FedExCup update: Streak stays alive for at least two more days

NORTON, Mass. – Just two players in FedExCup history have advanced to the third stage in each of the first 11 years. Phil Mickelson is guaranteed to extend his streak for another season. Charley Hoffman is not — but at least he’ll have 36 more holes to work on it. Hoffman’s streak – and his season — nearly ended Saturday. After 14 consecutive pars to start his second round at the Dell Technologies Championship, Hoffman bogeyed the 15th when he failed to get up-and-down from a greenside bogey. That left him at 3 over, one shot outside the cutline. Two holes later, Hoffman hit his approach into the par-4 17th inside 3 feet for birdie, allowing him to make the cut on the number. Having started the week 75th in FedExCup points, Hoffman needs a good showing at TPC Boston – a course he won on in 2010 with a final-round 62 – to move inside the top 70 for next week’s BMW Championship. He’s not used to scrambling at this stage of the Playoffs, but it’s been one of those years. “I’ve made two birdies in two days, which is, for lack of a better term, ridiculous,â€� Hoffman said. “Pretty lucky to even be playing when you make two birdies in 36 holes around a golf course I like.â€� At 2 over and in a tie for 68th, Hoffman is projected to finish 82nd in points. He would have been projected inside the top 70 had he not missed a 6-1/2 foot birdie putt on his final hole Saturday. “Great shot at 17, then don’t make the birdie on 18,â€� said Hoffman, who a year ago was battling for a spot on the Presidents Cup team (he ultimately was a captain’s pick). “Sort of sums up the day, the year, the everything. “It’s been a very weird year. I’ve hit good golf shots that haven’t turned out, good putts that haven’t gone in. Next thing you know, you’re 70-something in the FedExCup. That’s not where I’d like to be. But I have two more days to clean it up.â€� Mickelson started the week 10th in points and will advance all the way to East Lake. If Hoffman doesn’t climb up the leaderboard – he likely needs a solo 25th finish or better – Mickelson will be the last Playoffs streaker to reach the BMW Championship. “You’d think there would be more guys through X amount of years,â€� Hoffman said. “That’s something I want to keep going. I don’t want it to end now.â€� NINE PLAYERS ELIMINATED: Three PGA TOUR winners this season — Michael Kim, Troy Merritt and Satoshi Kodaira – were among the nine players officially eliminated from the FedExCup Playoffs on Saturday. Players who started the week outside the top 70 in points and who failed to make the cut at TPC Boston saw their seasons end. The other six players include Joel Dahmen, Kelly Kraft, Jhonattan Vegas, Ollie Schneiderjans, Anirban Lahiri and Jason Dufner. LATE RALLIES: Brian Stuard, ranked 92nd coming in, definitely would have ended his season with a missed cut. After a quadruple-bogey at the par-5 18th midway through his round, he was 3 over and outside the cutline. But he ended a roller-coaster final nine holes with a 4-1/2 foot birdie putt on his last hole to make the cut. Stewart Cink, ranked 65th entering the week, was in danger of missing the cut through nine holes. That would have forced him to sweat out his Playoffs position on the sidelines the final two rounds. But he rallied with three birdies coming in, including a birdie putt from just inside 10 feet on his last hole, to make the cut on the number. He now has a chance to solidify his spot for the BMW. Like Cink, Jimmy Walker was on the verge of a nervous weekend at home. He entered the week ranked 68th in points and suffered a triple-bogey at the second hole, dropping him on the cutline. After 13 consecutive pars, he suffered a bogey at the 16th hole, and was now one shot off the cut. But he rolled in a birdie putt from 12 feet on the par-5 18th to get back inside the cut. ANCER ON THE MOVE: Abraham Ancer started the week ranked 92nd in points and needing to make a big move to advance. So far so good through 36 holes. His two-day total of 7 under has him T-5 on the leaderboard and projected to move to 52nd in points. “I know exactly what I need to do,â€� said Ancer after his 2-under 69 on Saturday. “I’m trying not to play under more pressure than what I already have. I’ll just stick to my gameplan and try to execute.â€� Ancer started the week with 589 points and likely needs at least 818 points to advance. That would require a solo 13th or better. PROJECTED IN / OUT After the second round at the Dell Technologies Championship, the following players are projected to surge their way from outside the top 70 into the survival zone for next week’s BMW Championship. Tyrrell Hatton (T2): From 71st to 15th Abraham Ancer (T5): From 92nd to 52nd J.B. Holmes (T7): From 80th to 57th C.T. Pan (T16): From 72 to 58 Those projecting to drop from the safe zone to an exit from the Playoffs: Stewart Cink (T68): From 65 to 71 Nick Watney (T64): From 67 to 73 Jimmy Walker (T68): From 68 to 76 Kevin Streelman (MC): From 70 to 78 BIGGEST MOVERS Biggest projected movers through two rounds at TPC Boston: Up 56 spots – Tyrrell Hatton (71 to 15) Up 40 spots – Abraham Ancer (92 to 52) Up 23 spots – J.B. Holmes (80 to 57) BUBBLE BOYS Kevin Streelman is not officially eliminated, but it may just be a matter of time before his season ends. He started the week 70th in FedExCup points but missed the cut. Consequently, he’s opened the door for someone outside the top 70 to replace him. Currently, Jason Kokrak is projected to finish 70th after starting the week in 66th. TOP 5 WATCH The top five players in FedExCup points after the BMW Championship will control their own destiny entering the TOUR Championship. A win at East Lake would guarantee any of the top five the FedExCup title. Here’s how the current Top Five fared in the first round of the Dell Technologies Championship. 1. Bryson DeChambeau (projected 2nd) – Shot a 3-under 68 to move to 4 under. 2. Dustin Johnson (projected 3rd) – Shot a 2-under 69 to move to 5 under. 3. Justin Thomas (projected 4th) – Shot a 2-under 69 to move to even par. 4. Tony Finau (projected 6th) –  Shot a 3-under 68 to move to 5 under. 5. Brooks Koepka (projected 7th) – Shot a 2-under 69 to move to 4 under. NOTE: Second-round leader Webb Simpson is projected to move to No. 1. He started the week ranked 9th. Justin Rose, currently tied for second, is projected to move to No. 5. He started the week in 6th.

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