Matt Kuchar has been beaten by many golfers this year, missing seven of eight cuts in one stretch this season and entering this week needing to win to qualify for the FedEx Cup. But last week, he lost to his son Cameron, a junior golfer, in a match at Gozzer Ranch in Idaho.

“He knocked me down for the first time. It was one of those days where I knew it was going to happen sooner or later, that I was going to be proud of, but at the same time I wanted to hold on to it as long as possible,” said Kuchar, who shot 71 and fell one stroke behind. “He had to make a 12-footer to save par on the last shot, and I was sure he was going to miss, I was sure the pressure was going to get the better of him, but he gave it up and he was so excited.”

Kuchar is trying to keep another long-running streak going — he’s the only player to qualify for the FedEx Cup in the 17 years since it was first held in 2007. How likely is Kuchar, ranked 112th, to keep that distinction alive for at least another year? “Not much,” he said.

“I never saw how that could help you play better,” he said. “If you asked me where I stood, I wouldn’t know. Now we get these texts and I know where I stand with the points. I don’t want to know how many points I need, I don’t want to know any of that.”

Kuchar finished T-3 at the 3M Open two weeks ago and spent some time with his trainer Chris O’Connell on Long Island last week. He picked up where he left off on Thursday, shooting a 6-under 64. Kuchar came home in 30, including four straight birdies starting on the 14th hole. He made putts from more than 126 feet and led the field among early finishers in Stroke Gain: Putting, gaining more than 4.5 strokes on greens.

“It was a fun way to end today,” Kuchar said of his birdie streak.