Did Justin Thomas make the FedEx Cup playoffs? 18th hole, Lucas Glover's victory keep struggling star from postseason play

Nick Brinkerhoff

•
Did Justin Thomas make the FedEx Cup playoffs? 18th hole, Lucas Glover's victory keep struggling star from postseason play image

Close, but no playoff. 

After a season filled with struggles and forgettable moments, Justin Thomas will be watching the FedEx Cup playoffs like the rest of us — at home. 

The 2017 FedEx Cup champion came into the week on a cold streak, missing the cut in three of the last four tournaments and five of his last seven. He had only one top-10 finish since The Masters, but still had a chance coming into the final event of the regular season. 

MORE: FedEx Cup playoffs, explained

And he left it all out there on the course in Greensboro, N.C. before eventually learning his season would come to an end on Sunday. But Thomas is taking the heartbreak in stride when talking about his final round.

"Fought as hard as I possibly could," he said. "That's kind of what I've done my whole life, my whole career and I didn't want to stop here."

He echoed those thoughts in a tweet following the confirmation that his season would be over. 

Still, it has to sting for Thomas — who will miss the playoffs for the first time since debuting on tour in 2014. The Sporting News breaks down how it happened and how painfully close he was to a different fate. 

Did Justin Thomas make the FedEx Cup playoffs?

Thanks to his 71st finish in the FedEx Cup playoff standings, Thomas will miss the playoffs. The playoffs have a few new quirks to them in 2023 and one of them is reducing the field to 70 players instead of 125. 

Now Thomas' recent run of play is more than enough reason for him to sit out the postseason, but in typical JT fashion, he just didn't quit. Fortunately for Lucas Glover and unfortunately for Thomas, it was the South Carolina native's win that knocked out the man from Kentucky. 

Despite all of that, there was a last gasp for Thomas. He still had a chance to qualify by swinging his club. And he nearly swung it well enough to get to TPC Sawgrass in Memphis, Tenn. next weekend.

With his back against the wall, JT left it all out on the course Sunday at the Wyndham Championship. The pipe dream started becoming reality after knocking in an eagle on 15.

A bogey nearly doomed him on 16 and a par on 17 didn't help much either. However, fast forward to 18 and Thomas needed a birdie. He put the drive in the pine and it wasn't looking good for him.

MORE: Ryder Cup team projections 2023: Updated points standings for USA, Europe after Open Championship

With two shots left to sink a putt, he pulled out an acrobatic shot, providing a little bit of life 34 yards away from the hole.

The grand finale was a chip shot that appeared destined to fall. Thomas' third shot had everything but the finish. The flag stick denied the ball like Dikembe Mutombo would in those old Geico commercials. 

No, no, no — not today.

Is Justin Thomas PGA Tour eligible in 2024?

The short answer is yes.

Fittingly, the long answer is also yes, but with a few more details. 

Thomas captured a win at the PGA Championship in 2022 and thanks to that win, he received a five-year exemption for PGA Tour eligibility. So while he won't qualify in a traditional sense, fans can still expect to see the star on tour and maintaining employment.

Now where it gets funky is with PGA Tour designated events. Those are tournaments with increased purses since the top players in the world have agreed to play in them — though that will no longer be mandatory in 2024. 

MORE: What is an albatross? Charley Hoffman makes PGA Tour's fourth double eagle of the season

As the changes following the LIV Golf merger continue to unfold, all eyes are still on the top-30 qualifier, as it relates to Thomas. Provided he maintains that ranking — currently No. 24 in the world — he would still be eligible for those events. In addition to that, recent play at the time or sponsor invites could ensure that Thomas is on the course.

Of course, anything is subject to change with the new world golf order coming into focus. And while many of those finer details are still waiting for the ink to dry, it's unlikely that they'd allow a popular player like Thomas to be watching instead of playing. 

Nick Brinkerhoff

Nick Brinkerhoff Photo

Nick Brinkerhoff is a content producer at The Sporting News covering the NFL, NBA and other sports. A proud New Jerseyan, Nick is also a graduate of Rutgers University. He is always in the mood for a good joke, the day’s best bets, or a debate about the mediocrity of the New York sports scene.