ATLANTA — Justin Thomas has little chance of winning this week’s Tour Championship, leaving the two-time PGA Championship winner with two options.

As the last man standing in the 30-player field at East Lake Golf Club in the season finale, which uses a staggered starting format, Thomas immediately finds himself 10 strokes behind FedEx Cup points leader Scottie Scheffler.

A lead over Scheffler and the other 28 men in the field is highly unlikely, but that’s the way the rules are, and Thomas is just happy to qualify for the riches that will be distributed at the end of the week: the winner receives $25 million.

But aside from a better payday, Thomas has another reason to play hard this week. Jim Furyk will make his captain’s selections on Tuesday to complete his U.S. Presidents Cup team, and Thomas has yet another chance to solidify his chances of earning a spot on the 12-man roster that will face the international team at Royal Montreal next month.

Not that the 15-time PGA Tour winner feels any extra pressure. Asked if he was auditioning for a spot, Thomas said no. “A little bit. I guess I wouldn’t say I feel like I’m playing for myself, but if I were him, I’d say I am, if that makes sense,” Thomas said with a shrug. “Given how many guys have a chance, I think it would be … he’s definitely looking at guys that are potential picks and how they play.”

Thomas, 31, has had a consistent year – hence his appearance at East Lake – with five top-10 finishes, including T-8 at the PGA, and eight top-25 finishes. But he hasn’t won in two seasons, and his best finish was a T-3 in January at The American Express. He is ranked 33rd in the world and currently sits 19th in the U.S. Presidents Cup point standings.

Nevertheless, several players ranked ahead of him have home advantage this week.

“I’m here and I know some aren’t,” Thomas said. “But I was in that situation last year too where there were guys trying to get picked and I wasn’t even in the playoffs. I think I talked about it last week or in Memphis. I’m definitely more relaxed now than I was last year about being picked and it’s not because I don’t want to be on the team anymore or feel like it’s not as important. My priorities are just better set and if I play the golf I know I should, it will take care of itself.

“Yeah, obviously I really want to be on that team and I know there are a lot of guys who have a chance. It would be nice to play well this week for a lot of reasons, but that would definitely be one.”

Chris Kirk, 13th in the U.S. team rankings, is in a similar position, and the thought of playing for a possible spot in the Presidents Cup “is in the back of my mind.”

Interestingly – and perhaps ironically – one player in the field could have some influence on the chances of success of his competitors.

That would be Keegan Bradley, who sits 10th in the points standings after his win last week at the BMW Championship in Colorado. Bradley, ranked 11th in the world, is hoping for his own captain’s pick. But he has a unique position as one of Furyk’s assistants, a position bestowed upon him after he was named the U.S. Ryder Cup captain for 2025. It’s a strange position, frankly. And yes, Bradley, who was left off the 2023 Ryder Cup squad, has been involved in some debate.

“We talked briefly, but he’s let me play for the most part the last few weeks,” Bradley said of Furyk. “You have to remember that these guys were players too, and Jim is a Hall of Fame player, and … he explained a situation to me, I forget which Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup it was, he was in a very similar situation to me. He was vice-captain, but he was still trying to get into the team. So he knows what I’m going through.”

“I think as far as this week goes, because of the different format and things like that, it shouldn’t depend on whether someone is playing a month later or not one week,” he added.

An interesting answer. But there’s still a week left. Jim Furyk will undoubtedly have to watch.