Xander Schauffele eyes a putt on the first green during the second round of the St. Jude Championship tournament on Friday in Memphis, Tenn. (AP photo)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Xander Schauffele knows where he will be the last weekend in September, having already clinched a spot on the U.S. team for the Ryder Cup.

The immediate concern is where he goes next week.

Not since he was a PGA Tour rookie in 2017 has Schauffele, who won two majors a year ago, been outside the top 30 in the FedEx Cup going into the all-important BMW Championship. He tied for 20th, advanced to East Lake and won the Tour Championship.

Every year since then, he already has locked up his spot in the Tour Championship by now. This has been a different kind of year, and now Schauffele is at No. 43 and in danger of missing the FedEx Cup finale for the first time.

“This is my worst position I’ve ever been in, injury aside,” said Schauffele, who was hurt by missing two months at the start of the year with a rib injury. “Even my rookie year I was in a better position. It sort of has that rookie-year vibe to me a little bit. Just sort of need to work my way through the playoffs.”

The BMW Championship always has a lot at stake. The top 30 not only have a chance at the FedEx Cup title, they are assured of being in three of the four majors, and have made enough money to be virtually certain of the PGA Championship.

This year, the stakes are a little higher.

The BMW Championship starts today at Caves Valley, the final tournament before the top six players in the U.S. Ryder Cup standings qualify for the team that goes to Bethpage Black on Sept. 26-28. Schauffele’s two majors last year helped him clinch one of those spots.

Justin Thomas is at No. 7, and the six players behind him likely would have to win or finish second to earn one of those automatic spots. After next week’s Tour Championship, U.S. captain Keegan Bradley fills out the team with six wild-card picks.

Thomas is likely there one way or another, so the stress is minimal. Three others have never played in a Ryder Cup, which could work against them. And then there’s Bradley, who is considering picking himself as the first playing captain in more than 60 years.

“I still have a lot to prove as well as everyone around me on the list,” said Bradley, who checks in at No. 10 in the Ryder Cup standings, and No. 12 in the world ranking.