Golfer Rickie Fowler, 37, is on the outside of the Tour Championship qualification bubble after the third round of the BMW Championship on August 22, 2026. He arrived at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis ranked 30th in the FedEx Cup standings, but a one-under 69 in the third round, marked by three bogeys in his final six holes, has placed him in a precarious position for advancing to the Tour Championship.
Fowler, currently ranked 44th in the world, sits in the bottom half of the leaderboard at one-under 209. His round included five birdies in the first 11 holes, bringing him to four under par, with four birdies resulting from iron shots within 11 feet of the hole. However, bogeys on the 13th, 17th, and 18th holes, including finding water off the tee on the par-5 17th, hindered his progress.
Advancing to the Tour Championship would secure Fowler exemptions into all major tournaments next year. He has participated in the Masters only once in the last six seasons, in 2024, after reaching East Lake the previous summer, where he finished tied for 30th. His best Masters finish was a runner-up in 2018. Fowler’s best finish in 2026 was a tie for second at the Truist Championship.
Reaching the BMW Championship ensures Fowler qualifies for all signature events in 2026, which is the final year for these elevated tournaments before the tour transitions to a two-tier schedule. Fowler finished 32nd in the points standings last year, just missing the playoff finale after a T-7 performance at this event.
