Justin Thomas Keeps FedEx Playoff Hopes Alive After Five-Under Second Round

Justin Thomas's hopes of making it into the FedEx Cup playoffs are still alive, with the American carding an excellent second round of 65 to sit just outside the top 20 at the Wyndham Championship.

On Thursday, Thomas produced a level-par round which put him in a tie for 68th place. However, on Friday, the 30-year-old made seven birdies and two bogeys as he jumped 47 spots up the leaderboard, with Thomas needing another decent weekend if he is to make it inside the magical top 70 of the FedEx Cup standings.

"I played really, really well today. I was super patient, felt like I just hung in there," explained Thomas, who is sat at five-under for the tournament, seven shots back of leader, Russell Henley.

"I keep believing good stuff's going to happen and it just hasn't really. I mean, like I said at the beginning of the week, I feel like I'm very close to playing some unbelievable golf, some great golf. It was nice to have a good day today to put ourselves in a good spot going into the weekend and see what we can do."

Carding four birdies and two bogeys on his front nine, Thomas was bang on the two-under cutline with his back nine left to play at Sedgefield Country Club. Thankfully, for the 15-time PGA Tour winner, he was able to find birdies at the 12th, 15th and 16th to make the weekend, something which the American needed to do "very badly."

Speaking after his day, and asked how important it was to make the cut, Thomas added: "Literally, very badly, I mean, if I wanted any chance at what I want to do the rest of the year. You know, it is what it is. I was going to give it the best I had and shoot as low as I could whether that was 65 or 75 today. Fortunately for me it was a 65. I'm just going to go do the best I can and just give it everything I have this weekend because I don't have much to lose."

The Wyndham Championship is the final event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season before the FedEx Cup playoffs. This year, the format has been changed so the top 70 advance through, and not the usual 125.

This has caused some reaction from players, with former US Open winner, Lucas Glover, calling the changes "silly." However, there's not a lot that can be done and, with players vying for the few remaining spots, some have already found themselves out of contention with a poor week at the tournament.

Those who could still make the top 70 though include Matt Wallace, who is currently in a tie for 21st alongside Thomas, and Shane Lowry, who sits 77th in the FedEx Cup standings and 40th at the Wyndham Championship. 

Another big name is Adam Scott who, at 80th in the FedEx Cup standings, will need a strong finish if he is to make it into the top 70. As of writing, he is in a tie for 31st and is one of just two players to have qualified for the FedEx Cup Playoffs since their inception in 2007.