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At the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, N.C., the PGA Tour's
regular-season finale, Fowler shot a 2-over-par 72 in his second
round Friday morning to drop to 3-over 143 and missed the cut by
six strokes.
A fan favorite, Fowler has been mired in a slump and entered the
week No. 130 in the FedEx Cup points standings. He needed a
strong performance at Sedgefield Country Club to get inside the
top 125 and qualify for the playoffs, which begin next week at
the Northern Trust in Jersey City, N.J.
"Yeah, it sucks," Fowler said. "I mean, I know what I'm capable
of, I've been up there and played against the best in the world
and been a top-five, top-10 player in the world for a number of
years in my career. I'm not in a position where I'm comfortable
or where I want to be.
"Like I said, with the season ending now for me, it's kind of
just added motivation. 'Hey, let's figure out what we need to go
do and let's go do it.'"
Fowler made two birdies and four bogeys Friday, including a
string of three straight holes in which he did not reach the
green in regulation and then two-putted.
"Yeah, it's a bummer and I don't want to be in this position,"
Fowler said. "Never been here. I'm used to being in contention,
ready to go to East Lake (for the Tour Championship) and go have
some fun through the playoffs. That's not the case this year. A
little kick in the butt. Go home and get ready to go."
Fowler is not at risk of losing his PGA Tour card because his
victory at the 2015 Players Championship earned him a five-year
exemption, with additional years added on for every subsequent
win.
However, he hasn't won a tournament since February 2019.
Fowler's best finish this season was a tie for eighth at the PGA
Championship, a major he qualified for only due to a special
exemption. The Wyndham Championship was his ninth missed cut in
24 starts.
Other players in contention in Greensboro will benefit from
Fowler's missed cut.
Chief among them is Justin Rose, the Englishman who won the
FedEx Cup in 2018. Rose came to the Wyndham Championship at No.
138 in points, needing to finish 10th or better to make the
playoff field. Rounds of 66 and 65 have him tied for fifth at 9
under, five back of leader Russell Henley.
"Objective number one is to make it to the playoffs, but two, if
you're playing well this week -- I know I need to finish top 10,
but at the same time, there's no point limiting yourself to that
kind of thinking at this point," Rose said. "You know, winning
would go a long way to kind of feel like you can compete in the
playoffs. Listen, that's all way ahead of me, but tomorrow just
kind of keep doing what I'm doing."
Rose's countryman, Tommy Fleetwood, No. 35 in the world rankings
but No. 136 in the FedEx Cup, shot a 68 to move to 6 under
through two rounds, tied for 23rd. He is projected to finish
133rd based on his current standing.
Fleetwood does not have his PGA Tour card guaranteed for next
year but could choose to play on the European Tour full-time.
Australian Adam Scott posted a 70 on Friday to stay at 4 under
for the tournament. Scott entered the week at No. 121 in the
standings and projects to slip to No. 124 if he finishes in his
current place, tied for 41st.
The No. 125 player in the standings entering the week, Bo Hoag,
double-bogeyed his third-to-last hole and missed the 3-under cut
line by one shot, all but dooming himself to drop out of the
playoff field.
--Field Level Media
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