GREENSBORO. N.C. – It looked like a great Thursday for Arjun Atwal.
After Monday qualifying for the Wyndham Championship, Atwal posted a magnificent 61 thanks to a birdie on his final hole. He signed his card and came out of the scoring trailer with a smile that was soon erased by a PGA Tour official who told Atwal he is not eligible for the FedEx Cup playoffs.
After injuring his shoulder last year, Atwal played on a medical extension through the RBC Canadian Open. He did not earn enough money to keep his PGA Tour card.
Only PGA Tour members are eligible for FedEx Cup points, so even if Atwal wins at Sedgefield he will not go to the playoffs. However, if he wins he receives a two year exemption on tour and a trip to Kapalua in 2011.
I’m not sure if I agree with this rule.
Why not make all winners on the Tour exempt for at least the first round of the FedEx Cup regardless of tour membership? Think how much more attractive the field would be at The Barclays with Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, and Martin Kaymer.