OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — Rickie Fowler missed the PGA Tour postseason two years ago. Justin Thomas almost didn’t participate this year. This is an example of fainting spells that can happen to anyone. And it’s nothing compared to Lexi Thompson.
It’s something Thompson hasn’t won on the LPGA Tour since June 2019. Thompson is ranked No. 157 in the Race to the CME Globe.
Only the top 60 make it to the CME Group Tour Championship. The top 80 have a full card. The top 100 still have cards and can participate in most tournaments. But there is no sign that Thompson can even now.
She missed her third cut at a major last week at the AIG Women’s Open. Her only cut at a major was a tie for 47th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. But last week was just her eighth LPGA Tour start of the year.
“You shouldn’t read too much into that,” Thompson told Golf Digest last week. “I’ve just been trying to enjoy my life and take more time for myself. This is my 13th year here, so I choose to play when I want, and when I don’t. I am dealing with a minor injury. But I am fully healthy now. I want to make sure I’m ready when I do it. “
Thompson, as high as No. 6 in the women’s world rankings this year, falling to No. 21. He’s still in line for the Solheim Cup. The top seven of the points made the US team, followed by the top two players from the world rankings. Thompson will be first in line for that, followed by Rose Zhang.
As for his playing privileges next year, he can always use a one-time exception for one of the top 20 in career money. But he’s a bit young to be using that at 28.
MAUI SUPPORT: Jon Rahm is five months away from defending his title at The Sentry and golf at Kapalua is the least of his worries. While the resort was not damaged in the devastating fire that killed at least 99 people, Rahm was saddened by the images and horror stories from Lahaina.
“I hope they can rebuild Lahaina as soon as possible,” he said. “It’s sad that it happened there, especially in a culture that cares about their homeland like the Hawaiians do. When we go and play, I hope that through the tournament we can help the community as much as we can.
Wisconsin-based Sentry, which has formed a relationship with the Maui community since becoming the title sponsor in 2018, pledged $250,000 to the Maui United Way and Hawaii Community Foundation. The PGA Tour is working with three Hawaii-based events – on Maui, Oahu and the Big Island – to support the two charities, along with raising awareness through telecasts and social media channels to encourage donations.
Players glued hibiscus flowers to their bags this week at the BMW Championship to draw attention to the disaster.
Last week, Collin Morikawa pledged $1,000 for every birdie during the postseason and encouraged others to participate. Xander Schauffele, who has ties to Kauai, supports a “Help Maui Rise” program in which his foundation will match every dollar up to $400,000.
Morikawa: Tears may be shed at Maui’s PGA return
RYDER CUP WATCH: This is the last week for the Americans to earn one of the six automatic spots for the Ryder Cup, and the possibilities are many.
Ten players in the BMW Championship have a mathematical chance to move into the top six, some times far. Three players to consider are Max Homa, Xander Schauffele and Jordan Spieth, at Nos. 6, 7 and 8 in the standings. All of them competing this week was enough to knock PGA champion Brooks Koepka out of the automatic qualifiers.
Scottie Scheffler and US Open champion Wyndham Clark already have spots, while Patrick Cantlay and Open champion Brian Harman are sure to stay in the top six. Lucas Glover must win for the third week in a row to have a chance to go from No. 16 to automatic berth.
And then it fell to Zach Johnson and his six captains’ picks, who struggled in the tournament. He made those choices after the Tour Championship, a last chance for players not on the team to make an impression.
BMW AT LIBERTY NATIONAL: For at least one year, the BMW Championship has replaced the rest of the PGA Tour. The Western Golf Association announced Tuesday that the 2027 BMW Championship will go to Liberty National in New Jersey.
Liberty National, across the Hudson River from Manhattan, has a history of hosting events. There have been four FedExCup openers, the Presidents Cup in 2017 and most recently a new LPGA Tour event won by Rose Zhang in her professional debut.
But when a previous title holder did not renew, the PGA Tour moved its postseason opener to Memphis, Tennessee, meaning it would be from the New York metropolitan area.
The BMW Championship will now move to the WGA’s affiliate states, and the WGA has strengthened its relationship with New Jersey by sending 10 of its Evans Scholars to Rutgers.
The move also means Chicago golf will be held smaller. BMW will go to Denver (Castle Pines) next year, followed by Caves Valley outside Baltimore and Bellerive in St. Louis in 2026. The Chicago market will get the Presidents Cup in Medinah in 2026, and Medinah will likely get another BMW Championship , though probably not until the end of the decade.
LIV LITE: The LIV Golf League is out for a month. Almost half the players in the 48-man league are absent.
Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Abraham Ancer are among 22 players from LIV Golf scheduled to play this week in the International Series-England on the Asian Tour, an event offering $2 million in prize money (a tenth of a wallet in LIV. ).
That includes Andy Ogletree, who played LIV as a reserve. And that includes Hudson Swafford, who had hip surgery that ended his LIV season. Swafford is now a LIV reserve for the remainder of the season. Patrick Reed was signed until withdrawn for personal reasons.
Most notably, the field includes Luke Poulter, a redshirt freshman at the University of Florida and son of Ian Poulter. Also playing is Sam Westwood, the son of Lee Westwood, who once competed on a professional tour.
VU FROM ABOVE: Lilia Vu ended the LPGA Tour season last year at No. 41 in the world and is still looking for his first title. Now he is the No. 1 in the world.
Vu became the 17th player to reach No. 1 — and the fourth American — since starting the women’s world ranking in 2006 by winning the Women’s British Open. It was his third win of the year, and second major.
Vu replaced Nelly Korda, and there’s a bit of history there. This is the first time Americans have occupied the top two spots since the ranking began.
“Being the best in the world, that’s just crazy to me,” Vu said.
DIVOTS: Justin Thomas has added another tournament to his schedule, before the Ryder Cup. He will play in the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa this Nov. 9-12. … Gabriela Ruffels is the first player to earn a spot on the LPGA Tour next year through the Epson Tour. He has won three times this year. … Lilia Vu’s three wins on the LPGA Tour this year came on three continents — Asia (Honda LPGA Thailand), North America (Chevron Championship) and Europe (AIG Women’s British Open).
STAT OF THE WEEK: Eric Cole is the only rookie on the PGA Tour to reach the BMW Championship.
FINAL WORDS: “As much money is the subject of discussion, a lot of guys here even if they’ve won they can’t tell you within error how much they’ve won that week.” — Brian Harman.
FINAL SPEECH, PART II: “I don’t know.” — Jon Rahm, asking how many Masters he won.