Latest news with #JustinThomas
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
FedExCup Playoffs: Who is sitting right on the bubble entering the 3M Open?
With the final major championship now in the books, only two weeks remain in the PGA Tour's regular season schedule. That's leaving limited time for those right on the bubble to earn a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs. The top 70 golfers in the FedExCup standings will earn entry into the FedEx St. Jude Championship next month, which marks the first of the Tour's three playoffs events. This is the third year of the Tour's new postseason system, which cut the field size down from 125 to 70 for the first playoff event. After the tournament in Memphis, the top 50 golfers will earn entry into the BMW Championship the following week. Those who make it into the BMW Championship will also earn automatic entry into the eight signature events on Tour next season. Then the top 30 will qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta. That tournament is set to kick off on Aug. 21, and will feature a traditional start this season rather than the staggered starting strokes format it's used in the past. The 3M Open marks the first of two final chances for golfers right on the cusp to make a jump in the standings. Here's a look at who needs a big week at TPC Twin Cities outside of Minneapolis: FedExCup standings: Top 10 As of Monday, July 21 Position Name Points 1 Scottie Scheffler 4,806 2 Rory McIlroy 3,444 3 Sepp Straka 2,595 4 Russell Henley 2,391 5 Justin Thomas 2,280 6 Harris English 2,232 7 Ben Griffin 2,212 8 JJ Spaun 2,144 9 Tommy Fleetwood 1,738 10 Keegan Bradley 1,749 FedExCup standings: Just inside the bubble As of Monday, July 21 Rickie Fowler and Ben An are probably the biggest names in this group, and they're both in the field this week at the 3M Open. A solid finish here would undoubtedly take any stress out of next week, and allow them to shift their focus to the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Keith Mitchell, however, is just barely safe. He's got a two-point lead over Emiliano Grillo, so a big week is critical. Position Name Points 61 Kevin Yu 645 62 Erik van Rooyen 634 63 Rickie Fowler 632 64 Nico Echavarria 628 65 Cam Davis 616 66 Patrick Rodgers 616 67 Ben An 595 68 Matti Schmid 590 69 Nicolai Højgaard 590 70 Keith Mitchell 589 FedExCup standings: Outside looking in As of Monday, July 21 Emiliano Grillo is easily in the best position among this group, as he's just two points shy of catching Keith Mitchell. That's something he could easily do this week. Rasmus Højgaard is last on this list, and he has more than 100 points to climb. He, however, is not playing in Minneapolis. Position Name Points 71 Emiliano Grillo 587 72 Davis Thompson 552 73 Eric Cole 546 74 Alex Smalley 544 75 Christiaan Bezuidenhout 534 76 Kevin Roy 532 77 Chris Kirk 530 78 Gary Woodland 521 79 Ryo Hisatsune 504 80 Rasmus Højgaard 480
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Justin Thomas Tries Luck With Harry Potter-Style Magic, But Birdie Doesn't Drop
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Currently ranked sixth in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings with 10,078.31 points, Justin Thomas kicked off his Friday round at The Open Championship just around 5 a.m. ET, paired with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood. With Bethpage Black looming in September, Thomas knows the final major of this season could be pivotal in securing automatic qualification, and he's treating it like it. PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 18: Justin Thomas of the United States hits his second shot on the 1st hole on day two of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July... PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 18: Justin Thomas of the United States hits his second shot on the 1st hole on day two of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 18, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by) More Getty Images Coming off a 1-over 72 in Round 1, the 32-year-old looked sharp early in Round 2, carding a birdie at the second. But it was his near-miss on the third hole that stole the spotlight and gave fans a moment of Harry Potter moment. On the par-3 third, Thomas faced a slippery 29-foot right-to-left birdie putt. He struck it cleanly. The ball curled toward the cup, slowed, and came to rest right on the edge. "Fall in, it has to!" exclaimed the Sky Sports commentator, as per their video posted on X. Another broadcaster added, "He should blow on it," capturing the moment's absurdity. Thomas, ever the showman, leaned over and jokingly tried to cast a Harry Potter-style spell on the ball. The crowd burst into laughter, but even wizardry couldn't coax it in. McIlroy and Fleetwood paused mid-stride, watching to see if gravity would grant Thomas a delayed birdie. It didn't. The ball hovered, refused to drop, and Thomas tapped in for par. Despite the magical miss, Thomas kept his momentum. He birdied the 13th and 17th holes on the back nine, finishing the day with a 4-under 67, a solid bounce-back from Thursday's round, where he made three bogeys and finished T45. If Thomas continues this upward spirit and clinches the win, it would mark his first Open Championship title and third major overall, following victories at the 2017 and 2022 PGA Championships. His best Open finish remains a T-11 at Royal Portrush in 2019, the same venue hosting this year's showdown. More Golf: Jon Rahm's Frustration Boils as Fan Disrupts Tee Shot at The Open
NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley puts self in mix for big Ryder Cup points — and Open title
