Wyndham Championship features local talent
The Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club marks the final event of the PGA TOUR regular season. Players are competing for a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs, which will include 70 berths this year, a reduction from previous seasons. Those already qualified, including Cameron Young, are aiming for a victory.
Several golfers with ties to the Carolinas are participating. Among them are Wake Forest alumni Cameron Young, Alex Fitzpatrick, and Webb Simpson. Young has recorded rounds of 62, 62, and 63 at Sedgefield and has a 32-under total across two visits. Fitzpatrick, who won for the first time on TOUR with his brother, Matt, at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, has made the cut in nine of ten starts in 2026. Simpson, a past winner at the event, has achieved ten top-ten finishes from 14 made cuts, including five podium results across 17 starts.
Ryan Gerard from Raleigh and Ben Griffin from Chapel Hill, both alumni of UNC, are also in the field. Gerard has achieved back-to-back top-ten finishes at The Open and Rocket Classic. After a win at the Barracuda Championship last summer, he has added three second-place finishes and made the cut in 19 of 22 starts in 2026. Griffin, who had three wins in 2025, recorded two third-place finishes in May this season. He has also had strong performances at Sedgefield, with finishes of T11, T7, and fourth in the last four seasons.
Young contenders and established players
Young talents such as Jackson Koivun, Blades Brown, and Ben James are also competing. Koivun recently secured a win at the 3M Open, posting 25-under. Brown co-led a Korn Ferry Tour event after 54 holes last week and has a streak of four consecutive T15 or better finishes on the TOUR. James, who finished T4 at the Corales Puntacana Championship three weeks ago, recorded a T38 last week after a final round of 73.
Other players looking for strong finishes include Mac Meissner and Billy Horschel. Meissner finished second last year and T12 on his debut in 2024. He has a scoring average of 66.63 over eight rounds at Sedgefield. Horschel, a 2014 FedExCup champion, has made six finishes of T11 or better in his previous eight visits to Sedgefield. He is currently ranked No. 107 in the FedExCup standings and requires a podium finish to advance to the next stage.
Chandler Blanchet, currently at No. 107 in the FedExCup, has shown recent form with a T24 at the 3M Open and T20 at the Rocket Classic. His opening round of 72 in Detroit was his only round not in the 60s in his last eight. He led the field in Putting Average at the 3M Open.
FedExCup Playoffs implications
The Wyndham Championship is crucial for many players aiming to secure a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs. Only 70 players will qualify for the first round. Michael Thorbjornsen recently moved from No. 69 to No. 38 on the list with his win in Detroit.
Some notable names are on the bubble or at risk of missing the playoffs. These include Jackson Koivun at No. 70, Keegan Bradley at No. 72, Jason Day at No. 75, Brooks Koepka at No. 86, and Tony Finau at No. 89. Day withdrew from last week’s 3M Open due to a back injury, and Koepka pulled out of the Rocket Classic pre-tournament.
Players like Lucas Glover (No. 96), Billy Horschel (No. 107), and Joel Dahmen (No. 119) need at least a podium finish to advance. Those outside the top 182, such as Ryan Palmer, Jason Dufner, and Kevin Kisner, have no mathematical chance of reaching the top 70, even with a victory at the Wyndham Championship.
Ryo Hisatsune, currently ranked No. 42 in the FedExCup Standings, is making his third start at Sedgefield CC. He shared third place two years ago, which was his best finish between the pair.
Source: pgatour.com