Barclays finishes for Reed, Fowler amplified by Ryder Cup qualifying

Patrick Reed won twice on Sunday at The Barclays.

And, by extension, Rickie Fowler lost twice.

First, to the happy Augusta State product, who picked up his fifth PGA Tour win at Bethpage Black, winning the FedEx Cup playoff opener by a shot over Emiliano Grillo and Sean O’Hair.

Not only did he win the trophy to end an 19-month winless skid and move to the top of the FedEx Cup standings, but the 26-year-old also went from the precarious eighth spot in Ryder Cup points into fourth and comfortably on Davis Love III’s U.S. team.

“Glad to be able to finally close one out,” Reed said.

Reed tried to downplay the meaning of making the Ryder Cup team, suggesting through the week that his focus was winning the tournament. That singular focus paid off.

“Coming into the week, we said: Well, you know, what go ahead and do what you can do and get the job done,” he said. “If you go and win it takes care of everything else.”

Rickie Fowler stumbled late on Sunday at Bethpage Black. (Getty Images)

Through 14 holes playing alongside Reed on Sunday, Fowler looked like he wasn’t going to win the golf tournament, but he would at least find a way on the Ryder Cup team again. He was alone in second place, two back of Reed. Then Fowler, who hasn’t won since the Deutsche Bank Championship last Labor Day, went bogey-double bogey on the next two holes to drop out of contention.

Worse, needing a top-three finish to make the Ryder Cup team, Fowler finished tied for seventh place with Ryan Moore and Jason Kokrak.

“It will hurt,” Fowler said after shooting 3-over 74 in the final round.

Instead of being one of the eight automatic U.S. qualifiers, Fowler is on the outside of the American team. Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Reed, Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson have certain spots. Fowler is joined by the likes of Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes and Matt Kuchar in the next four out in the standings. Ultimately, 12 players make the team, with captain Love, who has four wild-card picks still to make.

The good news for Fowler is that he now has two weeks to make an impression on Love, who will make three of his four wild-card picks at the conclusion of the BMW Championship. Even if Fowler doesn’t impress enough in the next two legs of the FedEx Cup playoffs, he could land the final captain’s pick left after the Tour Championship.

“Disappointing finish,” Fowler said. “But it’s only going to make it better for next week. I’ll be in a good spot.”

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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