There’s only one champion at the Wyndham Championship. But there’s always more than one winner.
Both champion and winners will be decided Sunday at Sedgefield Country Club.
Though a victory by Jamestown’s Alex Smalley, a Sedgefield member, would be Smalley’s first on the PGA Tour and one of the most popular in tournament history, the Duke grad already has a FedExCup Playoffs spot and a 2027 Tour exemption already wrapped up.
But a first regular-season Tour victory for 24-year-old co-leader Michael Brennan (he won last fall), who shot 63 Saturday, would earn the Wake Forest graduate a place in the FedExCup Playoffs and an exemption to 2027 events.
Sedgefield vs. Wake Forest. Could happen. But co-leader Beau Hossler and four others within four shots of lead could spoil the party. Tom Kim, the 2021 Wyndham champion, shot 63 and is in third, one stroke behind. Smalley and Kim will tee off at 1:45 p.m. Sunday. Brennan and Hossler will follow in the final group at 1:55.
Smalley shot 65 Saturday — despite a bogey on No. 18 — to pull into a tie for fourth place, only two strokes behind leaders Beau Hossler and Brennan, who are at 16-under-par 194 entering Sunday’s final round. Hossler, a eader after each of the first three rounds, had to endure two short weather delays before finishing his third round.
Though Wake Forest fans have a chance for a repeat victor, it won’t be defending champion Cameron Young, ranked No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Instead it’s Brennan, a Virginia native, who has faltered from similar front-runner positions the past two Sundays.
Regardless, the champion on Sunday — barring a third straight day of afternoon lightning that could push the tournament into Monday — should come from the top seven, which also includes Davis Thompson and Alex Noren.
Big winners will include the players that slip inside the top 70 or maintain their spot in the FedExCup Standings and make next week’s playoffs. Or the players who solidify a top 100 spot — the requirement to keep their Tour exemption after the Tour’s Fall Series.
So, besides who wins the $1.53 million first prize and the exemption and playoff spot that comes with it, there’s significant drama left to unfold on Sunday.
First, what’s been settled. Jordan Spieth assured himself a spot in the playoffs. Brooks Koepka shot won’t make the top 70 on the FedExCup Playoff list, so he’ll remain excluded from Signature events when the 2027 season begins.
Then there’s the roller-coaster ride of Thompson, whose albatross at No. 5 Saturday was one of the PGA Tour’s most memorable shots of the year (and not recorded by TV cameras). Thompson took the lead Saturday before falling off with an even-par back nine while most of the leaders were racking up birdies.
Thompson’s 186-yard approach on 5, hit just short of the pin, took a few tiny bounces and fell into the cup. Later in the day, Jordan Smith aced the 169-yard 16th.
Last year, Thompson missed the top 70 when he three-putted on the last hole at Sedgefield. This year, he ranks 73rd according to PGA Tour mathematicians enter Sunday’s round.
At least Thompson still has a chance. Mac Meissner lost his when he three-putted for double-bogey on his final hole Saturday to miss the cut by a single shot. No. 71 entering the week, he has no chance to make the playoffs.
Koepka, 86th coming in, needed a top four finish to make the playoffs. He won’t do it after shooting 74 Saturday — unless he makes up 11 shots and passes 61 players. Wake alumnus Alex Fitzpatrick (73) and Duke product Max Greyserman (78) were among the others to drop from contention. Defending champion Cameron Young, another former Wake player, shot 72 after barely making the cut.
Bradley, No. 72 entering the week, needs a good (66 or so) Sunday round and maybe, some help from fellow bubble players.
Nico Echaverria shot 62 Saturday with an eagle and six birdies to vault up the leaderboard into a tie for eighth at 199. Hideki Matuyama is at 200 with Jackson Koivun at 201.
Playing well, but not good enough to win are 11 players tied at 202 including Spieth, Justin Thomas, Webb Simpson and Sungjae Im.
