Eric Cole has had the perfect preparation for the start of the FedEx Cup Fall section of the PGA Tour season with a resounding win on the Minor Golf League.
On Tuesday, the American competed in the Abacoa September Classic, a one-day event on the Florida-based developmental tour at the par-71 Abacoa Golf Club.
Cole was part of the 49-player field for the event, and it didn’t take long for his class to show through, as he shot a five-under 30 on the front nine before following that with a 31 after the turn to finish on a hugely impressive 10-under, two better than Korn Ferry Tour pro Dan McCarthy.
That was Cole’s 59th win on the Minor Golf League, but his appearance, which included an eagle on the 10th and eight birdies, was clearly not with a view to significantly boosting his bank balance.
The 36-year-old, who has PGA Tour career earnings of over $8.6m, banked just $1,333 for the win, which included $233 from the bonus pool, but the victory could prove invaluable for his confidence heading into the remaining months of the year.
Cole had an impressive breakout year in 2023, which earned him the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year award. However, despite making more PGA Tour starts than any other player this season, with 29, he has not quite rediscovered his form of last year. As a result, he has slipped from 39th in the world rankings at the start of the year to 52nd.
Eric Cole was named 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year
Encouragingly, there have been signs in recent months that his form has been moving in the right direction, with top-10 finishes in the Rocket Mortgage Classic, John Deere Classic and Wyndham Championship, and he’ll be looking to capitalize on that uptick as thoughts turn to the FedEx Cup Fall schedule, which includes eight tournaments.
Cole’s FedEx Cup Playoffs campaign ended after the BMW Championship, where he finished T46. As a result, he is currently placed 50th in the FedEx Cup standings. Crucially, that has already guaranteed him entry into all of next season’s prestigious signature events, but he will be keen to ensure his form remains solid over the coming months, beginning at next week’s Procore Championship at Silverado.
In particular, he will likely be keeping an eye on his world ranking, which is currently two beneath the cut-off he’ll need to reach by the end of the year to receive an invite to the 2025 Masters. A maiden PGA Tour win in the FedEx Cup Fall would guarantee his place. Otherwise, a strong end to the year would suffice.
With Cole’s convincing Abacoa September Classic performance in the bag, he will surely head to next week’s California event confident of achieving his remaining goals for the year.
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