Rickie Fowler has withdrawn from next week’s THE NORTHERN TRUST, the first event of the FedExCup Playoffs, because of a tear in his right oblique. Fowler announced the news on Instagram, posting, “News got out last week that I was dealing with an oblique injury the past two tournaments…it was confirmed yesterday, via MRI, that I have a partial tear in my right oblique … my team and I feel like it’s best not to play next week in the Northern Trust … I will be back healthy and competitive ASAP for the FedExCup and more than ready for the Ryder Cup!!â€� The top 125 in the FedExCup standings are eligible for THE NORTHERN TRUST, which will be played Aug. 23-26 at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J. Fowler is 17th in the FedExCup standings. He is guaranteed starts in the first three Playoffs, but likely needs additional points to qualify for his fifth TOUR Championship. He has 1,302 points. Last year, Jason Dufner earned the final spot in the TOUR Championship with 1,322 points. Austin Cook currently holds the 30th spot in the FedExCup standings with 1,060 points. The first three events of the FedExCup Playoffs will be held on consecutive weeks before taking a one-week break. The top 100 in the FedExCup standings are eligible for the Dell Technologies Championship on Aug. 31-Sept. 3 at TPC Boston. The third Playoffs stop, the BMW Championship, is open to the top 70. It will be played Sept. 6-9 at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. After the off week, the Playoffs will visit Atlanta for the TOUR Championship. The top 30 will compete at East Lake Golf Club on Sept. 20-23. Every player in the TOUR Championship field has a chance of claiming the FedExCup. Fowler finished 17th at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and 12th at the PGA Championship. He started the final round at Bellerive in third place, three shots behind Brooks Koepka, but faded with a final-round 71. He finished eight shots behind Koepka, who claimed his second major of the season. Fowler finished T9 in the 2014 THE NORTHERN TRUST at Ridgewood en route to a ninth-place finish in the FedExCup. He has finished in the top 10 of the FedExCup in three of the past four seasons. The exception is 2016, when he missed the TOUR Championship by less than one point.
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