BMW Championship: Who’s in, whose bubble burst in FedEx Cup Playoffs

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Tony Finau wasn’t the only player who came through in the clutch on Monday at the Northern Trust.

In the tournament within the tournament, six players punched their ticket for this week’s BMW Championship, the second leg of the three event FedEx Cup Playoffs and kept their hopes alive to win the $15 million in bonus money awarded to the champion.

While Finau closed in 65 at Liberty National to win the title in a sudden-death playoff, Keith Mitchell birdied the final three holes to jump 38 places to No. 63 and bump Matthew Wolff to the wrong side of the cutline at No. 71.

“I was pretty down on myself in the middle of 15 fairway and to be standing here getting up and down on 15 for par and then birdieing the last three holes to play next week, it took a lot of, I guess just calming my nerves and trying to remember that this is it, I’ve got three holes left to keep playing or I’m going home,” said Mitchell who finished T-8. “I just decided to stick with it and really that putt on 18 just sealed the deal.”

Sweden’s Alex Noren charged with a closing 66 and despite a bogey at the last finished tied for fourth.

“I kind of knew I wasn’t going to win, but a good chance for a good finish, and that’s all I tried to do, moving up to next week,” Noren said.

NORTHERN TRUST: Winner’s bag | Leaderboard | Photos | Money

Tom Hoge closed in 69 and tied for fourth with Noren and Justin Thomas. He started the week at No. 108 and made up the most ground among those who advanced.

“I had no plans as far as what we were going to did after the round here, so you have to play well and make sure you’re moving on,” Hoge said.

Erik van Rooyen had a rollercoaster of a day. He started one stroke out of the lead and was in the trophy hunt until he hit two balls in the water at the par-3 11^th and made quadruple bogey. In one disastrous hole, he tumbled 28 spots in the FedEx Cup standings and could ill afford anymore slip ups. But he bounced back with an eagle at the par-5 13^th and finished seventh.

“I was fighting right the whole day, and then sniped one left on 11, in a place you can’t miss it. That’s disappointing,” he said. “I tried to paddle back after that and make some birdies, obviously knowing that I probably was out of it at that point for winning the tournament, but there’s points on the line to move up.”

Harry Higgs shot 3-under 68 to finish T-16 and secure at least another shot to make it to Atlanta and the Tour Championship.

“I’m no good with numbers, I don’t know how it works but I’m pretty sure if I win next week I will be into Atlanta which is obviously a goal,” he said. “I did figure when I made the turn at even, I kind of thought four birdies on the back nine would be in enough, three would have a very good chance. I guess fortunately made three to just scrape by and get in.”

Harold Varner III at the 2021 Northern Trust at Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, N.ew Jersey. Photo by John Minchillo)/Associated Press

Harold Varner III has been in this position before and came through in 2019, but said it doesn’t make it any easier.

“The nerves are the same,” he said. “I wish they could go away because you’ve done it before but it just hasn’t happened yet. Today was a grind and just hung in there.”

Reigning PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson advanced on the number at 70^th despite missing the cut on Friday. But Irishman Seamus Power wasn’t so lucky. He missed an 11-foot par putt at 18 that would’ve been the difference. The bogey left him in 72^nd place. But Power, who was competing in Monday qualifiers with limited status before winning the Barbasol Championship last month, took it mostly in stride.

“For me there was nothing to lose and only to gain. I didn’t quite gain enough. Just didn’t have my best game and that’s what cost me,” he said. “Bogey at the last disappointing but in a few days I’ll be feeling better about it.”

Six players who entered the week on the right side of the cutline had their bubbles burst (see below) effectively when they missed the cut on Friday.

Now, the new target is to finish in the top 30 to advance to the Tour Championship. But first, the next stop is Baltimore and Caves Valley Golf Club. Asked how he would celebrate with the quick turnaround after a Monday finish, Mitchell said, “Driving to Baltimore in my BMW.”

Players moving into top 70

Players moving out of top 70