In a thrilling showdown, Justin Rose emerged victorious over J.J. Spaun in a dramatic three-hole playoff at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Rose secured his victory by making a crucial birdie on the 18th hole, his third attempt at the hole during the playoff. This win marks a significant achievement as it represents the opening leg of the highly competitive FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Rose's journey to the playoff was nothing short of impressive; he registered four birdies on his final five holes, allowing him to tie with Spaun and push the competition into extra holes. Throughout the playoff, Rose and Spaun matched each other on the first two playoff holes, but Rose’s skillful birdie on the 18th finally clinched the win.
This pivotal win catapulted Rose into the top five of the FedEx Cup standings, positioning him well as he heads into the next challenge, the BMW Championship. With his victory, he earned an impressive 2,000 points, elevating him to fourth place in the standings. The current top five standings are as follows:
Scottie Scheffler - 5,455 points Rory McIlroy - 3,444 points J.J. Spaun - 3,344 points Justin Rose - 3,219 points Sepp Straka - 2,783 pointsFor those interested in a comprehensive view of the standings, complete details can be found on PGATour.com.
J.J. Spaun also made significant strides in the FedEx Cup standings, moving up five spots to claim third place. His journey to the playoff included impressive birdies on both the 16th and 17th holes, showcasing his competitive spirit. Both Rose and Spaun outperformed Scottie Scheffler and Tommy Fleetwood for the best 72-hole score, with Scheffler, the current points leader, finishing tied for third after a final round of 67.
Tommy Fleetwood, who once again fell short of his first PGA Tour title, missed the playoff due to a costly bogey on the 17th hole. All four golfers who finished at the top are now securely positioned within the top 10 of the FedEx Cup standings.
In an interesting turn of events, J.T. Poston secured the 50th and final spot for next week’s BMW Championship, moving up one position after being one of five golfers to surpass the cut. The top 50 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings advanced from a competitive 70-player field. Notably, Jordan Spieth and Wyndham Clark were among those who fell out of the top 50 this week.
Other players like Min Woo Lee, Jake Knapp, and Aldrich Potgieter also dropped from the top 50, illustrating the competitive nature of the standings. As the tournament progresses, only the top 30 golfers in the standings will advance from the BMW Championship to the prestigious Tour Championship, with less than 300 points separating the 30th and 50th positions.
