Sepp Straka, ranked fifth in the FedEx Cup standings, suddenly announced his withdrawal from the BMW Championship, the second event of the PGA Tour playoffs. The Austrian just finished tied for 17th in the first event of this stage, the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
The news was released through the X PGA Tour Communications account. A brief statement from Straka’s manager, Butler Melnyk, also released the same channel, requesting privacy for the player.
“For personal reasons, Sepp is unable to play this week,” Melnyk said. “He intends to compete at the TOUR Championship, but requests privacy at this time as he attends to a family matter at home.”
Although Straka’s absence from the BMW Championship is notable, it will not significantly impact his chances of playing in the TOUR Championship. The final tournament of the regular season features the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup, and Straka should comfortably remain in that group, even without playing this week.
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What could be affected is his ranking for the European Ryder Cup team. Currently, Straka is ranked sixth, which would qualify him directly, but he could be displaced by Shane Lowry if he has a strong result at the BMW Championship.
However, this situation would be merely a side note, as Straka is virtually guaranteed to be among the 12 players who will compete under captain Luke Donald, either directly qualifying or as one of six free picks.
Straka is finishing one of the best seasons of his career, winning two tournaments, including a Signature Event (The American Express, Truist Championship). He also has four other top-10 finishes.
His biggest debt of the year was the major championships, where he posted most of his poorest results. He missed the cut at the Masters, the PGA Championship and the US Open, and finished tied for 52nd at the Open Championship.
Straka has been playing on the PGA Tour since 2019 and has won four tournaments. In 2023, he made his Ryder Cup debut representing Europe, contributing one point in three matches to his team’s victory.
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