Koivun Held the Bubble and Didn't Know It Until the Last Putt
Jackson Koivun arrived in Greensboro 70th—the last man in—and left in exactly the same position. The 21-year-old from Auburn turned professional after finishing tied 23rd as an amateur at the U.S. Open. He has reached the FedExCup Playoffs in just five starts as a professional.
His week was a masterclass in doing enough: making the cut by two shots, firing a Saturday 66 to climb into the top fifteen, then carding a 71 on Sunday while keeping a close eye on the leaderboard. Had Beau Hossler won the tournament, Koivun would have been bumped out; Hossler's failure to convert left Koivun holding the final postseason ticket.
What Happened to the Big Names on the Bubble
The final regular season week proved ruthless for established Tour veterans whose streaks and playoff plans were cut short:
- Brooks Koepka (86th): Needed a solo fourth; missed the postseason in his first year back from LIV Golf after surrendering bonus grants and withdrawing from Detroit with a hand injury.
- Jason Day (75th): Missed the cut after shooting 73 on Friday, ending a 19-consecutive-season playoff streak—the longest active run on Tour.
- Keegan Bradley (73rd): Made the cut on the number but fell short of the needed T38 finish, ending his 15-year playoff streak.
- Tony Finau (89th): Needed a T3 finish to extend his 11-year postseason run, but couldn't secure the result required.
Michael Brennan's Sudden Ascent
Needing at least a top-two finish to crash the top 70, 24-year-old Michael Brennan won outright by three strokes. The victory represents his second PGA Tour title, following his 2025 Bank of Utah Championship win on a sponsor invitation. Coming off a second-place finish at the Rocket Classic eight days ago, Brennan jumped 58 spots directly into 47th position.
What Reaching the Top 70 Actually Secures
Advancing into the FedExCup Playoffs provides substantial long-term status:
- Top 70: Guarantees full PGA Tour membership and entry into the Players Championship for 2027.
- Top 50 (after Memphis): Qualifies players for all eight elevated Signature Events in 2027.
- Top 30 (after BMW): Earns a two-year Tour exemption plus spots at the Masters and U.S. Open.
Looking Ahead to Memphis and Beyond
The playoffs open at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis from August 13–16. The top 50 then advance to Bellerive, and the final 30 reach East Lake. Memphis still gets the first playoff week in 2026, but the PGA Tour has confirmed that TPC Southwind will lose its top-tier status when the Championship Series begins in 2028. GolfRaw looked at this separately in Eighth in Iron Play, 116th in Putting. GolfRaw reported the other half of this in He Needed to Win. One Round Later, He's Projected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who made the 2026 FedExCup Playoffs?
The top 70 players in FedExCup points following the Wyndham Championship qualified. Michael Brennan was the lone player to crash the field (jumping from 105th to 47th), while Steven Fisk was the only player dropped (falling from 69th to 71st).
Who was the FedExCup bubble boy at 70th?
Jackson Koivun held 70th position through all four rounds, securing the final spot in just his fifth start as a professional.
Did Brooks Koepka make the FedExCup Playoffs?
No, Koepka finished outside the top 70 and will not participate in the 2026 postseason.
Whose long playoff streaks came to an end at Sedgefield?
Jason Day (19 straight seasons), Keegan Bradley (15 straight seasons), and Tony Finau (11 straight seasons) all missed the top 70 cutoff.