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The optimism and sports of Philadelphia do not usually take place in the same neighborhood and a small Super Bowl has not changed the situation. So, while PGA Tour officials can talk about a good game hoping to have a "window of opportunity" on Monday where they can compete in the last round of the BMW Championship, expect the locals to buy it . Not when the forecast always asks for rain all day.
Since Aronimink Golf Club had already had 12 hours of rain in the last three days and no holes were played on Sunday, there are reasons to rally to Philadelphia's cynics. believe, too. This is a scenario that the tour would certainly not want to see, knowing how many golfers plan to play 18 more holes for various reasons.
But if the worst happens and the results of Saturday become official, who will be the most helped and the most affected? Here is our breakdown:
HELP
Justin Rose
The 38-year-old Englishman has a one-shot lead at 17 under par in the 54 holes, after rounds of 66-63-64. If the game is shortened, he will be declared champion of BMW and will enjoy all the benefits of the victory: $ 1.62 million, second place in the FedEx Cup standings behind only Bryson DeChambeau, a 10th career victory. The best of all is another advantage of its own: a victory allows him to overtake Dustin Johnson and take the lead in the world rankings for the first time in his career. If someone agrees with another rainy day, it's Rose.
Keegan Bradley
The former PGA Championship winner has not been qualified to compete in the Tour Championship since 2013, but when he rolled into a 7-foot bet on the 18th hole, there was a small pump that suggested he could have been enough to end the series. He finished on Saturday 66 after opening with a 66-64, which put him in solo in sixth position of the tournament. Most importantly, this took him to 30th place in the FedEx Cup points list scheduled after starting the week in 52nd place, meaning that he would finish last place at East Lake. The way Bradley played lately – seven consecutive starts without missing a break – suggests that he would be confident enough to do the job on Monday, but he has his place without taking another shot.
Tony Finau
When the 28-year-old did not hear his name as Jim Furyk announced three of his four Ryder Cup captain choices last week, most of the players told Finau not to worry. The hypothesis was that he would be the fourth and last man chosen because he appeared as the best favorite of the other contenders. But Xander Schauffele then made 63-64-67 rounds to end up with a head shot on the BMW and tinker with conventional wisdom. To Finau's credit, he shot 68-64-67 to qualify for 15th place. That should be enough as long as Schauffele did not win this week's event and if they drop out of the finals, that's the scenario.
INJURY
Jordan Spieth
Unlike Bradley, Spieth started the week in the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings, but his game at Aronimink (67-71-66) placed him 31st in the projected rankings. The 25-year-old has reached the Tour Championship every five years since becoming a professional. It would also mean that he would not satisfy the policy of the tour on the minimum number of events that a regular member is expected to play if he does not play in an event of the season that he has not played the four previous years. Exactly what kind of headache that would create for 2019 is not clear. But if anyone wants the sun to come out on Monday, it's Spieth.
Xander Schauffele
OK, so Schauffele would be a close second. Although the 54-hole T-2 is the type of finish that should impress Furyk and perhaps make him think twice before taking Finau for the final place at the Ryder Cup, a win is probably what is really needed to do the work. Consolation of Schauffele? If they did not play another hole right now, he would move from 41st place in the FedEx Cup rankings to 12th and would have the chance to try to defend his title of champion for a year.
Brooks Koepka
Having won two major championships this summer, Koepka is like a lock to win the player of the year honors on the PGA Tour. But these two titles still leave him sixth in the points standings of the FedEx Cup. It's not a bad place to go to the Tour Championship, but if Koepka could still play some holes in the BMW and be in the top five in the FedEx Cup points standings, it's worth it. Arriving in East Lake in two weeks, all top-five players control their own destiny by winning the FedEx Cup title with a championship win. If Koepka remains in sixth place, he will still have a good shot at the honor of the season if he wins at East Lake, but it is not the guarantee that it will be in the top five.
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