Adam Scott goes into the BMW Championship in Pennsylvania starting tonight American time with a job ahead of him.
The Australian has made a determined late-season charge including a near-miss at the PGA Championship but his season will be over unless he performs at Aronimink Golf Club.
Scott’s slow start to the season left him with ground to make up; ranked 48th on the season-long Fedex Cup points list, he needs to contend this week to make sure he is in the top 30 who will contest the Tour Championship in Atlanta later this month.
Using the myriad calculations that decide these things, the PGA Tour has indicated that Queenslander Scott needs to finish outright sixth or better this week to advance to the Tour Championship.
The other three Australians in the BMW field are either safe or close to it.
Marc Leishman (22nd) only needs to stretch his legs; he will progress to Atlanta if he finishes 53rd or better this week and it is a no-cut event. The Victorian is defending the title he won last year.
Jason Day (10th) and Cameron Smith (8th) are both looking to advance their positions and if possible, sneak into the top-five for Atlanta.
Only the top five players in the Tour Championship field are guaranteed of winning the $US10 million Fedex Cup bonus if they win that event. Outside of that, they are dependent on other players’ results.
Brisbane’s Smith has finished third in both the opening two playoff events and has the most momentum going forward. At 25, he is playing some of the best golf of his life and at a career-high 33 in the world rankings.
Day missed the cut in Boston last week and needs to find something.
All of them are chasing Bryson DeChambeau, the quirky American whose two consecutive wins mean that whatever happens this week, he will go to Atlanta with the top points ranking. He is also in the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time.
THE FEDEX CUP TOP 10
1 Bryson DeChambeau
2 Dustin Johnson
3 Justin Rose
4 Tony Finau
5 Justin Thomas
6 Brooks Koepka
7 Bubba Watson
8 CAMERON SMITH (Aus)
9 Phil Mickelson
10 JASON DAY (Aus)