Now who’s the best player without a major?

GREENSBORO, N.C. – K.J. Choi was drenched in sweat after a marathon session on the driving range at the Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club on Monday. The range soon filled up with the heavily sponsored (Australian Ryan Ruffels) and the sponsorless (Brian Davis). There were PGA TOUR winners like Smylie Kaufman, who’d been trading texts with pal and PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas; three-time major champion Padraig Harrington; Chad Campbell; Vaughn Taylor; Andres Gonzales; Jason Bohn; and others. It was an unusually busy place for a Monday, and for good reason. Players who are south of the all-important line of demarcation on TOUR, the top 125 in the FedExCup, still have time for one last push. With a solid showing at the Wyndham, they could crack the top 125 and make it to the FedExCup playoffs lid-lifter, THE NORTHERN TRUST next week. Without it—well, it’s hello, Web.com Finals and/or time for some serious soul-searching. “It’s been one of those years, man,� said Kaufman, who at 135 in the FedExCup will have to play his way to New York next week. “I wish I could’ve done a lot of things different. If this week goes well, fine; if not, I’ll be ready and rested for the fall. But if I have a good week this week, who knows, I could be in the TOUR Championship before you know it.� At least Kaufman has job security. He won the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last season, so he’s exempt on TOUR through the end of 2017-’18. Still, he has said it would be “inexcusable� to miss the playoffs this year, so he’s making his first start as a pro at Sedgefield. Crack the top 125 and players will not only earn a berth in the playoffs, they’ll remain fully exempt on TOUR next season (if they’re not already). Finish this week ranked Nos. 126-150 and they’ll be conditionally exempt. Nos. 126-200 in FedExCup points get into the four-week Web.com Tour Finals, starting with the Nationwide Children’s Championship, Aug. 31. Sam Saunders (127) dedicated a plaque in remembrance of his late grandfather Arnold Palmer at Sedgefield on Tuesday afternoon, then hung around to speak to the media in part about his own game. Saunders needs a good finish here, and he has reason for optimism. He finished T14 at the 2015 Wyndham, and enjoyed a much-needed break last week after a solid eighth-place finish at the Barracuda Championship in Reno—his sixth tournament in a row. “The game’s good,� he said. The 30-year-old from Atlantic Beach, Florida, knows how important it is to move up a few spots this week. Ultimately, though, he admits he has loftier aspirations. “These past few weeks, I’ve really been putting myself in position to where I can win a tournament,� Saunders said of the Barracuda and the RBC Canadian Open (T19) before that. Careers hang in the balance every week, but at the Wyndham that’s especially apparent. Kyle Stanley, who with Shawn Stefani was one of two who pushed into the top 125 at the Wyndham last year, kept going and got his first win since 2012 at the Quicken Loans National in July. The occasion saw Stanley openly weeping at his return to the TOUR’s upper echelon. Five fought their way into the playoffs at the Wyndham two years ago, just one did so in 2014, and no one achieved the feat in 2013. In the history of the FedExCup, no one outside the top 125 at the start of the Wyndham has made it all the way to the TOUR Championship. As usual, there are some big names among those on the outside looking in—or barely hanging on—this week at Sedgefield C.C., a Donald Ross track that dates to 1925. The Bubble Boy at 125 is Geoff Ogilvy, who won the 2006 U.S. Open but at 40 is using a one-time-only exemption (top 50 in career money) to play the TOUR. “I’m not done yet,� he said after his second-round 65 at the Quicken Loans National earlier this summer (T13). Ogilvy will be an assistant to International captain Nick Price at the biennial Presidents Cup at Liberty National, Sept. 28-Oct. 1, but to his point, he certainly doesn’t look done as a player himself. What’s more, he sounds far from worried going into this week. “Worst case scenario; finishing 126th or 127th is usually good for 13 or 14 events next year, as well as a few [sponsor’s] invites I can probably get,� Ogilvy told the Australian AP. Daniel Summerhays (124) was in contention to win the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, but shot a final-round 78 to finish T10. “I will be back,� he said. And he was. The affable Utahan Summerhays gave himself a chance at the Quicken Loans, only to falter again, this time shooting a final-round 74 to finish T17. Now he’s here at the Wyndham. Spencer Levin, T5 at the Quicken Loans, is also here, looking to move up from 159th. Ben Crane, a 54-hole co-leader at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, faded with a final-round 73 to tie for 10th. He comes to North Carolina looking to move up from 147th in the FedExCup. The players who are furthest down the points list have arguably the most on the line this week. Take Arjun Atwal, 44, who can still play on the Asian Tour by virtue of his victory at the 2014 Dubai Open. As a resident of Orlando, he’d rather play in America, but Atwal, who won the 2010 Wyndham as a Monday qualifier, has little so little status on TOUR he has had to rely on Monday-qualifying (FedEx St. Jude Classic) and sponsor invites (Quicken) this season. “It’s been hard to get into any kind of rhythm,� Atwal said at the Quicken, where he got off to a rousing start but ultimately faded to a T55 finish with rounds of 68-67-75-77. Languishing at 225th in the FedExCup, he would help his career immensely just by moving into the top 200. So would the highly touted Australian teen-ager Ruffels.  There are a handful of major winners in the Wyndham field: Hall of Famer Ernie Els (213) and fellow South African Retief Goosen (161) join Harrington (199), Monday qualifier Y.E. Yang (217), Graeme McDowell (131) and of course Ogilvy (125). Kaufman wouldn’t mind joining that group, but knows he’s got to get going if he wants to join major talents like them and spring break pals Spieth and Thomas. And so—Sedgefield. “I played in two FootJoy Invitationals here, junior events,� Kaufman said. “I finished probably around 20th both times, so not bad. Last time I was here, I was having college coaches watch me, so this will be a little different. I about killed the North Carolina coach, I remember. I hit a snap-hook off the tee.� Kaufman laughed. “He didn’t offer me a scholarship.� Amid the tense atmosphere at the Wyndham, such levity will be rare.

