Players were running after their shots. And had us on the edge of our seats Sunday.
ANNC: An eagle putt, he’s walking. He’s got it! Emotions were high in the final
event of the regular season. HADLEY: This is my job and I love it.
And I care very deeply about it. Chesson Hadley’s job was on the line,
coming into this week outside the Top 125 in the FedExCup Standings. He did everything he could.
HADLEY: That was my first hole-in-one, ever. That is not a joke. I’m 34, I’ve played pro
golf for 11 years. That was my first one. HADLEY: I look like a baby giraffe, like
jumping into the air. Golfers get such a bad rap for us not being athletic and I promise you I’m a
good athlete. It’s probably going to be hard for you guys to believe that after seeing this jump.
Hadley’s closing 62 jumped him up into the 125 spot, knocking out Justin Rose at the last minute.
Due to his closing bogey. ANNC: Had his chances.
The drama continued down the stretch on Sunday. Branden Grace, solidified
his spot in the six-man playoff. ANNC: Oh my goodness! Seven tied!
Until wire-to-wire leader Russell Henley, missed the playoff with a closing bogey.
ANNC: Oh my goodness! Wrenching. Absolutely wrenching.
On the first playoff hole,
Adam Scott stuck it to four feet. ANNC: It’s a moonball. Oh! Right at it!
But missed the putt. ANNC: Oh!
So Kevin Kisner
stepped up on the second playoff hole. ANNC: We’ve got a twirl, we’ve got a twirl!
Oh and he’s got some shot! And sank it for his first playoff
victory, in six attempts. ANNC: There it is!
All was not lost for Adam Scott, though. At 121 in the standings coming into the
Wyndham Championship, Scott secured his spot in the FedExCup playoffs
at No. 82. It was a Good, Bad & Unusual week in the final event of the regular season.
Not everyone was so lucky. Austin Cook came into the week on the outside
of the standings looking in and, apparently, it wasn’t meant to be.
ANNC: Oh no! Horseshoe?! ANNC: That’s as bad of a
horseshoe I’ve ever seen on a tee shot. Cook’s season came to an end at No. 135.
It was a rollercoaster out there this week. Webb Simpson was in the hunt until his first triple
bogey at Sedgefield in 878 holes on Saturday. But then finished on a high note with a huge par
save at the last. ANNC: Oh wow!
On Sunday, Simpson from 179 yards at the 11th, did this!
ANNC: This looks good. Even better than good! Webb Simpson an eagle at 11! Don’t count him out yet!
When you hit a good shot, you just know it. Hideki Matsuyama,
big fan of this one. ANNC:
Oh my, how good is that? That was spectacular. Yeah he liked that one. Oh,
look at him! He’s clapping it. Little self-applause, love that. Absolutely.
Huge applause to all the players who will be moving on to the FedExCup Playoffs.
This was the final week for players to move into the Top 125
to secure their TOUR card for next season and their spot in the postseason.
Scott Piercy was the first man out at 126 coming into the week
but played well when he needed it most. ANNC: Oh my gosh, Nick. Look at that!
A clutch shot for Matt Kuchar, who was at 124, a birdie on his 72nd
hole got him into the playoffs. ANNC: Oh will it go up and come
back? It does, like a sorcerer around this hole location. That is some shot!
But it didn’t work out for everyone. Rickie Fowler, came into the week at 130
in the FedExCup standings and missed the cut. Fowler will miss the playoffs for the first
time in his career. Others like Francesco Molinari, Tommy Fleetwood
and Rose will not be moving on either. So here are the new players on the bubble.
The top 70 will move on after this week at THE NORTHERN TRUST. Hadley is at 125 heading
to Liberty National. TRACEY STEWART: Hi!
ROSE: Hi Tracey. Hi Aaron. Rose isn’t moving on but
was a winner earlier in the week. TRACEY STEWART: On behalf of the PGA
TOUR, it is my honor to let you know that you have been named the 2021 Payne Stewart Award recipient
presented by Southern Company. Congratulations! ROSE: Oh my word. Wow! That is unbelievable,
I thought there was something fishy going on here. There’s a lot of cameras.
ROSE: The honor of that award is definitely not lost upon me.
Yeah, my heart is racing, actually. KANE: Hi Justin, how you doin’ mate.
Some of Rose’s friends paid him congratulations, like English
footballer Harry Kane and musician Niall Horan. HORAN: To see you receive the Payne Stewart Award
for your charitable efforts off the course just shows what a great man you are.
Congratulations again, lots of love, see you soon bud.
No one celebrated harder than Doug Barron on the PGA TOUR Champions this week. He collected his
second career victory at the Shaw Charity Classic. ANNC: Only about two inches left.
That’s really well done. Once he made the birdie at 16, Doug Barron just took control. How good is
that reaction out of from Doug Barron?! For the second time, a winner on the PGA TOUR Champions!
Earlier this week, two-time NBA Champion
J.R. Smith made headlines at the Wyndham Championship pro-am.
Smith announced he’s going back to college, enrolling at North Carolina A&T
and hoping to play on the golf team with his full eligibility still intact.
Smith spent time with Rickie Fowler on Wednesday. SMITH: On your swing, what are you focusing on?
Because I think I’m focusing a little too hard on my grip. I don’t have any grip in my right
hand because my left hand, is like, strong. But I still don’t feel like I’m getting around it.
FOWLER: Releasing and getting through it? SMITH: Yeah.
Now it is time for the FedExCup Playoffs. Three events, starting with THE NORTHERN TRUST.
I’ll have your nightly recaps of all the action from Liberty National starting Thursday in The
Takeaway on PGATOUR.com and social media. Then I’ll see you back here on Monday for
the Good, Bad & Unusual. Have a great week!