WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP ADDS HIGHLY-RANKED PLAYERS SOLIDIFYING POINTS POSITON ENTERING PLAYOFFS;
Defending Champion Tom Kim Withdraws Due to Injury
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Adam Schenk, Denny McCarthy, Chris Kirk, Russell Henley, Sungjae Im and Brendon Todd, all seeking to improve their points position entering the FedExCup playoffs, will play next week’s Wyndham Championship, the tournament announced today. In addition, defending champion Tom Kim withdrew due to injury. The 84th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 2-6, 2023 at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C.
“Two numbers matter to PGA TOUR players as they decide to play the Wyndham Championship: 70 and 50,” executive director Mark Brazil said. “New this year, only the top-70 players in FedExCup points make the playoffs after our tournament – that number used to be 125. The top-50 players in FedExCup points after the first playoff event are eligible for the TOUR’s designated events with the $20 Million purse next season. What we’re seeing this year is guys either positioning themselves to secure a spot in the playoffs, or in the case of the guys we’re announcing today, securing their spot in that top 50 so they’re eligible for the more-lucrative events next season.”
Schenk is currently 22nd in FedExCup points and 46th in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is still looking for his first PGA TOUR win, but earlier this season, he finished second at the Valspar Championship, lost in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge, finished seventh at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and tied for fourth at the John Deere Classic. The Purdue University alumnus will make his sixth Wyndham Championship start.
McCarthy finished tied for ninth in the 2020 Wyndham Championship and is making his sixth Sedgefield Country Club start. The University of Virginia alumnus is 25th in FedExCup points and 34th in the Official World Golf Rankings. McCarthy hasn’t won yet, but he’s been close. Earlier this season, he lost in a playoff at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, finished tied for fourth at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, tied for seventh at the Travelers Championship and tied for sixth at the John Deere Classic.
Kirk is 26th in FedExCup points and 42nd in the Official World Golf Rankings. The University of Georgia alum has five-career wins but none this season. He lost in a playoff ay the Honda Classic, finished third at the Sony Open in Hawaii and tied for third at The American Express. He finished tied for 11th at the 2018 Wyndham Championship for his best finish in eight previous starts.
Henley’s last three Wyndham Championship finishes are tied for ninth, tied for seventh following the 2021 six-way playoff he missed by a stroke and tied for fifth in 2022. He will make his seventh Wyndham Championship start next week. A four-time PGA TOUR winner, Henley is 33rd in FedExCup points and 32nd in the Official World Golf Rankings. The University of Georgia alumnus won the Worldwide Technology Championship earlier this season and finished tied for fourth at the Masters Tournament.
Im is a two-time PGA TOUR winner who is currently 35th in FedExCup points and 27th in the Official World Golf Rankings. A native of South Korea, his best finishes this season are seventh at the Shriners Children’s Open, tied for fourth at the Farmers Insurance Open, tied for sixth at the WM Phoenix Open, tied for sixth at the PLAYERS Championship and sixth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He played for the Presidents Cup international team in 2019 and ’22 and represented South Korea in the 2020 Olympic Games. Im has three top-10 finishes in four previous Wyndham Championship starts including tied for second last year.
Todd is making his ninth Wyndham Championship start; he finished tied for 10th in 2021 for his best finish here. The University of Georgia alumnus is currently 39th in FedExCup points and 59th in the Official World Golf Rankings. A three-time PGA TOUR winner, his best finishes this season are tied for second at the John Deere Classic, tied for eighth at the Wells Fargo Championship and tied for second at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Todd grew up in Cary, N.C., and played against 2011 Wyndham winner Webb Simpson in high school.
Kim injured his ankle during last week’s Open Championship in England. After the first round, he slipped and injured his right ankle at his rental house. With significant treatment during the remaining three rounds of the tournament, including on-and-off casting, heavy icing, rehab and walking with crutches before the rounds, Kim was able to complete the tournament and managed to finish tied for second. On advice from his medical team, Kim flew to Korea for treatment and later withdrew from the Wyndham Championship.
“I am very gutted to not be able to defend my first PGA TOUR win,” Kim said. “I am still having a hard time with my ankle so I am getting the treatment I need to heal completely.”
“We totally understand Tom’s decision to be 100 percent healthy before he plays again,” executive director Mark Brazil said. “He has a long career ahead of him, and taking care of his body is the right call. We wish him all the best for a quick recovery and a great run in the FedExCup Playoffs.”
About the Wyndham Championship:
Contested annually on the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., the Wyndham Championship was founded in 1938 and is the seventh-oldest event on the PGA TOUR excluding the Majors. The tournament thanks title sponsor Wyndham Rewards and presenting sponsor Truist for their continued support. Additional tournament information is available at www.wyndhamchampionship.com and the tournament’s social media channels, including the Wyndham Championship Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram.
About Wyndham Rewards:
Named the number one hotel rewards program by readers of USA TODAY, Wyndham Rewards® is the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Designed for the everyday traveler, members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points with every qualified stay and may redeem points for a wide range of rewards, including free nights at any of approximately 9,100 hotels or tens of thousands of vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally through affiliation with Wyndham Destinations and others. Wyndham Rewards has approximately 101 million enrolled members around the globe. Join for free today at www.wyndhamrewards.com. You’ve earned this.®
About Wyndham Hotels & Resorts:
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,100 hotels across over 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 845,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveler, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 24 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards loyalty program offers approximately 101 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
About Club Wyndham:
Club Wyndham® is the flagship vacation ownership brand as part of Wyndham Destinations, the world’s largest vacation ownership business. From the busy streets of the Big Apple to the calming shores of Hawaii, Club Wyndham owners have access to more than 100 resorts to unlock new cities, new experiences and new destinations. Club Wyndham lets travelers spark their sense of adventure with spacious resort suites featuring the comforts of home, including fully equipped kitchens, separate living and dining areas, and separate bedrooms, plus resort amenities and quality service. Wander across town, across the country or across the ocean – no matter what’s on your travel bucket list, Club Wyndham offers the chance to live it. All Club Wyndham resorts participate in Wyndham Rewards®, the number one hotel rewards program as named by readers of USA TODAY, and the world’s most generous rewards program with more than 50,000 hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals worldwide. Club Wyndham is part of Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE: TNL) and its portfolio of travel businesses. For more information, visit ClubWyndham.com. Connect with us on Twitter: @ClubWyndham; Facebook: @ClubWyndham; and Instagram: @ClubWyndham.
Courtesy of Rob Goodman, Wyndham Championship Director of Media Relations