Jason Kokrak: 2021 FedEx Cup Contender or Pretender?
By Tim Letcher
Jason Kokrak won for the first time in his PGA Tour career earlier this season. Can he build on that and contend for the FedEx Cup?
With the 2020 portion of the PGA Tour schedule in the books, we at Pro Golf Now will be taking a look at the current top 50, and some selected others, in the current FedEx Cup standings and whether they are contenders or pretenders for the 2021 FedEx Cup. Our latest subject is the current No. 7, Jason Kokrak.
Best career FedEx Cup finish: Kokrak has been on the PGA Tour since 2012 and has made the playoffs in every season except for his rookie campaign. However, he has made it to East Lake and the Tour Championship just once. That came in 2019 when Kokrak ended up finishing in 14th place in the final FedEx Cup standings.
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So far this season: Kokrak started his season at the U.S. Open. He had a nice first round, shooting 68 on Thursday. He followed that with a 71 on Friday and was in sixth place through 36 holes. However, a 77 on Saturday took him out of contention. He shot 72 on Sunday and finished in a tie for 17th place. It marked the best finish he has ever had in a major.
Kokrak next played at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. There, he shot 68 on both Thursday and Friday, which was not good enough to make the cut.
The following week, Kokrak had the best week of his PGA Tour career.
Playing against a very strong field at the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek, Kokrak opened play with a 70 on Thursday. He followed that with a 66 on Friday, which left him lurking, six shots behind 36-hole leader Xander Schauffele.
He shot 68 on Saturday while Schauffele was shooting 74. That left Kokrak in second place, one shot behind Russell Henley. But on Sunday, Kokrak was firing on all cylinders, shooting a 64 to win by two shots. It was his first PGA Tour victory in 233 starts.
Kokrak carried that momentum into the following week at the Zozo Championship at Sherwood Country Club. He shot 69 on Thursday and 65 on Friday. After shooting 69 on Saturday and 70 on Sunday, Kokrak finished in a tie for 17th place.
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He played two more events to close out his 2020 calendar. Kokrak missed the cut at the Masters after shooting 71-77. And he missed the cut at the RSM Classic after shooting 75-67.
The verdict: Kokrak is a solid player but he’s not ready to challenge the big boys at this point in time. Consider him a pretender for the 2021 FedEx Cup.