The PGA Tour’s mega-money put up season kicks off this week with the highest 70 gamers set to scrap over US$140 million (A$215m) out there within the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Memphis performs host to the primary playoff event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, this weekend at TPC Southwind, the place gamers will struggle for the appropriate to progress to the top-50 occasion that follows, the BMW Championship.
All of it then results in the 30-player Tour Championship at East Lake, an occasion price US$100 million (A$154m) alone — and one which has been overhauled as soon as extra.
However the largest speaking level at first of the playoffs issues Rory McIlroy, who has made a bombshell choice that’s despatched shockwaves via the Tour.
Right here’s the whole lot that you must know concerning the McIlroy information, and the FedEx Cup playoffs.
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SCHEDULE
August 7-11: FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee
August 14-18: BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Membership in Owings Mills, Maryland
August 21-25: Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Membership in Atlanta
HOW DO THE PLAYOFFS WORK?
In a method, the playoffs began final week with the ultimate event of the common season, the Wyndham Championship, which serves as a de facto play-in event for these on the bubble top-70.
It was right here earlier this week the place the drama began with some large names, like Adam Scott and Max Homa, failing to play their method in. There was additionally the drama of Davis Thompson three-putting on the 72nd gap to overlook a spot within the profitable post-season.
It’s a brutal sport.
Which brings us to this week’s occasion in Memphis which marks the beginning of the playoffs correct.
The 70 gamers who’ve collected probably the most FedEx Cup factors — by means of their performances in tournaments throughout the calendar 12 months — have certified.
That’s to not say all 70 will tee up… however there’s extra on that controversy beneath.
Following the St. Jude Championship, the gamers contained in the factors tally’s top-50 progress to the BMW Championship, earlier than the sphere is whittled down once more to 30 for the season-ending Tour Championship.
It’s vital to reiterate that development within the playoffs depends on season factors tally, and never leaderboard place at every playoff occasion — although the upper you place, the extra factors you earn.
Thompson misses easy putt & playoffs | 00:47
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT THE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP?
It’s again to the long run for the Tour Championship, which reverts to a 72-hole stroke-play occasion, with all gamers beginning at even par like each different event.
Between 2019 and 2024, the FedEx Cup chief was given a headstart at 10-under, second-place was afforded eight beginning strokes, and the benefits shrunk down till 26-Thirtieth who started at even-par.
The beginning strokes format was launched to cease the scenario the place the winner of the Tour Championship was not essentially the winner of the FedEx Cup.
For instance, in 2018, when Tiger Woods sensationally received the Tour Championship, it was truly Justin Rose who received the FedEx Cup and a a lot bigger pay cheque.
Folks solely actually keep in mind the previous.
The beginning strokes format made it actually a winner-takes-all event that aimed to supply some stage of benefit to the season’s higher gamers, nevertheless it remained considerably disorientating and provided little readability over who was truly enjoying the perfect on the occasion.
On the finish of the day, it was deemed to be too convoluted for followers.
Scottie Scheffler, the season chief who received’t get the benefit of a 10-stroke lead, stated earlier this 12 months that reverting the format was the perfect plan of action.
“Shifting the Tour Championship to a extra straight-up format with a harder course set-up makes it simpler for followers to observe and offers a more difficult check for gamers, which brings out the perfect competitors,” he stated.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan stated in an announcement that the choice was made after an analysis of followers’ opinions.
“The Participant Advisory Council led a radical course of to answer what our followers are asking for: Essentially the most aggressive golf on the earth, performed for the very best stakes, in probably the most easy and fascinating format,” he stated.
Cameron Younger lastly PGA Tour winner | 00:56
SO WHY ISN’T RORY PLAYING?
That is the place issues get actually attention-grabbing.
In reverting the Tour Championship to its previous format, the PGA Tour failed to shut an enormous loophole that McIlroy will this week exploit.
The reigning Masters champion will sensationally not play the St. Jude Championship, realizing that his spot at No.2 on the rankings is already sufficient to place him via to the BMW Championship.
Relying on outcomes, he might not even must play the BMW Championship both.
Below the earlier Tour Championship format, McIlroy would have been incentivised to play the St. Jude and BMW so he had probably the most beginning strokes potential for the Tour Championship.
However since all 30 gamers will begin at even-par, and with McIllory not precisely wanting for prize cash, he’s determined he’s glad sufficient to take his probabilities with per week off.
The transfer understandably has PGA Tour headquarters frightened.
“Very involved,” participant director on the PGA Tour Coverage Board, Peter Malnati, stated on Tuesday concerning the choice.
“I feel there may be stuff within the works (to maintain it from taking place once more) and I’ll depart it at that.”
