The St. Jude Championship will bring 69 of the PGA Tour's best players to Memphis for the first event of the 2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs, though only the top 50 will advance to the second round at the BMW Championship next week. That gives a handful of golfers just four rounds to play themselves into that field and keep their Tour Championship hopes alive.
Last week's Wyndham Championship provided high drama all the way until the end; Michael Brennan won his way in, and star rookie Jackson Koivun just held on to the 70th and final spot. This week, the drama shifts up the standings to the top 50, with the top 30 also a battleground spot as players look ahead to the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Making it into the top 50 is critical because not only is it another opportunity for a big payday at the BMW Championship, but it sets players' schedules for the 2027 season -- and it has further ramifications for the big schedule shift in 2028. Everyone in the BMW Championship field will automatically qualify for all signature events in 2027, and playing in those tournaments will be vital to earning points and securing a spot in the Championship Series when it debuts in 2028.
That's a lot of pressure for those hanging around the bubble, which includes the rising stars Brennan (47th) and Koivun (70th), as well as some longtime stalwarts and big names like Max Homa (52nd), Jordan Spieth (54th) and Shane Lowry (62nd).
While the playoffs used to offer quadruple points from normal PGA Tour events, they now offer the same point structure as major championships with 750 points going to the winner. That means those outside the top 50 will have to really work hard to crack the BMW Championship field -- and even more so if they're going to have a real shot at reaching East Lake and the Tour Championship.
2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs bubble watch
| Rank | Player | Points | Points Behind | Minimum finish required |
|---|---|---|---|---|
47 | Michael Brennan | 857 | +51 | |
48 | Matt McCarty | 838 | +31 | |
49 | Keith Mitchell | 811 | +5 | |
50 | Maverick McNealy | 806 | -- | |
51 | Harris English | 779 | -27 | 31st |
52 | Max Homa | 767 | -39 | T25 (two-way) |
53 | Sungjae Im | 764 | -42 | T24 (two-way) |
54 | Jordan Spieth | 762 | -44 | 23rd |
55 | Sam Stevens | 741 | -65 | T17 (two-way) |
56 | Pierceson Coody | 739 | -67 | 17th |
57 | Sudarshan Yellamaraju | 737 | -69 | T16 (three-way) |
58 | Harry Hall | 733 | -73 | T16 (two-way) |
59 | Corey Conners | 715 | -91 | T14 (two-way) |
61 | Michael Kim | 695 | -111 | T12 (three-way) |
62 | Shane Lowry | 670 | -136 | T11 (two-way) |
63 | Nick Taylor | 646 | -160 | 10th |
64 | Jordan Smith | 627 | -179 | T9 (two-way) |
65 | Brian Harman | 609 | -197 | T8 (two-way) |
66 | Patrick Rodgers | 600 | -206 | T8 (two-way) |
67 | Aldrich Potgieter | 591 | -215 | T7 (three-way) |
68 | Ricky Castillo | 590 | -216 | T7 (three-way) |
69 | Matti Schmid | 582 | -224 | T7 (two-way) |
70 | Jackson Koivun | 581 | -225 | T7 (two-way) |
Minimum finish = to pass Maverick McNealy for 50th. As those in the top 50 will also be adding points, these estimations are not guarantees. Circumstances will clarify ahead of Sunday's final round.
For those beginning the week outside the top 60, they know their margin for error is nearly zero this week. A top 10 wouldn't guarantee them a spot in the BMW, and they can throw caution to the wind, knowing that their season only continues with a special performance. For example, if Koivun is going to make it to Bellerive next week, he'll need to produce a T7 just to pass McNealy, but he would need a lot of help from there. In reality, the rookie should be entering with a win-or-go-home mindset.
The path to the BMW is much clearer for the likes of Homa and Spieth. While a top 25 gives them a mathematical chance, they'll likely need to push for the top 20 or top 15 to feel comfortable. That is certainly in play, and given the stakes for next year and beyond, they will be feeling the pressure of every hole to maximize their score to try and snag one of those top 50 spots.
The same can be said for those just inside the top 50 starting the week. What's required for McNealy, Mitchell, McCarty and Brennan to hold onto a spot in next week's field will be a moving target, but they have to be thinking about something around the top 25 to feel secure -- especially if there are players behind them that are in the top 10.
While the Tour Championship boasts the biggest purse of the year ($40 million plus huge bonus payouts), the top 50 is the most important for players in terms of setting their schedule for the next season. That's going to create a fascinating week of scoreboard watching and crunching the numbers on points, as every birdie and bogey will create swings among this group on the bubble.
