Struggling Hadwin continues chase for FedEx Cup playoff spot
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Adam Hadwin has played in the FedEx Cup playoffs every year he’s been on the PGA Tour. But this year, he could join his beloved Vancouver Canucks in missing out on the postseason.
The veteran golfer tees it up in the 3M Open in Blaine, Minn., hoping to improve his position on the FedEx Cup standings. He’s currently 134th after a miserable season in which he’s struggled through swing changes that haven’t produced results. There is one final regular-season tournament next week at the Wyndham Championship. After that, the post-season unfolds, both good and bad.
Here’s how the playoffs work: following the next two events, the top 70 move on to the first playoff event, the FedEx St. Jude Classic. After that event is finished, the top 50 advance to the second stop, the BMW Championship. Players who make it there qualify for all eight Signature events as well as the Players Championship in 2026. The top 30 after the second stop make it to the Tour Championship where there is a mega-purse. Golfers who reach that event traditionally earn exemptions into three of the four majors (the PGA Championship has its own points system).
What about the golfers who finish outside the top 70?
Those who end up 71-100 in the standings have full exempt status for 2026. The players from 100 to 125 retain conditional status, meaning they will get into tournaments, just not all of them.
And the golfers outside the top 125 will be struggling to earn starts on the PGA Tour in 2026 and will likely be relegated to play on some events on the Korn Ferry Tour.
The final 125 won’t be settled until after the FedEx Fall series, a schedule of eight tournaments that award points and can make or break a player’s season.
That’s where Hadwin sits as he gets set to play in Minnesota. It’s easily the biggest challenge he’s faced in his career. Two big finishes in the remaining two starts would go a long way to helping his 2026 season. To finish inside the top 70 and keep his playoff streak alive, he’d need at least a top-20 finish this week and something big at the next stop such as a top three. If he is outside the top 20, only a win at the Wyndham would move him into the playoffs.
A more realistic goal would be to try and work his way into the top 125 or even the top 100. Two good finishes are possible for a player of his calibre. He has finished tied for fourth and tied for sixth at the 3M Open in the past, although his last two starts here have resulted in missed cuts.
In a more dire situation, Ben Silverman sits in 156th spot with Adam Svensson 170th.
Two Canadians who are inside the top 70 are playing this week, hoping to shore up their spots in the standings before the playoffs. Taylor Pendrith sits 36th and would like a good finish to improve his chances of ending the season in the top 30.
Mackenzie Hughes is 58th and is eyeing the top 50. Two years ago, he ended up in 51st spot and was bumped up one position after Jon Rahm left the PGA Tour for LIV. Last year, he wasn’t as lucky, concluding the year in 52nd. He still managed to tee it up in six of the eight Signature events.
There are other notable golfers who are hoping to move up the rankings. Gary Woodland (78), Adam Scott (85), Tom Kim (89) and Max Homa (102) need strong finishes to control their futures.
Over the next two weeks, it’s likely there will be more eyes on the FedEx Cup standings than the leaderboards of the 3M Open and the Wyndham Championship.