to see him outside the bubble. The two-time major champion added the 3M Open late to his schedule and proceeded to drop four spots farther away from the top 70.

This year has by far been the worst of his career, with just three top-10 finishes and performances to forget that ended early at three of the four majors. He hasn’t earned less than seven top 10s in a season over his career and this year is trending to be his first without a top three finish since 2018.

Justin Thomas reacts on the 18th green on Day One of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 20, 2023, in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Scott has been consistent this year with just two missed cuts, but his finishes are considerably lower down the leaderboard than in years past. Just three top 10 and five top-25 finishes has the Aussie less than 100 points out of the top 70.

Adam Scott reacts while walking off the 15th tee during the first round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament. (Photo: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

The struggle has been all too real for Dahmen lately, with six missed cuts over his last seven starts. He’s missed 11 cuts this season and made 15, but seven top 25s and four top 10s at non-designated events won’t cut it for the playoffs.

Joel Dahmen gestures on the 14th green during a practice round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)

The last three years haven’t been great for Woodland, and the move to the top 70 for the playoffs sure didn’t help. He finished 113th in 2021, 79th in 2022 and currently sits 97th this year.

This season he’s only missed five cuts but has just two top 10s over 23 events.

Gary Woodland of the United States looks on from the 4th green during the Pro-Am prior to the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 12, 2023 in United Kingdom. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

A newly-minted Special Temporary Member on the PGA Tour, Bhatia is so close to the playoffs. The 21-year-old rising star who skipped college to turn pro has four top 10s despite the fact he wasn’t a member for the vast majority of the year and recently won the Barracuda Championship after a T-9 the week before at the Barbasol Championship.

Akshay Bhatia holds the trophy after winning the 2023 Barracuda Championship at Tahoe Mountain Club in Truckee, California. (Photo: Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

Two top 10s. Nine missed cuts. Twenty-one events. Horschel has been open and honest about his struggles this season, but there’s no sugarcoating that 2023 has been his worst year on Tour since 2012.

That said, he’s in the field this week for one last attempt before he sets his sights on next season.