Will Tiger Woods make the Playoffs? Stay tuned

text size

Tiger Woods has won two of the first three FedExCups. But with one week left in the 2010 regular season, there is no ironclad guarantee that the defending FedExCup champ will get a shot to win a third title this year.

After finishing tied for 28th at the PGA Championship, Woods now is in 108th place in the FedExCup points. Considering the top 125 make the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup and earn a spot at The Barclays, the first of the four Playoffs events, Woods appears to be in good shape.

Tiger Woods

More FedExCup

Playoff picture
Standings

But since he is not playing in this week's Wyndham Championship -- the final regular-season event to earn points -- Woods could mathematically fall to 132nd in the standings, depending on how others play at Sedgefield. According to PGA TOUR FedExCup expert Kin Lo, only the players ranked 96th or better are mathematically safe and guaranteed to finish inside the top 125 regardless of the final leaderboard at Wyndham.

Still, Tiger shouldn't have to sweat too much. According to Lo, any player ranked 120th or better is probable to make the Playoffs.

Last year, the 125th player in FedExCup points after the Wyndham Championship was Troy Matteson, who had 354 points. Lo expects that number to be higher this year, probably between 387 and 395 points. Going into Wyndham this week, Michael Letzig is sitting on the 125th spot with 366 points.

Woods currently has 431 points.

Woods is not the only player risking his Playoffs position by not playing this week. Bill Lunde (97th), U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin (107th) and Ben Curtis (110th) join Woods as the four players not in the Wyndham field who could fall out of the top 125, according to the various scenarios.

Watching the players near that 125th bubble line will be a key story this week. Of the 100 players ranked between 76 and 175 in FedExCup points, just 10 are not playing at Wyndham. A year ago, five players outside the top 125 going into Wyndham made the Playoffs due to their success at Sedgefield.

Other scenarios:

• Any player, regardless of current position in the FedExCup standings, will be inside the top 80 by claiming the 500 FedExCup points that go with winning at Wyndham.

• Any player currently ranked 126th through 142nd will qualify for the Playoffs with a top-10 finish at Wyndham.

• Joe Durant, currently ranked 153rd in points, could climb into the top 125 with a top-five finish. Everybody else behind him -- including notables such as Trevor Immelman, Fred Couples and Rocco Mediate -- needs to finish top-four or better, depending on the scenario.