FedEx Cup Update: Jordan Spieth leads after The Open Championship

SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND - JULY 23: Jordan Spieth of the United States celebrates a birdie on the 16th green during the final round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 23, 2017 in Southport, England. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SOUTHPORT, ENGLAND - JULY 23: Jordan Spieth of the United States celebrates a birdie on the 16th green during the final round of the 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on July 23, 2017 in Southport, England. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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FedEx Cup Hideki Matsuyama
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /

Hideki Matsuyama doesn’t get mentioned in the “big three/big four” conversations these days, but with each passing week, you have to wonder when it’ll happen. The world’s No. 3 player is still racking up solid finish after solid finish, and he’s not going anywhere any time soon.

Part of that, of course, is directly attributable to general consistency. Matsuyama has missed just

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one cut in 16 TOUR starts in 2017, when he shot 80 on Friday at the Genesis Open back in February. Since then, he’s 8-for-8 in cuts made, averaging a 25th-place finish in that stretch.

It’s not spectacular, but it’s the type of golf that keeps momentum going even when things are tough. For instance, a 45th-place tie at the Memorial Tournament was less than optimal, but he bounced back at Erin Hills with a tie for second behind Brooks Koepka. Simply put, he doesn’t seem to carry the negatives forward with him, and that’s a hugely positive attribute.

Can he move this number any higher as the year draws to a close? I wouldn’t put it past him. Over the past few years, Matsuyama has had success at both Quail Hollow (tied for 11th last year) and Firestone (T-12 in 2014). Those two events will truly shape what’s left of this PGA TOUR season. Matsuyama will be a factor in the Playoffs, especially if he gets hot down the stretch.