A lot on the line this week

DALLAS, Pennsylvania—Seven tournaments are in the books in this inaugural Forme Tour season, with one event remaining. The Forme Tour Championship is filled with intrigue, not only for what’s at stake in the final week of the year for the players but where it will all take place. Because Hurricane Ida caused extensive damage to The Ridge at Back Brook, the well-known course in New Jersey that was set to host the season finale, Tour officials went into scramble mode Friday looking to secure a new venue. They found a last-minute replacement in Pennsylvania, and what a venue it is—Huntsville Golf Club.

The event is also taking on a unique format due to course availability. Instead of 18 holes a day over four days, players will play the first round Wednesday, September 8, with the second round September 9 followed by a 36-hole cut to the low-60 players and ties. Then the season will come down to the final day, a 36-hole marathon, September 10, that will determine 1) the winner of the Forme Tour Championship; 2) the Player of the Year; 3) the other four players on the Points List who will earn 2022 Korn Ferry Tour membership. In addition, the players finishing in the sixth-to-10th spots on the Points List get to skip the first and second stages of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament that begin next week and advance directly to the finals, in Savannah, Georgia, in November.

So, yes, a lot still on the line.

Currently, first-year pro Trevor Werbylo leads the Points List, but his chance to cement his position didn’t go the way he would have liked over the last two weeks as he missed the cut in Ohio and again last week in suburban Philadelphia, at the Rolling Green Championship. The University of Arizona alum’s slump has come at an inopportune time, which only serves to illustrate how good he was for the first five tournaments that he’s been able to maintain his top spot. Werbylo counts a win (Fuzzy Zoeller Classic at Covered Bridge Golf Club), a playoff loss to Sam Saunders (L&J Golf Championship at Jennings Mill Country Club) and a tie for sixth (Bolingbrook Invitational) as his top-three performances.

Besides Werbylo, only seven other players are still mathematically alive to claim Player of the Year honors. Even if No. 9 Luke Schniederjans were to win this week and claim the 500 points that the winner earns, it would leave him with 930 points, still three shy of what Werbylo has already amassed. The others who are still in the running are Corey Shaun, Andrew Yun, Turk Pettit, Mac Meissner, Philip Knowles, Saunders and Clay Feagler. Of that group, only Feagler does not have a victory on his 2021 resume.
Here’s a look at the standings and the ground the seven need to make up on Werbylo.

Still in Player of the Year Contention

In addition, No. 50, Brad Miller, with 138 points, and everybody ahead of him, are still mathematically in the running to finish inside the top five on the Points List. While the No. 1 position gives that player exemptions into every 2022 open Korn Ferry Tour tournament, those finishing in the next-four positions can reasonably expect to play in several Korn Ferry Tour events next year at least until the reshuffle takes place, where priority rankings change based on player success and performance.

Finally, the top-60 on the Points List at the conclusion of the Forme Tour Championship will retain membership and Forme Tour playing privileges in 2022. Currently, Sean Walsh is holding down the 60th position, with Austin Hitt and Eric Ansett a mere one and two points, respectively, behind Walsh’s total.

Here’s a look at the last five inside the top 60 and the first five on the outside with 72 holes left in the season.