FedExCup update: Sloan in Playoffs with sights set on trophy at Sedgefield

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Things weren’t exactly looking good for Roger Sloan on Thursday midway through his first round of the Wyndham Championship.

The 34-year-old Canadian had started on the back nine and after a birdie at No. 11, he proceeded to make four bogeys over his next nine holes. It took a pair of birdies on the fifth and eighth holes just to salvage a 1-over 71.

Sloan found his range during the second round, though, shooting 64 on the Donald Ross gem that opened in 1926. And he matched that score of 6 under on Saturday to move into a six-way tie for third, four strokes off the pace being set by Russell Henley.

“I think in the first round I dusted off a few of those jitters and then I was just able to settle in the last few holes on Thursday,” Sloan said. “I really like this golf course. I like a lot of the sightlines off the tee. These greens are so good, you just put the ball online and it's going to go in the hole.

“It's a great track.”

Not only has he put himself in the hunt for his first PGA TOUR victory, Sloan is also on the cusp of making the FedExCup Playoffs for the second time in his career.

Sloan came to Greensboro ranked No. 131 in the FedExCup, needing to finish 19th or higher to move into the top 125. He’s projected inside the magic number at No. 102 through three rounds but it’s clear he’s focused on even more.

“I'll let you guys kind of figure that out,” he told the sportswriters at the flash area when asked about the FedExCup permutations. “As far as I'm concerned, there's a trophy to be won and everything will kind of take care of itself.”

This is Sloan’s fourth appearance at the Wyndham Championship. He’s needed to play his way into the top 125 on two of the three previous trips but was unsuccessful.

This year, though, Sloan arrived with momentum after tying for sixth at the Barracuda Championship last week. It’s his lone top 10 of the season.

NOTES: Justin Rose, who has made the Playoffs every year since its inception, came to Greensboro on the outside looking in, ranked No. 138. He’s in a six-way tie for ninth after shooting 69 on Saturday and is now projected out at No. 126 with one round remaining. … Tyler Duncan, who is tied for ninth at 10 under, is the only player who is projected to move into the top 150 through three rounds. Normally that’s important because it gives a player conditional status for the following season on the PGA TOUR. But Duncan already has his playing privileges locked up by virtue of his win last year at the RSM Classic. … That said Satoshi Kodiara, who missed the cut and has dropped one spot to No. 151, isn’t exempt so he’ll likely be watching what happens on Sunday closely. If he doesn’t finish in the top 150, though, Kodiara will be able to compete in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. … David Lingmerth and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who played together in the third round, remain projected inside the top 200 now, which would also give them access to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Lingmerth moved from No. 205 to 199 in the projections while Aphibarnrat went from 204 to 198.

PROJECTED IN

Roger Sloan (131 to projected 102) – Sloan shot his second straight 64 to move to 11 under and into a tie with Brandon Grace, Kevin Kisner, Kevin Na, Scott Piercy and Rory Sabbatini.

Rory Sabbatini (141 to projected 122) – The 69 that Sabbatini shot on Saturday was his highest of the week, but it was also his grittiest. The Olympic silver medalist only made one bogey during the first two rounds but scrambled to overcome four in the third round.

Scott Piercy (126 to projected 93) – Piercy has hung in there all week. He was tied for second after the first two rounds and Saturday’s 69 kept him in the hunt, four strokes behind Henley.

PROJECTED OUT

Ryan Armour (122 to projected 127) – Armour shot 68 on Friday but he missed the cut by one. He’s projected one shot lower after the third round than he was after the second.

Patrick Rodgers (123 to projected 128) – Rogers rallied with a 67 on Friday but also missed the cut by one. He, too, dropped one more in the projections after the third round.

Bo Hoag (125 to projected 129) – Hoag followed up his 67 with a one-over 71 to miss the cut by a stroke, as well. Like Armour and Rodgers, the bubble boy now does not control his own fate in the FedExCup.