The 2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs have reached their second stage, with the field for the BMW Championship now set. After the opening playoff event at TPC Southwind, the number of contenders has been reduced from 70 players to 50.
Scottie Scheffler remains No. 1 in the FedEx Cup standings after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Matt Fitzpatrick is second and Cameron Young sits third, while Si Woo Kim moved into the top five.
The BMW Championship will take place at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis. The tournament is the second stage of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, with only the top 30 players after this event advancing to the season-ending Tour Championship.
FedEx Cup Standings: Top 50 Heading to the BMW Championship
- Scottie Scheffler — Previous: 1
- Matt Fitzpatrick — Previous: 2
- Cameron Young — Previous: 3
- Si Woo Kim — Previous: 7
- Wyndham Clark — Previous: 4
- Sam Burns — Previous: 8
- Chris Gotterup — Previous: 5
- Tommy Fleetwood — Previous: 9
- Collin Morikawa — Previous: 6
- Ludvig Aberg — Previous: 10
- Xander Schauffele — Previous: 11
- Jacob Bridgeman — Previous: 13
- Rory McIlroy — Previous: 12
- Russell Henley — Previous: 15
- Akshay Bhatia — Previous: 14
- Hideki Matsuyama — Previous: 20
- Ryan Gerard — Previous: 16
- Min Woo Lee — Previous: 17
- Kristoffer Reitan — Previous: 18
- Alex Fitzpatrick — Previous: 19
- J.J. Spaun — Previous: 21
- Viktor Hovland — Previous: 23
- Alex Smalley — Previous: 25
- Justin Rose — Previous: 24
- Ryan Fox — Previous: 22
- Tom Kim — Previous: 26
- Adam Scott — Previous: 29
- Kurt Kitayama — Previous: 33
- Bud Cauley — Previous: 34
- Rickie Fowler — Previous: 28
- Gary Woodland — Previous: 27
- J.T. Poston — Previous: 30
- Nicolai Hojgaard — Previous: 32
- Alex Noren — Previous: 46
- Jake Knapp — Previous: 40
- Robert MacIntyre — Previous: 31
- Aaron Rai — Previous: 35
- Ben Griffin — Previous: 36
- Sepp Straka — Previous: 37
- Sungjae Im — Previous: 53
- Michael Thorbjornsen — Previous: 38
- Nico Echavarria — Previous: 41
- Patrick Cantlay — Previous: 42
- Justin Thomas — Previous: 39
- Ryo Hisatsune — Previous: 43
- Sahith Theegala — Previous: 44
- Michael Brennan — Previous: 47
- Eric Cole — Previous: 45
- Maverick McNealy — Previous: 50
- Matt McCarty — Previous: 48
Scottie Scheffler Remains No. 1
Scottie Scheffler enters the BMW Championship as the FedEx Cup leader after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
His victory strengthens his position at the top of the standings as the playoffs move toward their final stage. Matt Fitzpatrick remains second, while Cameron Young holds third.
Rory McIlroy is 13th, Xander Schauffele is 11th and Collin Morikawa is ninth. Ludvig Aberg rounds out the top 10.
Sungjae Im Makes a Huge Jump
Sungjae Im was one of the biggest movers during the opening playoff event.
Im began the week 53rd in the FedEx Cup standings, putting him outside the BMW Championship field. His tie for fifth at TPC Southwind changed everything.
The strong finish moved Im 13 places to No. 40, comfortably securing his place in the BMW Championship.
Alex Noren also made a significant jump, climbing from 46th to 34th. Jake Knapp moved from 40th to 35th, while Kurt Kitayama improved from 33rd to 28th.
Bud Cauley also climbed five spots from 34th to 29th.
Maverick McNealy Survives the Cut
Maverick McNealy entered the FedEx St. Jude Championship as the Bubble Boy and needed a strong performance to remain inside the top 50.
He delivered enough to advance, shooting a 1-under 69 in the final round and finishing tied for 19th. McNealy moved from 50th to 49th.
Matt McCarty occupies the final qualifying position at No. 50.
The battle for the final spot was extremely close, with McCarty finishing less than eight FedEx Cup points ahead of Keith Mitchell.
Last Five Players Into the BMW Championship
The final five players inside the BMW Championship field are:
- Sahith Theegala
- Michael Brennan
- Eric Cole
- Maverick McNealy
- Matt McCarty
McCarty is the final player to qualify for the BMW Championship after the first playoff event.
First Five Players Outside the Top 50
Keith Mitchell narrowly missed the BMW Championship after finishing 51st.
The first five players outside the qualifying positions are:
- Keith Mitchell
- Jordan Spieth
- Max Homa
- Harris English
- Pierceson Coody
Mitchell’s elimination was particularly close because he finished only a handful of FedEx Cup points behind McCarty.
Jordan Spieth Misses the BMW Championship
Jordan Spieth is one of the biggest names to miss the top 50.
Spieth finished 52nd in the FedEx Cup standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He needed a strong result in Memphis to continue his playoff run but ultimately fell short.
Max Homa and Harris English are also among the notable players who failed to advance.
Major Champions Among the Eliminated Players
Several major champions also saw their playoff runs end after the opening event.
Jordan Spieth, Shane Lowry and Brian Harman all finished outside the top 50.
Lowry ended up 62nd, while Harman finished 65th. Their absence from the BMW Championship highlights how competitive the PGA Tour has become.
The FedEx Cup rewards consistency and strong finishes throughout the season, and even established stars can find themselves outside the playoff field if they fail to accumulate enough points.
What Comes Next in the FedEx Cup Playoffs?
The BMW Championship is the second event of the 2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs and features the remaining 50 players.
The tournament at Bellerive Country Club will determine which 30 players advance to the Tour Championship.
Rickie Fowler currently sits at No. 30 and is therefore the new Bubble Boy heading into the BMW Championship. Players around him will be under significant pressure because a strong week could secure a spot in the season finale, while a poor result could end their playoff run.
Players Eliminated After the Opening Playoff Event
The 20 players who failed to make the top 50 are:
- Keith Mitchell
- Jordan Spieth
- Max Homa
- Harris English
- Pierceson Coody
- Harry Hall
- Sam Stevens
- Sudarshan Yellamaraju
- Corey Conners
- Daniel Berger
- Michael Kim
- Shane Lowry
- Nick Taylor
- Patrick Rodgers
- Brian Harman
- Jordan Smith
- Jackson Koivun
- Aldrich Potgieter
- Ricky Castillo
- Matti Schmid
These players are out of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, although some could return to competition during the FedEx Cup Fall series.
The Biltmore Championship in Asheville, North Carolina, is scheduled to begin the Fall series on Sept. 17.
FedEx Cup Standings Enter a Decisive Stage
The FedEx Cup standings are now more important than ever as the playoffs move from 50 players to 30.
Scottie Scheffler leads the way, while players such as Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa remain in strong positions.
At the other end of the standings, players such as Maverick McNealy and Matt McCarty survived a tense battle to make the BMW Championship.
With only one tournament remaining before the Tour Championship field is finalized, the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club will play a crucial role in determining who remains in contention for the 2026 FedEx Cup.
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