HotelPlanner Tour alumni Jordan Smith, Alex Fitzpatrick and Kristoffer Reitan have all progressed into the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs on the PGA TOUR, in their full debut seasons on the American circuit.
Both Jordan Smith and Kristoffer Reitan earned PGA TOUR membership by finishing as one of the top ten players on the final 2025 Race to Dubai Rankings not already exempt for the Tour, while Fitzpatrick won alongside his brother Matt at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans to earn his playing privileges.
The trio will now aim to reach the second playoff event, the BMW Championship, before the season ending TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club, where 2011 HotelPlanner Tour Rankings winner Tommy Fleetwood prevailed in 2025.
Smith edges through to Memphis
Smith was under the most pressure going into last week’s Wyndham Championship, the final regular tournament before the Playoffs, sitting 68th in the standings with just the top 70 getting into the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
But the Englishman put together two exceptional rounds of 65 (-5) and 64 (-6) on Thursday and Friday to charge up the leaderboard. Although the 2016 Road to Mallorca Rankings winner couldn’t keep this form up over the weekend, rounds of 70 and 69, including a hole-in-one on Saturday, saw him move four places up to 64th in the FedEx Cup and punch his ticket into next week.
Smith will need another good week, however, with just the top 50 progressing to the BMW Championship.
Eyes on TOUR Championship for Reitan and Fitzpatrick
Although also coming to the PGA TOUR via the DP World Tour last year, it is a different story for Norwegian Reitan, who currently sits at 18th in the FedEx Cup standings, and well within the top 30 that will compete to be FedEx Cup Champion in Atlanta in a couple of weeks.
Reitan, who graduated from the HotelPlanner Tour in 2024 following his triumph at the Rolex Grand Final supported by R&A, has had an incredible debut season in America, making 14 out of 19 cuts and securing four top ten finishes, including his superb victory at the Signature Event the Truist Championship.
The 28-year-old reached 15 under par to win by two over American Rickie Fowler and win $3.6million, gaining further playing rights in America. Ranked 29th in the World, Reitan will know that two more solid weeks will see him to the TOUR Championship, where he will compete with the world’s best for a share of the $40million purse.
For 2023 Road to Mallorca graduate Fitzpatrick, it was a different route to the Playoffs. Following his dramatic victory alongside older brother Matt in New Orleans, Alex secured four more top ten finishes to reach 19th in the FedEx Cup standings entering the Playoffs, just one spot behind Reitan and also with a spot in the TOUR Championship in his hands.
The trio will begin their debut appearances in the Playoffs on Thursday 13th August at TPC Southwind, Memphis, knowing that places in Majors are on the line if they play well.
