FedExCup update: Garcia’s extra effort more than enough

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — As it turned out, Sergio Garcia could’ve made bogey, but he didn’t know that at the time. After a wild 18th hole that saw him twice take free drops, Garcia salvaged a hard-working par for a final-round 69 that left him tied for 12th place at the BMW Championship. More importantly, he moved from 34th to 25th in the FedExCup standings and qualified for the TOUR Championship and a chance at the FedExCup. “I thought I needed to make five,â€� Garcia said of the last hole, where he hit his second shot into the lateral hazard that runs in front of the green, a rocky creek bed with a thin trickle of water. What ensued was a bizarre ruling — Garcia was ruled to be interfered with by the grandstand, and got a free drop within the hazard — that took so long it recalled Jordan Spieth’s misadventures on the driving range at the Open Championship earlier this summer. After twice dropping his ball and watching it carom toward the green, Garcia placed it in the hazard so that he could get a club on it. From there, he was able to stab at his third shot, which hit the grandstand behind the green. He got another drop, and scrambled to salvage a par on the 585-yard hole. “It was one of the goals for the year to get to Atlanta,â€� said Garcia, who at 37 enjoyed a life-changing season that saw him win the Masters in April. His prospects dimmed, though, as he finished well back at The Open and World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational; missed the cut at the PGA Championship; and skipped the FedExCup Playoffs opener, THE NORTHERN TRUST. Garcia tied for 35th at the Dell Technologies Championship two weeks ago and started the week ranked 34th in the FedExCup standings. He was one of four players outside the top-30 bubble who advanced to East Lake; Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were the others. Garcia’s playing partner Phil Mickelson was also hoping to advance, but his eagle try clanked off the flagstick on 18. He made birdie to finish tied for 20th and 34th in the FedExCup standings. “I was feeling bad for the people behind me and for Phil because they were waiting,â€� Garcia said. “But it was an important moment, and I wanted to make sure to … do what was best for me at that time, and obviously within the rules, and that’s what we did.â€� Asked what he was thinking during the lengthy wait on 18, Mickelson said, “I was thinking this is what my playing partners go through most of the time.â€� TOP FIVE WATCH Here are the top five players in the FedExCup standings who will control their own fate at the TOUR Championship, with BMW Championship winner Marc Leishman moving inside the top five, and Hideki Matsuyama moving out. Should any of these five players win at East Lake, he will claim the FedExCup. In addition, there are certain scenario advantages for each player that could lead to a FedExCup title without winning the TOUR Championship. 1. JORDAN SPIETH … Shot a 6-under 65 – his second 65 of the week – to finish tied for seventh at 13 under. Becomes first top seed headed to East Lake without a win in the Playoffs. 2. JORDAN THOMAS … Shot an even-par 71 to finish tied for 47th at 5 under. 3. DUSTIN JOHNSON … Shot a 7-under 64 – his best round of the week – to move into a tie for 33rd at 8 under. 4. MARC LEISHMAN … Completed wire-to-wire with a 4-under 67 to finish at 23 under and win by five strokes. Advancing to East Lake for just the second time in his career; his first time was in 2009. 5. JON RAHM … Shot a 4-under 67 to finish tied for fifth at 15 under. It’s his third consecutive top-5 finish in these FedExCup Playoffs. NOTE: Hideki Matsuyama began the week as No. 4 in the standings but tied for 47th and dropped to seventh. FEDEXCUP TALK Obviously that was kind of my goal today, to maintain the No. 1 position. We’ll go into East Lake really trying to win the golf tournament and trying not to focus on anything else. BUBBLE WATCH Here are the players who moved inside and outside the top 30 that advance to next week’s FedExCup Playoffs finale, the TOUR Championship. ELIMINATED PLAYERS Forty players were officially eliminated from the FedExCup Playoffs following the BMW Championship. Included among those 40 were four past FedExCup champions – defending champ Rory McIlroy, 2014 champ Billy Horschel, 2013 champ Henrik Stenson and 2011 champ Bill Haas. That leaves Jordan Spieth as the only past FedExCup champ in the field at East Lake. Louis Oosthuizen Henrik Stenson Brendan Steele Phil Mickelson Bill Haas Mackenzie Hughes Hudson Swafford Francesco Molinari Charles Howell III Wesley Bryan Billy Horschel Chez Reavie Scott Brown Charl Schwartzel Lucas Glover Kevin Na Cameron Smith Keegan Bradley Bryson DeChambeau Zach Johnson Luke List Ian Poulter Anirban Lahiri Stewart Cink Si Woo Kim Martin Laird Jamie Lovemark Ryan Moore Rory McIlroy Sung Kang Ollie Schniederjans Rafa Cabrera Bello Sean O’Hair Robert Streb Bud Cauley Grayson Murray Emiliano Grillo James Hahn Kevin Tway Danny Lee FEDEXCUP NOTES • Dustin Johnson has qualified for the top 30 in each of the last nine seasons – he’s the only player to have achieved that feat. Phil Mickelson was attempting to match him but shot a 1-under 70 to finish tied for 20th. That left him 34th in the standings after he started the week in 36th. “It’s disappointing, but I like the fact that I’m starting to play well,â€� Mickelson said. … • Justin Rose has top-10 finishes in each of the first three Playoffs events – T-10s at THE NORTHERN TRUST and Dell Technologies Championship, and a tie for fifth at the BMW Championship. That last result moved him from No. 17 to No. 8 in the standings heading to East Lake. “I think it’s been a nice Playoff run,â€� Rose said. “If I can keep trending the way I have, I have a chance.â€� • Tony Finau figured 13 under would be good enough to advance, and he teed off on the par-5 closing hole at 12 under. “Obviously I was nervous out there,â€� Finau said. “I think the tee shot on 18 showed that.â€� Indeed, Finau’s tee shot sailed to the right, but he received a free drop from a temporary immovable object, and he took advantage of the good fortune. He eventually chipped in from just off the green for birdie to get to 13 under and finish tied for seventh. “It’s such a gratifying feeling right now,â€� Finau said … • Patrick Cantlay made the TOUR Championship in just 12 starts this season. It helps that he never missed a cut. He sealed the deal with a tie for ninth at Conway Farms, his fourth top 10 of the season. “I feel like I’m just getting started, just starting to get rolling and getting comfortable playing,â€� Cantlay said. “My game is in good shape and looking forward to Atlanta.â€� … • Things weren’t looking good early for Xander Schauffele, who was 2 over on his round through the first 12 holes. But he fought back to shoot 67 and seal his spot at the TOUR Championship. “I didn’t have to look at a leaderboard,â€� he said. “I knew what I had to do. To be able to pull it off is pretty special.â€�

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