This is the weekend that will shape the Ryder Cup

Kids can’t have all the fun. Adults also know how to party. After 20-year-young Tom Kim took his second title in four starts at the Shriners Children’s Open, he settled for a T25 at the ZOZO Championship where veteran Keegan Bradley, 36, captured victory. It’s Bradley’s fifth career PGA TOUR title and first in exactly 100 starts since his last at the BMW Championship during the FedExCup Playoffs in 2018. Bradley broke on as the Rookie of the Year in 2011 with two victories, including the PGA Championship. Kim turned nine that summer. Until Andrew Putnam (62) and then John Huh (61) went low in the second round at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club last week, Bradley shared the course record with a 63 in the second round of the inaugural edition in 2019. He’d go on to finish T13 alongside champion Tiger Woods. (Golfers were not re-paired for the final round that week due to an extended weather delay.) As it pertains to this page, Bradley already is exempt into THE PLAYERS Championship in 2023. He’s also expected to be eligible for the PGA Championship via the lifetime exemption as a former champion, and a top 10 at the 2022 U.S. Open (T7) should exempt him into the 2023 edition of that major. So, Sunday’s win in Japan triggers trips to Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions as well as Augusta National for the Masters where he hasn’t qualified since 2019. Despite all of those earned exemptions, he should qualify additionally via his Official World Golf Ranking. With the win, he’s projected to rise from 44th into the top 25. Of course, as noted at the bottom, all qualifying criteria for the majors remains to be determined. NOTE: Golfers are omitted if they recently haven’t competed in majors for which they are eligible (e.g., The Open Championship=Justin Leonard). TPC = THE PLAYERS Championship MAS = Masters PGA = PGA Championship US = U.S. Open OPEN = The Open Championship Recent Additions TPC — none MAS — none PGA — none US — none OPEN — none REMAINING QUALIFYING CRITERIA Criteria are listed in chronological order where possible. Best estimates are given but all are subject to change. THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (TPC) @ TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) – March 9-12 • Winners of PGA TOUR events thru the final week before THE PLAYERS. • Top 10 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of The Honda Classic (Feb. 26). • Top 50 of Official World Golf Ranking (Feb. 27). • If necessary to complete the field of 144, golfers outside the Top 10 in the FedExCup at the conclusion of the Honda Classic on Feb. 26 will gain entry in order of position. MASTERS (MAS) @ Augusta National Golf Club – April 6-9 • TBD PGA CHAMPIONSHIP (PGA) @ Oak Hill Country Club – May 18-21 • TBD U.S. OPEN (US) @ The Los Angeles Country Club (North) – June 15-18 • TBD THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (OPEN) @ Royal Liverpool – July 20-23 • TBD

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NEWTON SQUARE, Pa. — The key projected number this week is 1,418. That’s how many FedExCup points likely will be required after this week’s BMW Championship in order to move into the top 30 that will play for the FedExCup title in two weeks at East Lake. Of the 70 players who qualifed to play in this week’s third Playoffs event at Aronimink, the top 20 players already have reached that mark. If the projections hold, that means the bottom 50 players will be vying for the final 10 spots. (In truth, you can count on No. 21 Patton Kizzire advancing to East Lake, too. Since the BMW is a no-cut event, he just needs to play all four rounds in order to stay inside the top 30.) Here’s a look at the likely finish needed for those players:

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So much for putting the drama behind him. Reed found more in Hawaii, plus Tiger’s Olympic hopes, a possible Brooks Koepka sighting and the possibility that Justin Thomas is headed for a huge year.

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