The PGA Tour kicks off the 2024 FedEx Cup playoffs Thursday in the first place you’d want to hold a golf tournament in the middle of August: Memphis, Tennessee. Surely it’s earned this place on the calendar due to the late summer climate, and not because of its proximity to FedEx HQ. That’s just a happy coincidence. While the forecast will not be ideal for championship conditions (or non-wicking fabrics, as Lucas Glover illustrated last year), it is perhaps the most compelling leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Last year was the first iteration to feature just the top 70 players in the standings, cutting to the top 50 after the event. A spot in the top 50 earns a guaranteed spot in next year’s lucrative signature events. Anyone outside of the top 50 will be hoping for a hot start to 2025 or begging for sponsor exemptions. Heading into this week, there are quite a few big names on the outside looking in.

No. 67 – Nick Dunlap – He has won twice in 2024, but only got points for one win because the PGA Tour always protects its members. Had he received the points he earned for his historic American Express win while still an amateur, he would be 29th in the standings and eyeing a spot at East Lake. Instead, he needs two good weeks and/or some luck in order to play the signature events next year.

No. 63 – Jordan Spieth – This alleged “superstar” has had a tough year. There has been a lot of chatter about Spieth’s wrist causing his poor play, but at this point it seems unlikely that the three-time major winner will make a trip to Denver for next week’s BMW, or to Montreal for September’s President’s Cup. Hopefully the impending break will give his wrist the requisite time to heal. Pro golf is a superior product with Jordan Spieth occasionally in the mix at tournaments.

No. 62 – Min Woo Lee – Everyone’s favorite social media personality has not taken the leap that was expected after a breakout 2023.

No. 55 – Viktor Hovland – Last year’s FedEx Cup champion dominated the playoffs while looking like the best player in the world. One year later, Hovland has looked lost for most of the year. Golf is hard, and Viktor Hovland’s season is evidence of how fickle the game is at every level. When the going is good you feel like you’re never going to lose it. When it goes south, you feel like you’ll never get it back. Hopefully Hovland can find something at a course that used to set up beautifully for his dominant tee to green game.

Find the full FedEx Cup standings here.

This piece originally appeared in the Fried Egg Golf newsletter. Subscribe for free and receive golf news and insight every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.