Updated Aug. 23, 2026, 8:11 p.m. ET
The Gateway City was the gateway to the Tour Championship.
The top 30 after the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis advanced to Atlanta and there was some movement among those who earned their way to East Lake Golf Club next week and a chance to play for a $40 million purse and win the FedEx Cup.
Patrick Cantlay came up clutch, with birdies on the final three holes to shoot 2-under 68 on Sunday to finish second. That jumped him from No. 43 to No. 19 and he made it to Atlanta for the sixth straight year and eighth time in nine years.
“Next week’s a golf course that I think suits me really well,” said Cantlay of East Lake GC, where he won the FedEx Cup in 2021. “So, I’m really happy to be going back.”
Gary Woodland didn’t have as much work to do starting the week at No. 31, but he took care of business and then some, finishing T-4 and jumping to No. 18. It’s his first trip back to Atlanta since 2019.
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“With everything I battled this year,” said Woodland, who went public in March that he was still dealing with post-traumatic stress from having brain surgery in 2023. “I’m super proud of myself, I can tell you that.”
The third and final person to vault into the top 30 from the outside looking in was Robert MacIntyre, who closed in 65 and finished T-7. He climbed from No. 36 to No. 25. Last week, he withdrew from Memphis after shooting 82 and said he was battling a cyst on his right knee.
“It’s good to extend the season on the PGA Tour an extra week. Satisfying round of golf today. It was absolutely beautiful,” MacIntyre said.
The three hard-luck losers that got bumped out were Kurt Kitayama, J.T. Poston and Rickie Fowler, who started the week as the ‘Bubble Boy.”
Kitayama and Poston made a valiant effort with rounds of 67 and 66 respectively. Fowler took three putts at 18 and shot 70.
Ryan Fox, the Champion Golfer of the Year, ended up in the 30th and final spot after starting the week 25th. Fox is one of six Tour Championship first-timers in 2026.
FedEx Cup standings: Last 5 in for Tour ChampionshipPlayerFedEx Cup (previous)Points aheadViktor Hofland26 (22)+57.419Justin Rose27 (24)+37.407Adam Scott28 (27)+15.308Tom Kim29 (26)+10.504Ryan Fox30 (25)—FedEx Cup standings: First 5 out for Tour ChampionshipPlayerFedEx Cup (previous)Points behindKurt Kitayama31 (28)-65.137J.T. Poston32 (32)-80.353Rickie Fowler33 (32)-86.732Bud Cauley34 (36)-92.117Nicolai Hojgaard35 (33)-139.65730 PGA Tour golfers headed to 2026 Tour Championship
Making the top 30 comes with certain benefits ranging from FedEx Cup prize money, a multi-year Tour exemption, a Masters invitation among exemptions to the U.S. and British Opens and in all likelihood the PGA too. Fowler has played in the Masters just once the last six seasons.
Scottie SchefflerMatt FitzpatrickWyndham ClarkCameron YoungSi Woo KimChris GotterupCollin MorikawaSam BurnsTommy FleetwoodLudvig AbergRory McIlroyXander SchauffeleJacob BridgemanRussell HenleyAkshay BhatiaHideki MatsuyamaRyan GerardGary WoodlandPatrick CantlayKristoffer ReitanMin Woo LeeJ.J. SpaunAlex SmalleyAlex FitzpatrickRobert MacIntyreViktor HovlandJustin RoseAdam ScottTom KimRyan Fox
Adam Schupak is a Golfweek senior writer covering the PGA Tour.