7 Big Names To Miss The Tour Championship
Some of the world’s best players will appear at the FedEx Cup finale, but for some other big names, their challenges ended after the BMW Championship


The conclusion of the BMW Championship saw the number of players in contention for the FedEx Cup drop from 50 to just 30.
Among those who have reached the Tour Championship finale and the chance to claim a first prize of $25m are World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, who won two of this year’s Majors, three-time champion Rory McIlroy and 2023 FedEx Cup winner Viktor Hovland.
However, for some high-profile players, their challenges ended at the Castle Pines Golf Club event. Here are seven of the biggest names to miss out on the Tour Championship.
Brian Harman - 31
Brian Harman narrowly missed out on the Tour Championship
Harman’s career highlight will remain his victory at the 2023 Open for the time being, after he had appeared in reasonable shape to make the field for the East Lake event, only to miss out by the narrowest of margins.
The American began the BMW Championship 29th in the FedEx Cup standings, but he could only finish 25th at the tournament to drop just beneath the cut-off, 29 points behind the man who claimed the final Tour Championship place, Justin Thomas.
Jason Day - 33
Jason Day's T33 at the BMW Championship wasn't enough
Just two places beneath Harman in the FedEx Cup standings is former World No.1 Jason Day after he began the BMW Championship in 25th.
However, a poor opening round of 78 did little to help his cause, and despite a decent recovery with rounds of 69, 71 and 71, he could only manage T33, which wasn’t enough to book his place at East Lake.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
Will Zalatoris - 38
Will Zalatoris did well to reach the BMW Championship after spending much of 2023 out following back surgery
After spending much of 2023 recovering from back surgery, there’s a compelling argument that Zalatoris did well to make it as far as the second of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
He knew he had work to do at the BMW Championship as he occupied 37th in the standings when the tournament began. However, despite a creditable T13, it took him down a place after it only earned him 205 FedEx Cup points when he needed at least 361.
A top-six finish would have been enough, but he fell just three shots short of that target.
Matt Fitzpatrick - 40
Matt Fitzpatrick's effort wasn't helped by a damaged driver
The 2022 US Open champion was a place above Zalatoris in the standings as he arrived in Colorado for the BMW Championship, but he got off to a shaky start with a 74 in the opening round before his form began trending in the right direction.
Rounds of 72 and 71 followed on Friday and Saturday, before Fitzpatrick ran into a problem with his driver on Sunday. He found a crack in the club face, but after consulting with a rules official, the damage wasn’t deemed extensive enough to warrant a replacement.
Despite still needing to complete 10 holes with that issue, Fitzpatrick gave it a good go with a final round of 70, but his finish of T28 fell short of what was required, and he exited the Playoffs 10 places beneath the cut-off for the Tour Championship.
Cameron Young - 44
Cameron Young's final round at the BMW Championship confirmed his FedEx Cup Playoffs exit
Four places beneath Fitzpatrick in the standings is Cameron Young. Like Fitzpatrick, he got off to an indifferent start at the BMW Championship with a round of 75, and though things improved on Friday and Saturday, with efforts of 71 and 69, much of that good work was undone with a 77 in the final round, which included double bogeys at the 15th and 16th.
Max Homa - 46
Max Homa needed a strong BMW Championship, but it didn't materialize
Homa began the BMW Championship 13 places and 159 points adrift of the cut-off. While a top-five finish would have been enough for him to reach the Tour Championship, it didn’t quite happen for the six-time PGA Tour winner as he finished T33, leaving him 46th in the standings.
Nick Dunlap - 49
Nick Dunlap misses out, but it's still been a brilliant year for the rookie
Of all the big names to miss out, it is perhaps Dunlap who can feel most satisfied with his efforts.
After all, he claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory at The American Express before he’d even turned pro, and he proved it wasn’t a fluke with his second win on the circuit at the Barracuda Championship.
Dunlap again impressed at the FedEx St. Jude Championship with a T5, although he needed an even higher finish at the BMW Championship to make the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings. In the end, he finished T31 in Colorado to leave him 49th.
However, for Dunlap, and the other 20 players whose FedEx Cup challenges ended at the BMW Championship, there is the significant consolation of guaranteed places in all eight of next season's prestigious signature events.
Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories.
He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game.
Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course.
Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.
-
How Fast Are The Greens At TPC Sawgrass?
The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass has some of the fastest greens in the game - here are the details
By Mike Hall Published
-
Charley Hull And Georgia Hall Knocked Out Of Sunningdale Foursomes
The LPGA Tour stars fell short against Tom Shadbolt and Ben Evans in the last 16 of the prestigious contest
By Mike Hall Published
-
Big Names Struggle Early On At Players Championship
Viktor Hovland, Max Homa and Justin Thomas all struggled badly in the early stages of the first round at the Players Championship
By Paul Higham Published
-
Did Ken Duke Play The Best Players Championship Round You’ve Forgotten About?
Ken Duke's third round 65 at the 2016 Players Championship was over 10 shots better than the field average and called one of the best rounds of golf ever
By Paul Higham Published
-
How Many Holes In One Have There Been On The 17th Hole At TPC Sawgrass During The Players Championship?
The iconic par 3 17th, which is surrounded by water, measures just 137 yards and, throughout its history, there have been plenty of incredible moments
By Michael Weston Published
-
How To Watch The Players Championship: Live Streams, TV Channels, Schedule For PGA Tour Flagship Event
All the broadcast information for the PGA Tour's flagship event at TPC Sawgrass this week, so you can watch The Players Championship online, on TV, from anywhere.
By Roderick Easdale Published
-
Alejandro Tosti Makes Hole-In-One On TPC Sawgrass 17th... Before Jumping Into The Lake
The PGA Tour pro took a dip in celebrating his hole-in-one during practice for this week's Players Championship
By Elliott Heath Published
-
Creator Classic: Grant Horvat Beats George Bryan And Soly In Playoff To Win At TPC Sawgrass
Grant Horvat birdied the 17th hole in the playoff to beat George Bryan and No Laying Up's Soly
By Elliott Heath Last updated
-
The 'Diabolical' Overhanging Tree Everyone Is Talking About At The Players Championship
After the old one was lost to disease in 2014, a new overhanging oak tree arrived just in front of the sixth tee box at TPC Sawgrass' Stadium Course in 2025
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Brandel Chamblee Claims There Would Be 'Uproar On The PGA Tour' If LIV Golfers Were Allowed To Play Signature Events
The Golf Channel analyst claimed 'it would be wrong' if players from the LIV Golf League were allowed to play Signature Events on the PGA Tour
By Matt Cradock Published