The regular-season finale on the PGA Tour marks the last chance for players to qualify for the postseason
• 5 min read
It all comes down to this, as the 2022 Wyndham Championship this week once again serves as the final event of the PGA Tour regular season. With the top 125 players gaining entry into the FedEx Cup Playoffs next week, rookies, veterans and journeymen alike are in need of strong performances at Sedgefield Country Club in order to secure their place in the field at TPC Southwind for the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
With additional spots opening up due to suspensions, fan-favorite Rickie Fowler has seen his name creep inside the cutoff point as he ranks 123rd in the season-long race. The five-time winner is in need of a solid performance in North Carolina if he is to bounce back from his postseason absence in 2021.
Other veterans narrowly safe for the time being include Stewart Cink (No. 116), Webb Simpson (No. 117) and Lucas Glover (No. 118), all of whom have previous status to rely on regardless of their final landing point in the standings.
Those without the luxury of leaning on their prior play include rookies Austin Smotherman (No. 124), Max McGreevy (No. 125), Justin Lower (No. 128) and Nick Hardy (No. 129). In a year that has featured first-time PGA Tour members contending in major championships and elevated events, the pressure of simply qualifying for the postseason may mirror that typically reserved for golf’s biggest stage.
Let’s take a closer look at this week’s tournament with odds provided via Caesars Sportsbook.
Event Information
Event: Wyndham Championship | Dates: Aug. 4-7
Location: Sedgefield Country Club — Greensboro, North Carolina
Par: 70 | Yardage: 7,131 | Purse: $7,300,000
2022 Wyndham Championship field, odds
- Will Zalatoris (16-1): The reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year has seen his first full season nearly pass without earning his first trip to the winner’s circle. Finishing runner-up at the Farmers Insurance Open, PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, two of which were in the form of playoffs, he now sets his sights on the Wyndham Championship where he will be making his third appearance. The 25-year-old is the rightful favorite, and his return to the state where he played his college golf could be enough to propel him to the first of many victories.
- Shane Lowry (16-1): At one point during the spring, Lowry was playing some of the best golf of his career and a win felt imminent. Squandering a late final-round lead at the Honda Classic, the Irishman captured back-to-back podium finishes at the Masters and the RBC Heritage. He remains without a victory on U.S. soil since the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, but given the way in which he has performed from tee to green in 2022, a cooperative putter could change all that.
- Sungjae Im (16-1): It has been a light season for the PGA Tour’s version of the Iron Man as the Wyndham Championship makes for only his 23rd start. Im is coming off a backdoor runner-up result at the 3M Open and appears to have rediscovered his form after sputtering in his trip to Scotland. The South Korean possesses the perfect skillset to attack Sedgefield CC, as he consistently splits fairways and catch fire with his scoring clubs. After finishing T6 in his tournament debut in 2019, he has since collected finishes of T9 and T24.
- Webb Simpson (18-1): A little-known fact about Simpson is that he named one of his children after this tournament. That was done with good reason, as he captured his first PGA Tour victory at the Wyndham Championship in 2011 and in 12 other appearances has collected nine top-11 results including finishes of T7, T3, 2nd, T2, 3rd since 2017. The former U.S. Open winner comes into the week securely on the FedEx Cup Playoffs bubble, but given his familiarity and history with Sedgefield CC should have no issues making his way into the postseason.
- Billy Horschel (20-1)
- Russell Henley (22-1): It was heartbreak city for Henley in last year’s tournament as he came into the final round with a three-stroke edge over nearest pursuer Tyler McCumber. Four bogeys on his inward half — including one on the 72nd hole — saw Henley not only give up his lead but also miss out entirely on the six-man playoff. He arrives off a T10 finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where he ranked third in strokes gained tee to green and should conceivably contend again this week.
- Corey Conners (25-1)
- Si Woo Kim (28-1)
- Tyrrell Hatton (30-1)
- Joohyung Kim (33-1)
- Denny McCarthy (33-1)
- Kevin Kisner (33-1)
- Adam Scott (35-1): While Henley’s disappointment came in regulation, Scott’s came on the first extra hole as he was unable to convert a 4-foot birdie opportunity to claim the title. The Australian has been picky with his schedule in 2022 but has performed well when he plays. He has missed only two cuts this season and is coming off a scorching final round at Detroit Golf Club where he signed for a 7-under 65.
2022 Wyndham Championship Picks
Who will win the 2022 Wyndham Championship? And which long shots should you back? Visit SportsLine to see the projected 2022 Wyndham Championship leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed eight golf majors.
