FedExCup update: Stuard tries to make up for lost time

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Brian Stuard has not earned a FedExCup point since May 1 when he tied for 42nd at the Mexico Open at Vidante. Not a single solitary point.

It’s not for lack of trying, though. Stuard has played in 11 events since he left Mexico and missed the cut each time. Hence, the sense of urgency this week at the Wyndham Championship.

Stuard, who has played in 33 events this year, entered the FedExCup Regular Season finale ranked No. 137. But he opened with a 65 at Sedgefield Country Club on Thursday to tie for fifth and is now projected No. 124.

“I don't have much to lose,” Stuard said. “I'm kind of not in a real good spot, so just trying to figure out how to play some good golf again and see what happens.”

Thursday was a good start. The round of six birdies and a lone bogey was Stuard’s low round of the season and just the second round in the 60s he’s shot during the forgettable 11-tournament stretch of futility.

“I've been fighting it a little bit, just trying to kind of find my swing,” Stuard said. “Today it worked well. I was able to control my misses better than I have been, I think. Just I wish I knew what the difference was really, but yeah, hope to keep it going.”

Stuard started on the front nine Thursday and made the turn in a tidy 31 that included birdie putts of 4, 9, 6 (after an eagle effort from 46 feet) and 13 feet. He made a 3-footer at the 13th hole, three-putted the next and closed out his scoring with a 2-footer for birdie at No. 15.

“It's tough, for sure,” Stuard said when asked how he maintains confidence. “Then you have kind of a day where you start, like today I started nicely and you kind of get the momentum going, so it doesn't take much to kind of turn the tide. Hopefully, this round was it and I can keep it going.”

A year ago, Alex Smalley played in the Wyndham Championship on a sponsor’s exemption – his last chance to earn enough FedExCup points to make it to the Korn Ferry Tour finals where he ultimately earned his PGA TOUR card.

On Thursday, Smalley teed it up at his home course as a TOUR member and fired a 65 that left him in a nine-way tie for fifth, just four strokes off the lead held by John Huh. Unlike last year, his job for the 2022-23 season is already secure and he’s projected 57th in the FedExCup.

Not bad on a day when he didn’t exactly think he had his best stuff – hitting just 8-of-14 fairways and 11-of-18 greens. Smalley scrambled well, though, and ended up second in Strokes Gained: Around the Green and tied for fifth in Strokes Gained: Putting.

So, did he meet his expectations or exceed them?

“I would say I met them,” Smalley said. “I wasn't super happy with the way I hit the driver today. Didn't play the par 3s great, on the back nine especially. … I made a lot of really good putts today, a lot of six- to 10-footers that I felt like I've kind of been so-so on for the whole season. It was nice to see those go down.”

PLAYOFFS BUBBLE WATCH

Here are the players who were projected to move in and out of the top 125 at the end of Thursday’s first round at Sedgefield Country Club.

PROJECTED IN

Michael Gligic (No. 132, Projected No. 116) Gligic’s 65 matched his low round at Sedgefield, shot in the first round of last year’s event, and it included a 31 on the back nine.

Brian Stuard (No. 137, Projected No. 124) Stuard, who shot 5 under in Thursday’s first round, shot a pair of 65s in last year’s Wyndham Championship on the way to a tie for 15th.

PROJECTED OUT

Rickie Fowler (No. 123, Projected No. 127) Fowler had a rough start and a difficult finish – making double bogey on No. 1 and bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18 – on the way to a 71.

Matt Wallace (No. 124, Projected No. 128) Wallace, who missed the cut in his Wyndham Championship debut last year, also shot 71 with three birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey.

NOTES: John Huh played in the first group off the first tee, went out in 29 and posted a career-low 61 that gave him a two-stroke lead and boosted him 72 spots in the FedExCup to No. 39. “I wasn't really felt great with my game and shoot my career low, it's kind of weird,” Huh said. “Sort of mixed feeling, but I'll take this any day. I was able to take advantage of a good break and good shots, that's all I can say today.” … Aaron Wise has only played once since in the last five weeks, and that was at the Open Championship where he tied for 34th. “That's why I came here, to kind of knock some rust off for the Playoffs and if I find myself in contention, that's even better,” said Wise, is trying to make the TOUR Championship for the first time since his Rookie of the Year season in 2018. He’s on the right track, moving up eight spots in the FedExCup projections to No. 26. … Austin Smotherman, who came in as the bubble boy at No. 125, made a big move in a positive direction with a bogey-free 65 Thursday that left him tied for fifth and projected No. 106. Smotherman, who hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation, said he was glad to finally get golf under way. “Absolutely, yeah, the suspense, the build-up to the first round. You take care of your business,” he said. … Speaking of business, there are three players with a chance to move into the Comcast Business TOUR Top 10 entering the Wyndham Championship – Will Zalatoris, Sungjae Im and Billy Horschel. Of the three, only Im made a move. He’s alone in second at 7 under and projected to move from No. 15 to eighth.