FedExCup update: Watson heads eliminations at Liberty National

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Bubba Watson is among a throng of players who are already mathematically eliminated from the FedExCup after missing the cut at THE NORTHERN TRUST.

While the official 70 players who qualify for the BMW Championship won’t be known until the end of play Sunday, a fair chunk of players know their season ended Friday at Liberty National.

Players who started the week outside the top 70 mark to get to Medinah Country Club next week but missed the weekend in New Jersey have no way to make up the ground and, as such, are done for the 2018-19 season.

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Henrik Stenson (85th) and Sam Burns (89th) did not play THE NORTHERN TRUST and, therefore, are already eliminated. Aaron Baddeley (112th) and Chris Stroud (94th) joined them after pulling out during round one with back injuries.

Watson, a 12-time winner on the PGA TOUR, shot rounds of 73-72 at Liberty National. He started the week in the 71st spot on the FedExCup list and, as a result, will miss the TOUR Championship for the second time in the last three seasons.

Joining Watson is Patton Kizzire after the two-time TOUR winner spectacularly imploded late in his second round. Sitting 5-under for the tournament with just three holes left, Kizzire was looking to extend his season, having started the week at 118th. But he finished bogey, triple bogey, bogey to miss the cut by one. His triple bogey was the result of leaving the ball in a bunker twice.

Pat Perez, Jonas Blixt, Kelly Kraft, Nick Taylor, Brian Gay, Peter Malnati, Sepp Straka, Denny McCarthy, Russell Knox, Scott Stallings, K.H. Lee, Sam Ryder, Cameron Tringale, Patrick Rodgers, Brice Garnett, J.J. Spaun, Michael Thompson and Matt Every can all start planning for next season as well.

GARCIA SWEATING THE WEEKEND

Former PLAYERS and Masters champion Sergio Garcia has left his fate in the FedExCup up to others.

Garcia started the week in 65th on the FedExCup list but, with rounds of 73-73, missed the cut at THE NORTHERN TRUST.

As a result, he currently projects to 72nd and out of the field for the BMW Championship. If he fails to make it, it will be just the third time Garcia has failed to make the penultimate Playoffs event (2010, 2018).

Chicago native Kevin Streelman is in the same boat. His return home will be decided by other players.

WEEKEND REDEMPTION

This weekend at Liberty National is the last chance saloon for those outside the top 70 who did make the cut.

Led by first round leader Troy Merritt ,who started the week in 72nd and sits third in the tournament at the halfway stage to project to 31st, several players must put the hammer down over the final 36 holes.

Charley Hoffman, Joaquin Niemann, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Tyrrell Hatton, Brian Stuard, Cameron Smith, Jhonattan Vegas, Russell Henley, Chesson Hadley, Adam Schenk, Brian Harman, Luke List, Branden Grace, Wyndham Clark, Roger Sloan, Bud Cauley, MacKenzie Hughes, Talor Gooch, Kyle Stanley, Nick Watney, Harold Varner III, Ryan Armour, Scott Brown, Danny Willett, Carlos Ortiz, Matt Jones, Martin Laird, Aaron Wise, Andrew Landry and Sebastian Munoz have extended their season at least two more days.

TOP SPOT UP FOR GRABS

Dustin Johnson can not only claim a third career win at THE NORTHERN TRUST this weekend, but he can also take over the top spot in the FedExCup. With 2000 points on offer, and regular season leader Brooks Koepka sitting in the 47th spot at Liberty National, Johnson projects first with a win. Rounds of 63-67 gave the 20-time PGA TOUR winner the lead at 12-under. Jordan Spieth sits in second alone at the halfway point of the tournament. Starting at 69th and on the bubble ,Spieth now projects to ninth. Jon Rahm sits tied third in New Jersey, a result that projects him from 10th to fifth.

BUBBLE MOVEMENT

MOVING IN

MOVING OUT