Rickie Fowler nor Jordan Spieth are in the field for next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.
Both could play their way in by the end of Sunday.
A win at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches would get them into Bay Hill the next week, but the more realistic path to a spot in the Signature Event is via the Aon Swing 5. Fowler was 13-under, tied for sixth through three rounds at PGA National. Spieth was 11-under, tied for 14th.
The top five FedExCup points earners in the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld and Cognizant Classic will earn spots in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Currently, the fifth spot in the Aon Swing 5 is projected at 143 points, meaning Fowler or Spieth would need to finish in a three-way tie for third (worth 145 points) or better. A solo fourth finish is worth 135 points.
It surprised some that Fowler and Spieth did not receive sponsor exemptions into Bay Hill, given the two stars received exemptions into the prior two Signature Events, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Genesis Invitational.
Rickie Fowler’s dialed approach is the Shot of the Day
Rickie Fowler’s dialed approach is the Shot of the Day
But neither were among the tournament’s four, leaving this week’s Cognizant Classic as their only path.
Both will need strong final rounds to close the deal. Spieth was three shots behind a three-way tie for third at the end of Saturday after firing a bogey-free, 4-under 67 to get to 11-under. Meanwhile, Fowler needed only to make up one shot after a third-round 3-under 68 got him to 13-under.
“It was good to get through it today and put ourselves in a spot where we go play well tomorrow, we’ll have a chance to win this thing,” Fowler said.
A win would be wonderful, but there’s more to play for on Sunday than a trophy for Fowler and Spieth.
