Wyndham Championship preview: Lowry to rally in FedEx Cup hunt

With the FedEx Cup right around the corner, the Wyndham Championship is the final chance for players to pick up crucial points to get them into a top 70 spot for the end of year tournament. Those who desperately need the points will be more determined than ever.

We preview the key players below.

Russell Henley – 20/1

Russell Henley certainly didn’t get off to a flying start in 2023 but his recent form has put him right in the mix for a coveted top 30 spot in the FedEx Cup rankings, and that could be just the motivation he needs to win here.

Henley currently sits 34th in the rankings and a win here offers 500 points, which could see him jump as high as 11th and put him in contention for a top 10 spot on the tour come the end of the FedEx Cup tournaments.

Henley has been on red-hot form on the PGA Tour in recent months but he has failed to win on the tour since November 2022 when he beat Brian Harman to the World Wide Technology Championship. Henley had a run of four top 20 finishes in a row between May and June and finished T35 in his most recent PGA Tour appearance at the John Deere Classic.

The American has accuracy to go with his distance and is ranked number one on the tour for his driving accuracy. He is also extremely useful from the fairway, ranking fourth on the tour for approaching the green from 125-150 yards, leaving him an impressive 26th when it comes to strokes gained from tee to green. His putting is where he has a tendency to fall short as he ranks 126th on the tour and loses 0.3 of a strokes to the rest of the field on the greens.

He was underwhelming at The Open but after missing the cut and taking a week off at the 3M Open, he will be fresh and raring to go, and at 20/1 is expected to be amongst the frontrunners this weekend. If he can get on a hot streak with the putter, there is no reason he can’t challenge for the title here.

Shane Lowry – 28/1

One of the most experienced players on the tour, Shane Lowry has struggled somewhat in 2023 and will need a big performance here to put himself into a top 70 spot in the FedEx Cup rankings.

Lowry currently sits 76th in the FedEx Cup rankings with this the last tournament before the beginning of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, in which only the top 70 in the points standings qualify for.

A win would see Lowry climb to 1056 points which would sit him comfortably in the top 50 and even give him the chance to climb into the top 30 and secure a place at all three FedEx Cup events.

Lowry is another who is more than okay off tee and with his irons, but his putter has been cold throughout the season. When it comes to tee to green play, the Irishman ranks 21st on the tour, with his strengths lying in his combined driving distance and accuracy which rank eighth on the tour, and his approaches from 225-250 yards which ranks 13th on the tour.

Lowry’s putting and inability to score low have been the main reasons behind his struggles this year. He ranks 117th on the tour for strokes gained putting, and he isn’t putting away the ‘gimmes’ as he ranks 170th on the tour for putting percentage from four feet or closer. He has also struggled to birdie holes with just 204 in total this season, which ranks 163rd on the tour.

The former Open champion will know exactly what he has to do to climb the FedEx cup rankings and often experience can be key and at 28/1, a player who has the ability to really turn it on when it matters as well as Lowry could provide great value at the Wyndham Championship this week.