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See how bubble drama unfolded for FedExCup top 30 at BMW Championship

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Highlights | Round 3 | BMW Championship

Highlights | Round 3 | BMW Championship

    Written by Stephanie Royer

    Rickie Fowler had just five more holes to go. Standing on the 14th fairway at Caves Valley in the final round of the BMW Championship, he was within the top-30 FedExCup bubble, primed for his first East Lake appearance in two years. And then he missed the next two greens with two back-to-back 8-irons. A bogey, and then double bogey, on the par-4 15th after a flubbed chip, later, he suddenly found himself out of the top 30.

    Ending with three straight pars, the 36-year-old Fowler finished with a final-round 69, T7 for the tournament and No. 32 in the FedExCup, which ended his incredible Playoffs run.

    "Obviously bummed," Fowler said after the final round. "I knew what I needed to do. Really just made a poor swing (on No. 14). I just needed to give myself a little bit more time and get fully committed to what I was trying to do."


    Rickie Fowler interview after Round 4 at BMW Championship

    Rickie Fowler interview after Round 4 at BMW Championship


    Fowler qualified for the BMW Championship after a T6 finish at the FedEx St. Jude, which bumped him up to No. 48, just inside the top 50 cutoff. He secured spots in all 2026 Signature Events and then played himself into contention at Caves Valley through three rounds with 67-70-67.

    "I started feeling more and more comfortable as the weeks went on, and felt great this week," he reflected. "Really didn't make a whole lot or take advantage of how I was hitting it until I made a few yesterday to kind of get back and get things going. So yeah, it is what it is, but take a lot of positives away from the last few months."

    Fowler will look back at a resurgent season with three top-10s and three top-25s. He capitalized on sponsor exemptions into all six Signature Events and now will have the opportunity to prove his mettle in 2026.

    The finalized FedExCup top 30 will now have a chance at the FedExCup crown at the TOUR Championship, the final leg of the FedExCup Playoffs, contested at East Lake.

    Recap the full day of FedExCup bubble drama with live updates on everything that happened in an action-packed Sunday from Maryland (all times ET):

    5:38 p.m.: With England's Harry Hall signing for a final-round 70, the bubble at Caves Valley is officially set.

    Moving in:

    Harry Hall (No. 26, sixth)

    Moving out:

    Lucas Glover (No. 36, T40)

    FedExCup top 30 bubble:

    25. Nick Taylor
    26. Harry Hall
    27. Jacob Bridgeman
    28. Sungjae Im
    29. Chris Gotterup
    30. Akshay Bhatia
    --
    31. Michael Kim
    32. Rickie Fowler

    5:20 p.m.: Rickie Fowler runs his birdie putt on the final hole 5 feet by, signing for a disappointing 69 and ending his chances at a TOUR Championship berth. Michael Kim's even-par 70 also leaves him outside of the bubble.

    4:37 p.m.: An unfortunate turn of events for Rickie Fowler, who is now on the outside looking in after going bogey-double bogey through his last two holes. Elsewhere, Michael Kim makes his first bogey in 10 holes, bumping Akshay Bhatia back into the top 30.

    3:53 p.m.: England's Harry Hall, who started the event at No. 45 in the standings, makes his second birdie in three holes to jump into the top 30. Meanwhile, a bogey on the par-4 12th from Rickie Fowler jeopardizes his position in the top 30. After a disappointing bogey on No. 17, Akshay Bhatia signs for a 2-over 72, projected at No. 32 and with nothing left to do but wait.


    Harry Hall makes birdie on No. 11 at BMW Championship

    Harry Hall makes birdie on No. 11 at BMW Championship


    3:15 p.m.: Akshay Bhatia becomes the newest character inside the bubble vortex, backsliding to No. 30 and into the fray of uncertainty with three straight bogeys from hole Nos. 12-14 in his final round. Bhatia entered the week at No. 29 and climbed as high as the mid-20s after his hole-in-one Saturday propelled him to a 66. Two early birdies Sunday have been quickly wiped away, and now the 23-year-old must grind over every stroke if he hopes to continue his season.

    2:44 p.m.: A scintillating near eagle hole-out at the par-4 seventh for Rickie Fowler does just enough to propel him over the hump and officially into the 30th spot, bumping Michael Kim and Chris Gotterup to 31 and 32, respectively.


    Rickie Fowler makes birdie on No. 7 at BMW Championship

    Rickie Fowler makes birdie on No. 7 at BMW Championship


    Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele finishes his final round, sealing his fate and ending his regular season before the TOUR Championship for the first time in his career. The world No. 3 finished well outside the top 30 of the FedExCup after a disappointing season that never properly got out of the gate due to an early injury. The two-time major champion will look to regroup before a date at Bethpage Black for the Ryder Cup.

    1:58 p.m.: Chris Gotterup wraps up his final round with a 68 to finish his week in Maryland at 6-over. A Thursday 73 and Saturday 75 marred the week for the Genesis Scottish Open champion, who entered the week at No. 26 in the standings.


    Chris Gotterup makes birdie on No. 15 at BMW Championship

    Chris Gotterup makes birdie on No. 15 at BMW Championship


    Gotterup will now spend his afternoon watching the numbers as he finds himself in that precarious No. 30 position, with extra attention to the rounds of other major movers like Michael Kim, Rickie Fowler and Harry Hall.

    1:49 p.m.: The biggest mover of the week, and at the time of writing the only man moving inside the top-30 bubble, Harry Hall begins his final round with plenty of weight on his shoulders.

    Hall began the week No. 45 in the standings and is now well within the threshold for his first trip to East Lake. If that wasn't enough tension, Hall is also facing the pressure of building his case for the European Ryder Cup team. Making the TOUR Championship would certainly be a hard data point to ignore for captain Luke Donald, but Hall will need to keep up his strong play. A bogey on his second hole tightens the screws on what was already one of the marquee rounds to monitor today.

    1:15 p.m.: Sungjae Im will have to play the waiting game in Owings Mills as the South Korean posts his first round in the 60s this week with a final-round, 3-under 67.


    Sungjae Im makes birdie on No. 5 at BMW Championship

    Sungjae Im makes birdie on No. 5 at BMW Championship


    The bubble boy didn't have his best stuff this week and will have to hope the cards fall in his favour to keep his run of TOUR Championship appearances going that started in 2019.

    12:55 p.m.: Rickie Fowler begins his round needing a strong effort to jump inside the top 30 bubble. Hovering around the 33/34 spot as he approaches the first tee, Fowler will be one of the more volatile players today. Each birdie will likely move Fowler closer to a tee time at East Lake, while current momentum has a single double bogey tumbling him near the 40th position. He will play alongside Tommy Fleetwood in today's final round.

    10:30 a.m.: Daniel Berger withdraws before the final round of the BMW Championship due to injury and ends his 2025 FedExCup run. Entering the tournament at No. 33 in the standings, the four-time PGA TOUR winner is unable to improve his ranking.

    PGATOUR.COM's Paul Hodowanic, Alistair Cameron and Jimmy Reinman contributed to this report.

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