PGA Season Finale at Sedgefield Country Club

This weekend wraps up the regular season for the PGA Tour. While the Wyndham Championship might not mean much to most fans, it can pay huge dividends for young guys trying to break onto the scene. Most fans will be disappointed not seeing the big name superstars they are accustomed to following. Unfortunately, most of them have already secured their place in the postseason.

Even with many players skipping out on this tournament, some well-seasoned veterans will still be in attendance. Aldrich Potgieter is more than likely into the St. Jude already, but having missed ten cuts in nineteen tries is enough for him to want some extra practice. He also can use these points to help make his case for the second round of the playoffs, The BMW Championship. Steven Fisk, Brian Harman, and Jordan Spieth all also fall into this category with similar circumstances.

A player like Jackson Koivun is also probably safe. That is thanks to his recent tear. A win and two top ten finishes in the five tournaments he entered this season has him poised to be next year’s breakout star. He also happened to finish fifth here last year as an amateur.

Some notable players are here because they are not really sure if they are playing the rest of the summer. Keegan Bradley has been making plenty of cuts but has struggled over the weekends. He finds himself in need of some insurance points. Jason Day, although getting up there in age, wants to show that he still has what it takes to compete on Tour as well. Day just earned enough points to crack the Top 70 last week and needs to play this weekend to maintain that position.

Andrew Putnam has a similar situation this week to Day’s. He wants to stay relevant despite his age. In golf, players routinely compete into their late 30s, however, Putnam only has one career win on Tour and cannot afford to let this season slip away fruitlessly.

Then there are the guys on the outside looking in. Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau are two mainstays on the PGA Tour, but they have not delivered the points this season. They both really need a good showing at this final tournament to keep their summers going. As for another veteran, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, two top ten finishes and only three missed cuts in twenty tries has somehow not been enough. He likely needs a miracle.

The Wyndham Championship is not traditionally about the veterans though. The fun part is seeing the young guys come in and secure places as household names. The aforementioned Koivun will be joined by fellow youngsters that need just a little bit more to get over the hump. Jackson Suber is one who sits outside the Top 70, but is certainly in striking distance. Johnny Keefer, on the other hand, is currently in, but still needs a good showing to hold off any surge from the vets.

All-in-all, this tournament should be quite competitive with so much on the line. Plenty of golfers (and fans) will be disappointed to see their seasons close, while others will celebrate “just doing enough,” even if that does not include a win.