As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, the PGA Tour season enters its final stretch. But while the days may be getting shorter, the stakes for the golfers are only getting higher. With just a handful of events remaining, every shot, every round, and every tournament takes on added significance as players jockey for position and fight to secure their playing privileges for the upcoming year.
The Race for the Top 125
At the heart of this end-of-season drama is the battle to finish inside the top 125 on the FedEx Cup points list. For those who achieve this milestone, it means full playing privileges on the PGA Tour for the following season, as well as a coveted spot in the field at flagship events like The Players Championship. But for those who fall short, it can mean a trip back to the Korn Ferry Tour or a reliance on sponsor’s exemptions to get into tournaments.
This week, that battle shifts to Japan and the Zozo Championship, where a tightly bunched field will look to make a late-season surge up the standings. Among those feeling the pressure are players like Kevin Tway and Joel Dahmen, who enter the week just outside the top 125 bubble.
“For some guys that are here this week, I mean, it’s a matter of keeping their job or not,” said defending Zozo champion Collin Morikawa. “With such a small field, it’s an opportunity for some of these guys to make a big leap because they’re going to be able to play four rounds, they’re going to be getting points. This is a big tournament.”
Indeed, with only 78 players in the field and no 36-hole cut, the Zozo presents a golden opportunity for those needing to make up ground. A high finish could provide the boost needed to vault into the top 125 and secure a tour card for next year.
Notable Names on the Bubble
Among the notable names currently outside the top 125 who are in the Zozo field:
- Daniel Berger – The four-time PGA Tour winner is making a comeback after being sidelined by a back injury for much of the season. He enters the week at No. 128 in the standings.
- Gary Woodland – The 2019 U.S. Open champion underwent brain surgery in September 2023 and has been trying to find his form since returning. He’s currently 137th in points.
- Joel Dahmen – Dahmen was hit with a bizarre four-stroke penalty at last week’s Shriners Children’s Open for having an extra club in his bag. The infraction knocked him to 129th in the standings.
Also feeling the heat are players currently ranked Nos. 120-125 who will be looking to add to their point totals and solidify their positions over the final events of the season. Any slipups could prove costly.
Fall Stars Returning to Action
While much of the focus will be on the bubble boys, the Zozo Championship also features the return of several standout performers from the early portion of the PGA Tour’s fall schedule.
Max Homa, who won the season-opening Fortinet Championship for his fourth career tour title, is back in action after a few weeks off. Homa has been busy during the break, including serving as a guest picker on ESPN’s College GameDay during a visit to his alma mater, the University of California.
“It’s definitely been a chaotic few weeks, especially the last week getting ready for this,” Homa said of shaking off the rust in Japan. “But we got here Sunday and I was happy to have Monday through Wednesday to get some work in and spend a bunch of time on the course.”
Rickie Fowler, who held the 54-hole lead at the Zozo a year ago before fading to a tie for fourth, is also back in the field. Fowler finished third at the CJ Cup in his lone start of the fall and is looking to build on that momentum as he eyes a return to the winner’s circle for the first time in over three years.
The Defining Stretch
After leaving Japan, the PGA Tour will head to Bermuda for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship before wrapping up the fall schedule at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Mexico and the RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club on the Georgia coast.
At the conclusion of the RSM Classic, the final FedEx Cup points standings for the calendar year will be set, and PGA Tour cards for the following season will be allocated accordingly. It’s a pressure-packed stretch that will define the professional fates of dozens of players.
So as the PGA Tour season winds down, the intensity is ratcheting up. Jobs are on the line, as are spots in the field at big-money, high-profile tournaments. For those on the bubble, every shot takes on added meaning. The next few weeks will be a rollercoaster ride of emotion, with triumph and heartbreak doled out in equal measure against a backdrop of some of the world’s most scenic golf locales.
In the end, golf is an individual pursuit. But in these defining moments, even the most self-reliant of players can feel the weight of the season bearing down. With so much at stake, who will rise to the occasion and who will buckle under the pressure? The answers will define careers, as the 2024 PGA Tour season builds to its dramatic finish.
