Kevin Kisner can relax this week.
When you look at the field, he’s the big-name guy at the Wyndham Championships in Greensboro.
Kiz can relax, the pressure from the PGA Championship is long gone although the disappointment of the last round might not be for the 54-hole leader at the last major of the season. With no pressure on him, Kisner might have been a little too relaxed as he could only manage a one-under par 69 on Thursday.
Even if he misses the cut, Kiz can glide into the FedEx Cup playoffs, unlike a lot of guys in the field this week at the Sedgefield Country Club.
Pressure’s on if your number is 123 or lower on the FedEx Cup points list.
The top 125 after Sunday move on to the playoffs. For the rest, next season can be very uncertain.
Among those guys who better play well is Harold Varner III, who played at East Carolina University in Greenville. He had an outstanding rookie season but has been hit by the old Sophomore Slump. Varner finds himself 138th on the points list and the difficulty for him this week is he needs to finish 19th to make the playoffs.
He’s not alone.
Zac Blair (120), David Hearn (121), and Richy Werenski (122) are probably in, as long as they make the cut. Seamus Power (123) and Daniel Summerhays (124) need to finish 65th or better. In other words, they basically need to make the 36-hole cut. Geoff Ogilvy sits right on the bubble at 125 and he needs to finish 51st or higher to be safe. Gets tougher after that. Cameron Tringale (126) and Sam Saunders (127) need to finish 41st or higher. Ryan Palmer (128) has to be 40th or higher. Billy Hurley III (129th) needs a 37th finish, same for No. 130, J.T. Poston.
Varner was up to the challenge and answered the bell with a seven-under par 63 on Thursday.
He’ll have to keep up that pace to earn his playoff spot.
The biggest name in the field already has his playoff ticket punched but Henrik Stenson still found enough motivation to shoot an eight-under par 62 that put him a shot behind first-round leader Matt Every.
With conditions ideal for scoring, there was an all-out assault on par. It may take four or five-under to make the 36-hole cut on Friday.
