When the 2023 Wyndham Championship tees off Thursday, Aug. 3, at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C, expect the event to produce some of the most compelling storylines of the year.
The Wyndham Championship is the 44th and final event of the 2022-2023 PGA Tour regular season. This non-designated event will see a 156-player field competing for the $7.6 million prize purse, before heading to the FedEx Cup playoffs.
What makes this year’s Wyndham Championship so much different from all the other years? The PGA TOUR has reduced the field for its 2023 St.Jude FedExCup playoff opener from 125 players to just 70, making qualifying for the postseason much tougher than in previous years. It will be interesting to see just how the pieces fall into place when the biggest game of musical chairs this season comes to Greensboro N.C.
COURSE
The 18-hole Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina is a private golf course that opened in 1926. Designed by Donald Ross and Kris Spence, Sedgefield Country Club measures 7,130 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 143 and a 75.1 USGA rating.
FIELD
Let’s take a minute to identify who are the players that could find one of the empty seats and the players who could lose their seats this weekend. Obviously, mathematically this could entail a large number of players so let’s just take a look at those names that are currently sitting close to the 70th position on both sides of the fence.
Inside the number
The current players inside the magic number are Hideki Matsuyama #56 (He’s safe), Keith Mitchell #57, Mark Hubbard #58, Matt Kuchar #59, Sam Stevens #60, Aaron Rai #61, Sam Ryder #62, Bo Hossler #63, Steven Yaeger #64, Matt NeSmith #65, Vincent Norrman #66, JJ Spaun #67, Ben Griffin #68, Cam Davis #69 and Austin Eckroat #70.
Matsuyama is safe because he has enough FedEx Points to keep him inside the 70th position already. Which means that the current 1-56 players on the FedExCup Points list are all heading to the St. Jude Championship. The last 14 places are up for grabs with some players outside the 70th position in really good shape to move up. Let’s take a look at those players.
Outside the Number
Here’s what the current players just outside the 70th position need to do to move inside. Ben Taylor #71 needs to finish solo 75th or better, Garrick Higgs #72 needs solo 51st or better, K.H. Lee #73 needs solo 32nd or better, David Lingmerth #74 needs a Two-way tie for 26th or better, and David Thompson needs a solo 25th or better.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE
The remaining more recognizable players will all have a chance to qualify for the FedEx Cup but will have a more difficult road to travel. Shane Lowry #76 two-way tie for 23rd or better, Justin Suh #77 two-way tie for 19th or better, Justin Thomas #79 solo 18th or better, Matt Wallace #80 solo 14th or better, Adam Scott #81 two-way tie for 9th or better, Joel Dahmen #82 solo 9th or better, Gary Woodland #97 two-way tie for 3rd or better, Billy Horschel #116th two-way tie for 2nd or better.
Wyndham Championship: TV Schedule, Times
Thursday, August 4: 2:00-6:00 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Friday, August 5: 2:00-6:00 p.m. ET, Golf Channel
Saturday, August 6: 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; 3:00-6:00 p.m. ET, CBS
Sunday, August 7: 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. ET, Golf Channel; 3:00-6:00 p.m. ET, CBS
On the web: PGATour.com
Leave a Reply