Which Big Names Are In Danger Of Missing The FedExCup Finale?

The second event of the FedExCup Playoffs comes from Bellerive with the BMW Championship.

That follows the FedEx St. Jude Championship, which saw the top 70 in the standings whittled down to the 50 who will tee it up in Missouri.

Following the tournament, another 20 players will see their hopes of becoming the 2026 FedEx Cup champion come to an end, with just 30 heading to East Lake for the all-important Tour Championship.

Thanks to FedEx Cup points already accumulated, some players in the BMW Championship field are already assured of their shot at glory in the Tour Championship, including the top two players in the world, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

However, for others, a big week is ahead, with the battle for a place in the top 30 of the standings coming down to their performance at the event.

Here are some of the big names currently outside the FedEx Cup top 30.

Gary Woodland (31st)

After a traumatic few years that included brain surgery and a PTSD diagnosis, the return to form of the popular American has been one of the most heartwarming stories of 2026.

Woodland, who won April’s Texas Children’s Houston Open, is just one place outside the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings going into the BMW Championship.

That gives him an excellent chance of a first Tour Championship appearance since 2019, but he’ll need to be at least solo 48th at the BMW Championship to keep his hopes alive, and even then, it may not be enough.

Alex Noren (34th)

Alex Noren couldn't have timed his best form of the season any better.

A T7 at the Wyndham Championship set the Swede on his way heading into the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and he secured his place in the BMW Championship in style with a T3 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

That saw him leap from 46th to 34th in the standings, but he needs one more push to reach the Tour Championship.

Specifically, solo 17th is the least Noren needs for his maiden appearance at the East Lake event.

Jake Knapp (35th)

Like Noren, the FedEx St. Jude Championship proved productive for Knapp, whose T7 at TPC Southwind ensured he begins the BMW Championship 35th in the standings.

That leaves work ahead for Knapp's chances of his maiden Tour Championship appearance, though.

The minimum requirement for the 32-year-old at Bellerive is a three-way tie for 16th. Anything lower, and his Playoffs run will end on Sunday.

Robert MacIntyre (36th)

The two-time PGA Tour winner heads to the BMW Championship 36th in the FedEx Cup standings and in need of his best week since a T3 at the Genesis Scottish Open.

The Scot doesn’t necessarily need to do that well to book his spot at East Lake, but the bare minimum he’ll need is a three-way tie for 15th.

He’ll be hoping for a far better start than at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, when he withdrew citing a knee injury following the worst round of his professional career – a 12-over 82.

Aaron Rai (37th)

Right behind MacIntyre in the standings is PGA Champion Aaron Rai.

He fared better than MacIntyre at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, finishing in a tie for 63rd.

However, that didn’t do much for his position in the standings, meaning he’ll need a big performance at Bellerive.

The chances of making just his second Tour Championship appearance rest on a minimum of solo 12th.

Ben Griffin (38th)

Ben Griffin had a brilliant breakout year on the PGA Tour in 2025, winning three times before finishing T10 in his Tour Championship debut.

Griffin hasn’t been as strong in 2026, but a couple of third-place finishes offered reminders of what he is capable of.

The 30-year-old is 38th in the FedEx Cup standings and in need of one of his best performances of the season to reach the final FedEx Cup Playoffs event.

That means solo 11th at the very least, and likely something better.

Sepp Straka (39th)

Four-time PGA Tour winner Straka is 39th in the FedEx Cup standings, meaning he made the BMW Championship field relatively comfortably.

However, like Griffin, Straka’s form this season hasn’t lived up to his exploits in 2025, when he won twice, including at Signature Event the Truist Championship.

The Austrian remains winless in 2026 so far, but he won’t need to break that run to reach the Tour Championship. He will need at least a solo 11th to have a chance, though.

Sungjae Im (40th)

The South Korean came close to winning the FedEx Cup in 2022, only for Rory McIlroy to stage a thrilling six-shot comeback to win it for the third time.

Im hasn't missed the Tour Championship since 2018, but there is work ahead at the BMW Championship to make it eight consecutive East Lake appearances.

To stand a chance, nothing less than solo eighth will do for Im at Bellerive.

Patrick Cantlay (43rd)

The bad news for Patrick Cantlay is it’s now four years since his eighth and most recent PGA Tour win.

The good news is that is came at the BMW Championship, which was the second time he’d won the event.

At 43rd in the standings, Cantlay will need another big week at the BMW Championship if he’s to progress to the Tour Championship for the chance of his second FedEx Cup title.

At the very least, solo seventh is required, although depending on others, even that may not be enough.

Justin Thomas (44th)

Thomas, who won the FedEx Cup nine years ago, is still in with a chance of a repeat of that in 2026… but only just.

The two-time PGA Champion is 44th in the FedEx Cup standings ahead of the BMW Championship.

However, with 14 places to make up just to take the final spot at the Tour Championship, like Cantlay, solo seventh is the very least Thomas needs to stand a chance.

Maverick McNealy (49th)

Helped by two birdies in his last seven holes, McNealy placed T19 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, enough to scramble to 49th in the FedEx Cup standings and take his place in the BMW Championship field.

While that was a heroic effort, he’ll need even more if he’s to make it to the Tour Championship.

In fact, no less than a two-way tie for second will do for McNealy in his bid for his second consecutive Tour Championship appearance.

FedEx Cup Standings (25th To 50th)