It is now official. After several months of rumours about the new possible format of the FedExCup final, the PGA Tour has officially announced it, effective from this year.
After receiving numerous criticisms from players and fans, the PGA Tour has decided to eliminate the controversial “starting strokes” system from the Tour Championship, the tournament that ends the season and determines the champion of the FedEx Cup. The change, approved this Tuesday by the PGA Tour Policy Board during the Memorial Tournament, represents a significant transformation in the format implemented since 2019.
From now on, the 30 players who qualify for the tournament at East Lake Golf Club (Atlanta) will start from scratch, all with real chances of winning both the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup. The winner after 72 holes will be crowned FedEx champion and receive the bonus, as well as a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour. This removes the advantage that allowed leaders to start with an under-par score (up to -10 in the case of the ranking leader), which sometimes resulted in the tournament winner not coinciding with the FedEx Cup champion.
“The goal is for the Tour Championship to be the hardest tournament to qualify for and for the FedEx Cup trophy to be the most difficult to achieve,” explained Scottie Scheffler, current FedEx Cup champion, in a statement issued by the circuit. “Switching to a more straightforward format with a more demanding field makes it easier for fans to follow and poses a greater challenge for players, which elevates the level of competition.”
In addition to the format change, the PGA Tour has announced that the East Lake course will be prepared with more demanding conditions, with the intention of turning the tournament into a true test of fire.
Although details have not yet been confirmed, according to Bob Harig, a modification in the prize structure is also expected. In 2023, the bonus distribution amounted to 100 million dollars, with 25 million for the winner and 7.5 million for the runner-up. It seems that the new prize model will aim to reward both performance throughout the year and the importance of the Tour Championship.
One of the options being considered is that the top-ranked players up to the BMW Championship (the second tournament of the Playoffs) receive prizes based on their final ranking position, leaving a separate purse for the Tour Championship itself.
This decision comes after an analysis process within the Fan Forward initiative, through which the PGA Tour surveyed fans and gathered their opinions on the current format. The players themselves have also played a key role in this change.