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The International Team hosts the U.S. Team this week at Royal Melbourne for the Presidents Cup. Here’s all you need to know in how the four-day event wil work in Australia. 2019 Format: The Presidents Cup competition consists of 30 matches: Thursday – 5 Four-Ball matches Friday – 5 Foursomes matches Saturday morning – 4 Four-Ball matches Saturday afternoon – 4 Foursomes matches Sunday – 12 Singles matches In 2019, a minor format change will be implemented, stating each player shall only be required to play a minimum of one match prior to the final-round singles matches. This is a change from previous years when players were required to compete in two matches prior to singles matches. All matches are worth one point each, for a total of 30 points. There are no playoffs, with each side receiving a half point if a match is tied after 18 holes. In a change inspired by the events of the 2003 Presidents Cup, if the competition is deadlocked at the end of Singles play, the competition will be deemed a tie and the teams will share the Presidents Cup. FOUR-BALL: Each member of a two-man team plays his own ball, so four balls are in play on every hole. Each team counts the lowest of its two scores on each hole, and the team whose player has the lowest score wins the hole. If the low scores are tied, the hole is halved. FOURSOMES: Each two-man team plays one ball per hole with the players taking turns until each hole is complete. Players alternate hitting tee shots, with one leading off on odd-numbered holes, and the other hitting first on even-numbered holes. The team with the low score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved. SINGLES: Each match features one player from each team. The player with the lower score on each hole wins that hole. If their scores are tied, the hole is halved. Unlike stroke play, players don’t have to complete each hole in match play. If a player concedes a stroke – almost always a putt – to his opponent, the opponent picks up his ball, takes the score he would have made on the next stroke and moves on to the next hole. Team: The team is the entire 12 players and captain(s). This year, Tiger Woods is a playing captain for the U.S. Team. Advice: Any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club or the method of making a stroke. Each team may appoint one person who may give advice to members of that team. Such person must be identified to the Committee before giving advice. Side (not team): A side is a player, or two or more players who are partners (Foursomes or Four-ball) Partner: A partner is a player associated with another player on the same side. Opponent: In match play it is never a competitor, always an opponent or player. Order of Play in Four-Ball: The balls belonging to the same side may be played in the order the side considers best. Committee: “The Committeeâ€� is the committee in charge of the competition. Referee: The referee is one who is appointed by the committee to accompany players to decide questions of fact and apply the Rules. He shall act on any breach of a Rule that he observes or is reported to him. A referee’s decision is final. Observer: An observer is one who is appointed by the Committee to assist a referee to decide questions of fact and report to him any breach of a Rule. Honorary Observer: An honorary observer is one who is appointed by the Committee to assist the observer. Reckoning of Hole (status of match): Reckoning of holes is kept by the terms: so many “holes up,â€� or “tiedâ€� and so many “holes to play.â€� Dormie: A match is dormie when a side is as many holes up as there are holes remaining to be played. Concession of next stroke, hole or match (Rule 2-4): When the opponent’s ball is at rest or is deemed to be at rest under Rule 16-2, the player may concede the opponent to have holed out with his next stroke and the ball may be removed by either side with a club or otherwise. A player may concede a hole or a match at any time prior to the conclusion of the hole or the match. Concession of a stroke, hole or match may not be declined or withdrawn. Claims (Rule 2-5): Any claim or dispute which arises between sides shall be made to the referee before any player in the match plays from the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before all players in the match leave the putting green. Practice (Rule 7) is allowed as follows: 1. Before or between rounds, a player or players may practice on the course. 2. During the round, a player shall not practice either during the play of a hole or between the play of two holes, except that, between play of two holes, the player may practice putting or chipping on or near the putting green of the last hole played, any practice putting green or the teeing ground of the next hole to be played in the round, provided such practice stroke is not played from a hazard and does not unduly delay play. Strokes played in continuing the play of a hole, the result in which has been decided, are not practice

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