ATLANTA – For most players, just making it to East Lake is the end of the proverbial rainbow for the 2013-14 season, but there are those who still have plenty to play for at the finale, and not just the handful vying for the FedEx Cup.
Following this week’s Tour Championship, the top 5 players not already exempt into the WGC-HSBC Champions will earn a spot in the lucrative, no-cut event played in November.
“I’d like to sneak in that one for sure. It’s not that bad to get in there this week,” said Gary Woodland, who charged up the leaderboard on Saturday with a third-round 63. “Pretty much play decent and then you’re in.”
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Although Woodland is currently projected 27th on the FedEx Cup points list, many of the players ahead of him are already exempt into the HSBC. There also will be another deadline, on Oct. 20, when the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings earn a spot in China.
Many of the players ahead of Woodland who aren’t currently qualified for the HSBC – including Jim Furyk (seventh), Rickie Fowler (11th), Jordan Spieth (13th) and Bill Haas (31st) – are well inside the top 50, which will make things easier for those who are not in the field for the 2014-15 season’s first World Golf Championship.
“I need to play well to get to China. That would solidify the start of the season for next year for me,” said Woodland, who also plans to play the CIMB Classic in Malaysia the week before the HSBC.
