Englishman Justin Rose came from behind the pack in the FedEx St. Jude Championship today in Memphis, Tennessee, with four birdies on his last five holes to tie J. J. Spaun at 16-under par 264 total to force a sudden death playoff, which Rose won on the 3rd extra hole with a birdie 3 on the 18th hole. It was Rose’s 12th win on the PGA Tour.
But for the leader starting the day, Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, it was another heartbreak finish. He has been runner-up in six PGA Tour tournaments and never won. While still leading starting the back nine hole, he collapsed with two bogies near the end to finish tied for 3rd with Scottie Scheffler, only one stroke behind.
Vying for the Second Stage of FedEx Cup Playoffs
It was an important tournament for several players who were trying to finish in the top 50 in FedEx standings at TPC Southwind today in order to continue into the second stage of three stages for the FedEx Cup. That second stage will be played next week as the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland. The third and final stage of the FedEx Playoffs will be the week after that at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. Players need to finish the BMW Championship in the top 30 in FedEx points to qualify them for the Tour Championship. Its winner is then hailed as the FedEx Cup Champion.
“The Tournament with the Tournament”
So, many pros and fans alike refer to the 1st and 2nd stages of the FedEx Playoffs as “the tournament within the tournament.” And it gets quite dramatic for those involved. For instance, today, Chris Kirk hit his second shot into the water beside the green on the 15th hole to barely miss the top 50 by finishing 51st.
On the other hand, popular Rickie Fowler, who was paired with Kirk today, started the week 64th in FedEx points and shot 69 to finish 48th in standings, moving him into the second stage of the playoffs. Fowler is a regular member of the PGA Tour Bible Study.
Jhonattan Vegas began the week at #56 position in FedEx points. He birdied the 17th hole today to finish 49th in FedEx points, thus qualifying him for the next stage. He said afterwards, “It was a fight. It was one of the hardest rounds of the year.”
J. T. Poston was on the bubble more anyone today. He started the day in 51st position in FedEx points and shot two-under par 68 to finish exactly 50th in points and tied for 22nd in the tournament. For some of these players, finishing in the top 50 in FedEx points today was more important to them that whatever place they finished in the St. Jude
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