The FedEx Cup Playoffs as soon as once more started in dramatic style. For the second consecutive season, the primary postseason occasion wanted further holes. In a three-hole battle between Sepp Straka and Will Zalatoris, it was Zalatoris who proved victorious after what can solely be described as a weird playoff.

Having traded pars on the 18th to kick off further holes, the 2 returned to the tee. Zalatoris misplaced his tee shot proper, and it simply might have gone out of bounds. In the meantime, Straka discovered the hazard — narrowly avoiding the water lining the left facet of the golf green within the course of. They each would in the end make unconventional pars, however that’s the place issues would cease being regular.

With Zalatoris’ tee shot discovering (and inexplicably staying on) the rocks within the hazard on the par-3 11th, it set the stage for Straka to say his second PGA Tour title of the season. But, in a surprising second, he too discovered the penalty space. Straka was unable to seek out the inexperienced together with his third shot, and together with his compounding errors, Zalatoris’ maiden victory was firmly in his grasp.

It’s nearly poetic that Zalatoris’ first journey to the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour occurred in such a means, as his path to his level has been as irregular as they arrive. Whereas he’s the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Yr, the Wake Forest product was an omission from final season’s FedEx Cup Playoffs as a result of he was not a full-time member. Since then, he has added heartbreak after heartbreak, dropping in a playoff to Justin Thomas on the PGA Championship and simply lacking out on one on the U.S. Open.

Inevitably, it felt this is able to occur once more after his tee shot on the ultimate playoff gap, however the golf gods had a means of intervening. Very similar to Tony Finau and Xander Schauffele, the extra one positions themselves late on Sunday, the extra typically the breaks — or ought to I say bounces — go one’s means.

That is very true of Zalatoris, because it was by no means a matter of “if” he would win on the PGA Tour, however moderately “when.” His second lastly arrived at TPC Southwind. Together with his St. Jude Championship title, he has ascended to the highest spot within the FedEx Cup standings. Now, he has the potential to comply with within the footsteps of Patrick Cantlay and dash by the end line at East Lake and lift the FedEx Cup crown. Grade: A+

Right here is the breakdown of the remainder of the leaderboard on the 2022 St. Jude Championship

2. Sepp Straka (-15): Coming into the week off six consecutive missed cuts, in the event you informed Straka he would have a 9-iron in hand with an opportunity to win the event, he would have taken it in a heartbeat. He confirmed great resolve down the stretch, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot to match Zalatoris, who was within the group forward of him. Ultimately, it was not meant to be, however his play shows the ungodly depth at present on the PGA Tour. It additionally reveals {that a} participant’s fortunes can change on any given week. Grade: A+

T3. Lucas Glover: He was No. 121 at first of the St. Jude Championship and shall be leaving Memphis simply exterior the highest 50 of the FedEx Cup standings. With no top-20 end for the reason that Texas Open in April, the previous U.S. Open champion performed his finest golf of the season on the most important time. Whereas his bogey on the 72nd gap might make dinner style a bit bitter, within the grand scheme of the postseason, it was a particularly clutch efficiency.

“It is good,” mentioned Glover. “Sort of comparable scenario a pair years in the past and had, , one-and-a-half good weeks and ended up in Atlanta. That was form of at the back of my head and thought, , simply acquired to get to the following week after which all people’s acquired a shot.” Grade: A+

T5. Tony Finau (-11): Making an attempt to grow to be the primary man to efficiently defend a title within the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Finau gave it a terrific effort. Practically successful in his third straight begin, the four-time PGA Tour winner have to be on the shortlist of potential gamers to lift the trophy at East Lake. Because it has been for the previous month, Finau’s recreation was robust all through the bag and might be on the cusp of a postseason run. Grade: A

T5. Adam Scott (-11): He entered the week 77th within the FedEx Cup standings and performed himself effectively contained in the top-70 cutoff level together with his top-five consequence. The Australian didn’t play all too typically all through the 2021-22 common season, and the sport plan has confirmed to be fruitful. He ought to have lots left within the tank as he appears to be like to climb inside the highest 30 subsequent week on the BMW Championship earlier than serving as a veteran presence for the Worldwide Staff on the Presidents Cup in September.

“I performed actually poorly yesterday and by some means shot an honest rating, and to show it round and play stable at present and provides myself an opportunity to undergo,” mentioned Scott. “I am proud of that. I get to play 4 rounds subsequent week. And my golf’s been fairly good, and I’ve acquired nothing out of it. I really feel although I am not successful this occasion, I really feel like I am getting one thing out of the week, so hopefully that is good for the arrogance going into subsequent week and by some means have a giant week and get by to East Lake.” Grade: A

T5. Jon Rahm (-11): The previous world No. 1 has had a quiet season with just one victory, however he could also be onto one thing. Ending his St. Jude Championship with a spherical of 4-under 66, Rahm captured one more top-10 consequence within the FedEx Cup Playoffs and could also be one to regulate for the BMW Championship. He was his regular, regular self from tee to inexperienced round TPC Southwind, and the dearth in fact information for gamers at Wilmington Nation Membership might help his efforts on the greens relative to the competitors. Grade: B+

T13. Cameron Smith (-9): He was the betting favourite in a single day, however earlier than even hanging a golf ball Smith noticed his identify drop from 11 underneath to 9 underneath. Assessed a two-stroke penalty 30 minutes earlier than his tee time on Sunday as a result of an improper drop throughout his third spherical, the Champion Golfer of the Yr was instantly put behind the eight ball. He did his finest to shrug it off as he made birdie on his opening gap, however he in the end stalled. It might have been a giant day for Smith; with a win, he would’ve ascended to world No. 1 and FedEx No. 1, and he’d be the prohibitive favourite to be named Participant of the Yr. As a substitute, he should wait till subsequent week for an additional alternative to perform such feats. Grade: B

T13. Justin Thomas (-9): The 2020 winner at TPC Southwind by no means threatened the leaders, as a poor third spherical was his undoing. After opening with back-to-back rounds of 67, Thomas signed for a 1-over 71 on Saturday. Regardless of the frustration, the previous FedEx Cup champion ought to take loads of positives into the ultimate two weeks of the season. Capturing a top-20 end, Thomas ranked fourth in strokes gained tee to inexperienced courtesy of beautiful efforts each off the tee and across the inexperienced. If he’s to expertise a typical effort together with his irons subsequent week, he ought to have a practical alternative to seize his second BMW Championship. Grade: B-