Fargo golfer Tom Hoge surges into second leg of FedEx Cup playoffs

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Key shots led to a late birdie surge in Sunday’s final round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship and ensured that Fargo pro golfer Tom Hoge will continue play in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Hoge was on the brink of missing out on one of the top-50 spots to qualify for the second of the Cup’s three legs later this week in the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields Country Club in suburban Chicago.

Hoge was even-par in Sunday’s final round after a double bogey 5 on the par-3 No. 14 hole. Ending with that total or worse could have left Hoge outside of the top 50 in the 70-player St. Jude field.

But after a par on the par-4 No. 15, Hoge birdied the par-5 16th and he chipped in for another birdie on the par-4 17th. On the par-4 18th, Hoge dropped a 34-foot birdie putt that gave him a 3-under 67 for the round and a 4-under 276 for the tournament. He tied for 43rd with Davis Riley, Brendon Todd, Tyrrell Hatton and Keith Mitchell.

Heading into the BMW, Hoge is 48th in the FedEx standings, behind No. 47 Hideki Matsuyama and ahead of No. 49 Harris English and No. 50 Patrick Rodgers. The top 30 after the BMW qualify for the final Cup tournament, the Tour Championship, on Aug. 24-27 in Atlanta.

Lucas Glover, who won the St. Jude in a playoff over Patrick Cantlay for his second-straight PGA Tour win, moved up to No. 4 in the FedEx Cup standings behind No. 1 John Rahm, No. 2 Scottie Scheffler and No. 3 Rory McIlroy.

Glover moved from 112th to 49th with his win at the Wyndham Championship last week and his Sunday victory vaulted him up 45 more spots.

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