Justin Thomas misses FedEx Cup Playoffs for first time in career
Justin Thomas won’t be a participant in the FedEx Cup playoffs this year. The PGA Tour star’s rough 2023 season ended in dramatic fashion, finishing 71st in the standings and narrowly missing the cut.
Thomas entered the weekend’s Wyndham Championship at 79th in the standings. The top 70 spots make the cut, meaning the two-time major champion missed out by the narrowest of margins.
It’s the first time in his PGA Tour career that he’s missed the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Thomas gave it a good run, finishing at -11 for the tournament and in a tie for 12th. And he found himself in the hunt until the final hole.
Thomas was -2 for the final round heading to the 18th hole, needing a birdie to squeak into the FedEx Cup playoffs. After an erratic drive and an impressive save shot, Thomas needed a chip-in to stay alive.
This was how close he came to sneaking into the FedEx Cup playoffs:
That reaction says it all. He really couldn’t have come much closer.
Following the disappointing finish at the Wyndham Championship, Thomas sent out a social media post. He mentioned his poor performance throughout the 2023 season but said he was proud of how he continued to fight until the very end.
“Can use adversity as an opportunity to shy away from a challenge, or take it head on,” Thomas wrote. “Was a tough season for me, but I actually had fun battling it out and playing golf this week. It’s why we play. Beyond gutted to miss the playoffs, but I’m proud of how hard I fought #onward.”
The phrase “tough season” seems like an understatement, especially from a two-time major champion.
Thomas failed to make the weekend cut in three of the four major championships during the 2023 season. The lone cut he reached was the PGA Championship — the tournament in which he’s won twice in his career.
Even then, Thomas finished that tournament in 65th place. He ended this year without a victory.
Golfers occasionally run into these rough patches at different points in their careers. Thomas will still be one of the top prospects on the PGA Tour in 2024 and will continue to be a favorite among fans.
And, based on his Twitter post, it sounds like he’ll be as hungry as ever to get a win and return to his old self after such a discouraging 2023 campaign.