It was just a couple of weeks ago that Cameron Smith was putting lights-out while securing the Claret Jug in the playing of the 150th Open Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrews in northeastern Scotland. Smith outlasted Cameron Young, Rory McIlroy and a host of other top-notch professional golfers while securing the first major championship of his young career.
Meanwhile, half a world away, the bubble boys, those professional golfers who make a nice living at the game but aren't necessarily household names, were battling it out in Truckee in the first of four final PGA Tour events that conclude the regular season prior to the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs. The British Open was immensely important to the career and development of Cameron Smith. Truckee, last week's tour event in Minneapolis, this week's tourney in Detroit, and the season-concluding shootout in Greensboro, are perhaps even more important than celebrating while drinking out of the Claret Jug. Had Smith come in second at the Old Course, he still would have taken home a boatload of money. For Scott Piercy, James Hahn, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Doug Ghim, Greyson Sigg and others, those four weeks following the sun mean the difference between the big leagues of the PGA Tour and the mini-tour minors.
After next weekend's tour finale in Greensboro, the top 125 on the Fed Ex Cup list advance to the playoffs. The next 75 will move on to the Korn Ferry Tour's final three events in the hope that they can get back on tour. Anyone listed at number 201 and beyond not only lost a lot of money this year in expenses, but also have no real circuit to call home in 2022-23.
Last week was golf's equivalent of heaven and hell at the 3M Championship at TPC-Twin Cities for journeyman Scott Piercy. Ranked 138th on the points list, the 43-year-old rabbit needed some made cuts and decent finishes to move into the top 125. This season Piercy is ranked 150th in driving accuracy, 193rd in greens in regulation, and 137th in putting. Life is tough on the PGA Tour when you can't find the fairways, can't find the greens and can't make putts. Nonetheless with just 11 holes to go Sunday afternoon, Piercy had a five-shot lead at the 3M. His fifth career victory would jump him from 138th to 46th place on tour. However, no five-shot lead is safe in professional golf. It's a recurring story and it was for Scott Piercy.
The story this time around is that Tony Finau moved up the leader board with five 3s posted on his scorecard in a row. Piercy triple-bogeyed the 14th hole, and suddenly Finau was in victory lane. Piercy shot a back-nine 41 to finish tied for fourth place. He jumped to 112th place in the standings and probably needs one more made cut to secure his tour card for 2022-23.
In a similar situation was Chesson Hadley. Ranked 143rd going into the Twin Cities, Chesson still had his silky smooth putting stroke as evidenced by the fact that he was ranked 25th. The problem was that he was 195th in shots gained from tee to green. Yet after 54 holes it looked like he too would secure his card with a good Sunday finish. Alas, Hadley shot a 72 to fall down to a tie for 10th place. He's now in 130th place and there is still work to be done.
James Hahn played golf at Alameda High School and collegiate golf at UC Berkeley. He got his degree in 2003 and left the program the year before Cal won the NCAAs. He subsidized his mini-tour golf by working at jobs such as a shopping mall shoe salesman. He finally made it onto the PGA Tour after a 10-year journey. Along the way he has won twice, but now that he is a 40-something, he's become a bubble boy. A great final round at Kentucky last year was just enough for him to dash past 125th place on tour. With just three weeks to go, James was sitting at 133rd in points. The culprit was putting. He was ranked 192nd on tour.
Hahn hung around the top 20 for three rounds, shot a 34 on the front nine, and looked like he'd need a couple more decent weeks to keep his tour card. And then the evil spirits left his putter. He made six 3s in a row on the back nine, shot 31 for a 65, and joined Piercy in a tie for fourth place. Hahn is now ranked 108th and is probably safe for another year on tour.
Rickie Fowler is a fan favorite but he can no longer get into the majors and he has lost his winning ways. He has five PGA Tour wins, but none in three years. Last week he went into the 3M ranked 129th in points. One solid finish in the next three weeks would be just enough to keep Fowler exempt for 2022-23. He made the cut on Friday but didn't make any sort of a move over the weekend. Rickie finished the week in a tie for 38th place and actually lost ground. He is now 132nd with two weeks left to play. He's ranked 197th in greens in regulation, 171st in scrambling, and 168th in putting this year. I'm amazed he's somehow gotten to 132nd.
Englishman Danny Willett won the Masters five years ago when Jordan Spieth messed up the 12th hole at Augusta on Sunday. Since then Willett has shown his knack for being a one-hit wonder. He is ranked 157th in greens in regulation and 169th in putting. His game has gone south and his five-year exemption for winning the Masters ends next month. He went into the 3M in 153rd place, had a good round on Sunday to jump into a tie for seventh place, and now sits at 137th. He needs another top 10 to stay exempt.
Of course, I'm not so sure that finishing exactly in the top 125 is a concrete line drawn in the sand. Although we're talking about defined numbers, there is still some wiggle room for those above 125th place like Callum Tarren (126), Jason Day (127), Bob Tway (128) and perhaps as many as seven others. Embedded in the PGA Tour rankings of the top 125 are 10 identifiable golfers who are currently playing on the LIV Tour, the Saudi Arabian-backed money grab. For instance, in the Fed Ex Cup standings there are Tailor Gooch (20), Jason Kokrak (41), Matt Jones (62), Hudson Swafford (63), Matthew Wolff (70), Abraham Ancer (80), Carlos Ortiz (100), Brooks Koepka (102), Charles Howell III (106) and Pat Perez (121). Other LIV golfers such as Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na and Patrick Reed are no longer listed because they have already resigned from the PGA Tour. It is assumed that the 10 aforementioned pros will be removed from the list after Greensboro and then the tour will recalibrate the standings. There is still hope out there for a bunch of other bubble boys.
The PGA Tour tees is up at the Rocket Mortgage Classic this weekend at the Donald Ross-designed Detroit Country Club. Someone along the likes of Tony Finau will pick up another career victory. Someone else like James Hahn will have a great tourney and get another year.
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