ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Georgia — Andrew Novak took advantage of more benign weather Friday (Saturday in Manila) and the absence of the pressure facing so many others in the PGA Tour's season finale. He had a 7-under 65 on the Plantation Course at Sea Island to take a one-shot lead into the weekend.
Novak has gone three months without competition dating to the Tour Championship, the culmination of a breakthrough year. His wife gave birth to their first child two weeks ago. And then he went 61-65 to lead over Stanford alums Michael Thorbjornsen and Patrick Rodgers.
But the real focus was far down the leaderboard at the cut line, so critical in the final event with players having to be among the top 100 in the FedEx Cup to keep full status for next year.
Beau Hossler is at No. 103 and making the cut was his only hope. He hit a tough chip to set up birdie on the par-5 eighth at the Plantation, and then got up-and-down from a bunker on his final hole at No. 9 for a 67 to make the cut on the number.
His work is not done, but at least he has a chance. The conditions have been so calm that the cut fell at 7-under 135.
Among those who missed the cut were former British Open champion Brian Harman and Sahith Theegala.
Joel Dahmen, who narrowly kept his card last year at Sea Island, missed the cut and will lose his full card for next year with the PGA Tour reducing exempt cards to the top 100 instead of the top 125.
Also missing the cut was Takumi Kanaya, which could leave him wistful more about last week. He had a 4-foot par putt with a raging wind affecting him in Bermuda. Had he made it, his tie for second would have moved to No. 83 in the FedEx Cup. He missed and moved up only to No. 99, and now he has to hope no one passes him on the weekend.