FedEx Cup: How the 3M Open impacted those on the bubble

Beyond the battle for first place at the 3M, many staged an equally vital competition for position in the FedEx Cup race.

For many in the field at this week’s 3M Open, winning wasn’t the only thing…not even close to it. Those players were the 50 or so – more than a third of the field – who began the event on the cusp of the cutoff point for this year’s FedEx Cup Series. Only the top 125 in the standings when the Northern Trust tees it a month from now will get a shot at a piece of the $9.2 million prize pot.

It’s the kind of money that can solidify a career. And most of the players sitting squarely on the fence need that career boost.

Those players are quickly running out of opportunities. They can pick up points at next week’s $6 million John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run. But the following week is the British Open, for which few if any are qualified. Those that aren’t will have to content themselves with playing in the alternate field Barbasol Championship, which offers only a $3.5 million purse and scaled-back FedEx Cup points.

One week after the British is the WGC FedEx St. Jude, another limited field event. Again, most of the FedEx Cup fence-sitters will be sidetracked to the alternate field Barracuda Championship, again for just a $3.5 million purse and limited points.

That leaves only the Wyndham Aug. 1-4 in Sedgefield, N.C., as a last opportunity to make – or break – one’s FedEx Cup profile.

The composition of this week’s 3M Open field demonstrated the role FedEx Cup planning has on a tournament field. Of the FedEx top 25 entering play, only six were in the field. But of the 50 on the cusp of FedEx qualification – those standing between 101 and 150 – 40 played.

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Daniel Berger had as much to gain or lose as anyone. Berger entered the tournament ranked 125th – last man in – and shot 270 to tie for 15th place. That elevated him eight places to 117th; not secure but at least a bit more comfortable.

Nobody made as definitive a move as Carlos Ortiz, who ranked 119th when the tournament began. Ortiz fired a closing 64 Sunday to finish in a tie for fifth. That shot him 24 places up the FedEx Cup ranks to 95th, in all likelihood securing his status in the field.

But climbing the list is hard. Only two players actually climbed into the top 125 by their play this week. Hank Lebioda shot 272 to tie for 34th and jumped six places, from 129th to 123rd. Shawn Stefani’s 270, good or a tie for 15th, lifted him from 133rd to 121st.

Among players on the cusp, only Ortiz made a larger leap.

Some had to content themselves with positioning themselves for future gains. Robert Streb began in 128th place and tied for 34th. That jumped him six spots into 128th position. Streb will be one of those availing himself of alternate field opportunities over the course of the next month.

Not every story was a success story. Sebastian Munoz came into the 3M Open in 123rd spot on the FedEx list. But a Sunday 77 dropped him into 72nd place at the 3M Open and cost him four critical spots in the FedEx Cup pecking order, dropping him to 127th. If he fails to make the final 125, that Sunday 77 may be the reason.

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Matt Jones and Martin Trainor both entered the tournament with FedEx Cup positions in the low 100s. But both missed the cut, losing seven positions each. In fact of the 40 players in the field who ranked between 101st and 150th in FedEx Cup points, 13 failed to make the cut and two others lasted just three rounds.

The average loss of FedEx Cup position for those 15 players equaled about 3.5 spots.

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