J.T. Poston is banking on familiarity to provide a spark to his fledgling golf game.
He arrived in Silvis, Ill., for last year’s John Deere Classic while coming off a runner-up finish at the Travelers Championship. But that had followed a tough stretch that included seven missed cuts over a 13-event span.
Poston and five of his PGA Tour buddies rented a large house near the John Deere Classic, and he went on claim his second career win on tour. He returns this year as the defending champion, but in an even more difficult spot with his game.
Poston has missed his past two cuts and failed to make the weekend in five of his past seven events, with his best finish over that period a T38 at the Memorial.
So, Poston and friends rented the same house, seeking to recapture the form that vaulted him to a three-shot win in 2022. He enjoys the post-round relaxation with friends, where the only scorecard involved is keeping track of who’s winning the card games (Poston said Patton Kizzire has the early lead in gin this year).
Then it’s back to golf, and trying to recapture that winning form.
“It’s golf. I think everybody goes through are kind of the highs and lows no matter what level you play in,” Poston said Wednesday. “I think you see guys get on runs that last what seems like a couple of years, and then all of a sudden it gets hard again.
“For me it feels like it’s been getting on nice little runs a few weeks at a time. Then it feels hard again.”
Poston returned to the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking following a T9 at the Match Play in March. He has since slid to 62nd.
Of primary concern to Poston is his FedEx Cup position. He’s currently 85th in the standings with five weeks remaining. Only the top 70 will qualify for the first leg this year, so Poston recently added the 3M Open at the end of this month as he tries to make a late push.
“I was planning on having a week off before Wyndham (Championship) and playoffs, but right now I have to make sure I’m in the playoffs,” he said. “I don’t know if desperation is the right word. I think for me I’m fortunate enough with the win last year, I know (that) if I don’t get it done, I can still work hard in the fall and get some momentum going into next year no matter what.”
The extra wrinkle is that next year is currently slated to feature eight designated events, with players in the top 50 automatically qualifying. The elevated purses and fields of 70-80 players place an extra emphasis on maintaining a strong ranking.
Last year’s win at the John Deere propelled Poston into the playoffs. He went on to reach the Tour Championship, where he tied for ninth. Poston also qualified for the Tournament of Champions and opened 2023 with a T21 in Hawaii.
“It’s just that time of year where guys are trying to push and push and push because there aren’t as many tournaments left,” he said. “Every playoff event that you make it through and on to the next is going to be a huge bonus.
“I don’t think guys are really pushing too much, but it’s definitely part of the thought process for sure.”
–Field Level Media