Justin Thomas almost sinks the birdie putt, but the ball somehow doesn't find the bottom of the hole in stunning fashion during Round 2 of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – The Open Championship is the final chance this year for American players to earn a higher percentage of Ryder Cup points. And the captain is poised to take advantage. For the first time since 2018, Keegan Bradley will play the weekend at The Open after a bogey-free 67 in ideal conditions Friday at Royal Portrush. He was at 3-under 139, four shots off the clubhouse lead. It was fortuitous timing for a player who might soon become the first U.S. playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963. Bradley is up to No. 9 in the team standings, his candidacy getting a significant boost after his victory last month at the Travelers Championship, a signature event on Tour. Bradley didn't figure to get much of a lift from his week at The Open; in 11 tries, he has never been better than 15th in the year's final major. And before Friday's 67, he had gone 17 consecutive rounds without a score in the 60s. But Bradley said that he's a more well-rounded player than he's been at any point in his career, particularly around the greens, and that is already starting to pay off at Portrush. 'I have to keep going,' he said. 'I really need to play well at this event and then in the playoffs.' Bradley was also quick to point out that there's still a chance for 'extreme movement' over the next month and a half, since the six automatic spots are finalized on Aug. 17 and the six wildcard selections are made following the Tour Championship. The Open awards 1 ½ points for every $1,000 earned – up from the usual one point – and the three FedExCup playoff events all feature $20 million-plus purses. The halfway leaderboard at Portrush shows just how much volatility is possible. Brian Harman, the 2023 Open champion who was a late addition to the squad that lost in Rome, has once again put himself in position through two rounds. He was No. 12 on the list. Another team contender, Harris English, a member of the 2021 U.S. squad, is No. 10 in the standings and among the chasing pack at Portrush. 'I'm happy that some Americans are up at the top of the leaderboard,' Bradley said. 'It's really such a different experience for me to look at a leaderboard now because I look up there and I'm like, Brian is playing good, and that's awesome; or Harris is playing (well). I really feel excited about it, which is really fun.' Bradley said the only time he tunes out the Ryder Cup distraction is while he's inside the ropes. And when he finishes his round, he's jumping back into the text thread with his vice captains – what's the latest, what the guys are hearing, who's trending well. Even if the conversation sometimes turns to his own play. 'I'm going to look at myself as just another player,' he said. 'It's tough for me, but we have to look at every single possibility, just like we'd look at any other player in my position. Anybody in the top 12 or top 15 or top 20 – you want to look at the player that's playing the best. 'We've still got two months left before the Ryder Cup, and if I continue my play, then we'll talk about this. But you never know how this golf thing is.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Rory, sneeze!' - McIlroy, Thomas & Fleetwood stunned by this putt
Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood cannot believe how close Justin Thomas was to a birdie on the third hole on the second day of The Open.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Justin Thomas tries casting a spell on golf ball in desperate attempt to nail birdie putt at The Open
JUSTIN THOMAS attempted his best Harry Potter impression as he tried to cast a spell on his golf ball. The American, 32, was in a blockbuster group with Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood for the first two days of The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. Advertisement 5 Justin Thomas nearly rolled in a 29ft birdie putt on the third hole Credit: Sky Sports 5 The ball stopped right over the edge of the cup Credit: Sky Sports 5 Thomas tried to cast a spell on the ball to make it drop in Credit: Sky Sports 5 The three players could barely believe it stayed out Credit: Sky Sports And he had a brilliant moment early in his round on Friday. Thomas had a look at a birdie putt on the par 3 third hole to get in the red for his tournament. And he made a superb effort at the 29ft right-to-left putt. The ball curved around beautifully and looked destined to disappear into the bottom of the hole. Advertisement READ MORE ON THE OPEN However, it agonisingly came to a rest right on the edge of the cup. But despite literally overhanging the hole, the ball stopped and refused to go in for the birdie. So Thomas waited patiently to see if the ball would eventually find one more rotation and just nudge itself in. The commentator joked he should blow on it to secure the birdie. Advertisement Most read in Golf CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS But as Thomas got desperate, he jokingly turned to supernatural powers to force the issue and hilariously forcefully pointed at the ball and demanded it to "GO" in. Awkward moment fart noise stuns Open commentators into silence before pair burst out laughing The Open 2025 ONE of the most anticipated Opens in years is finally here. Can THE OPEN 2025 LIVE - Follow all the latest updates from Royal Portrush TIPS AND FREE BETS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW... The Open 2025 schedule and tee times TOP STORIES... It was not to be, though. Advertisement So after waiting long enough to wander over to the ball, Thomas did not want to risk a stroke penalty for taking too long over his shot. And in the end he had to concede it was not going in. So the two-time PGA Championship winner relented and knocked in the very easiest par putt of his career from less than an inch away. Golf fans took to social media loving his antics on the green. Advertisement The Open account wrote: "Justin Thomas trying to summon the wind on 3." A third added: "Justin Thomas should've thrown his arm at the ball with more gusto on hole 3 it might've fallen in." And a final user cheekily commented when it didn't work: "So basically he's Ron in the Chamber of Secrets?" 5 Thomas was paired with Rory McIlroy plus Tommy Fleetwood for the first two rounds Credit: PA Advertisement