Social media has swiftly described any such ruling because the ‘Rory Rule’.
Fellow board member Webb Simpson was extra comfy with McIlroy’s choice, however recommended that closing the loophole utterly could be tough.
“I feel it’s too exhausting of a factor to make guys must play. We’re nonetheless a sport the place you’ll be able to play while you need to play,” Simpson stated.
It’s price noting that for all its controversy, it’s not a transfer with out priority.
Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk have each beforehand skipped the primary playoff occasion and nonetheless received the FedEx Cup.
Jordan Spieth, a former participant director on the coverage board, stated he didn’t count on playoff absences to grow to be a widespread situation.
“You might need one, two guys try this for an occasion, however I don’t suppose it’ll grow to be a factor as a result of they’re nonetheless big occasions towards the perfect gamers on the earth,” Spieth stated.
“I feel they’re making an attempt to determine learn how to be sure you don’t skip each of them and ideally neither of them.”
Mimi Rhodes “Gap in a single, & an help?!” | 01:11
WHO ARE THE AUSSIES IN THE MIX — AND HOW COULD THEY FARE?
2025 has been a quieter 12 months on Tour for the Australian contingent, as evidenced by the truth that there are solely three gamers from these shores within the playoffs: Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and Cam Davis.
In fact, we might nicely see a situation the place no Australian makes it to the Tour Championship with not one of the trio presently contained in the top-30.
Day is the highest-ranked at thirty seventh following 4 top-10 finishes this 12 months, however he comes into the post-season off consecutive missed cuts at The Open and John Deere Traditional.
Lee must carry out nicely on the St. Jude as he’s ranked fiftieth, on the cusp of dropping out of the BMW Championship the week after.
He does, nonetheless, have a PGA Tour win below his belt this 12 months after clinching the Houston Open. However his type has been up-and-down of late with three missed cuts in his previous six begins, along with his finest end in that stretch being his T13 on the Rocket Traditional.
In the meantime, Davis might want to play himself into the BMW Championship having solely scraped via to the playoffs ranked 69th.
He has only one top-10 end this 12 months and has missed 50 per cent of cuts from 22 occasions this 12 months.
HOW MUCH MONEY IS UP FOR GRABS IN TOTAL?
The entire bonus pool handed out after the Tour Championship is US$100 million (A$154m), with the winner now incomes US$10 million (A$15.4m).
Those that attain the Tour Championship solely play for the ‘bonus pool’, which means there isn’t a extra prize cash for the occasion itself.
The St. Jude and BMW, nonetheless, have US$20 million (A$30.7m) prize swimming pools of their very own.
As such, while you mix the bonus pool with the prize funds of the St. Jude and BMW, the FedEx Cup playoffs grow to be price US$140 million (A$215m) throughout the three weeks.
Minjee Lee virtually hit by stray ball! | 00:22
WHO QUALIFIED FOR THE FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS?
Rank — Title — FedEx Cup factors
1: Scottie Scheffler, 4806
2: Rory McIlroy, 3444
3: Sepp Straka, 2595
4: Russell Henley, 2391
5: Justin Thomas, 2280
6: Ben Griffin, 2275
7: Harris English, 2232
8: J.J. Spaun, 2144
9: Tommy Fleetwood, 1783
10: Keegan Bradley, 1749
11: Maverick McNealy, 1672
12: Andrew Novak, 1625
13: Corey Conners, 1620
14: Ludvig Aberg, 1559
15: Robert MacIntyre, 1488
16: Cameron Younger, 1464
17: Shane Lowry, 1438
18: Nick Taylor, 1438
19: Collin Morikawa, 1427
20: Brian Harman, 1413
21: Hideki Matsuyama, 1309
22: Chris Gotterup, 1306
23: Patrick Cantlay, 1275
24: Sam Burns, 1266
25: Justin Rose, 1220
26: Viktor Hovland, 1210
27: Lucas Glover, 1191
28: Sam Stevens, 1182
29: Sungjae Im, 1172
30: Daniel Berger, 1167
31: Ryan Gerard, 1158
32: Ryan Fox, 1126
33: Jacob Bridgeman, 1111
34: Brian Campbell, 1104
35: Thomas Detry, 1080
36: Michael Kim, 1080
37: Jason Day, 1070
38: Taylor Pendrith, 1035
39: Denny McCarthy, 1034
40: Tom Hoge, 1026
41: Matt Fitzpatrick, 1017
42: Xander Schauffele, 953
43: Aldrich Potgieter, 941
44: Harry Corridor, 929
45: Akshay Bhatia, 909
46: Si Woo Kim, 882
47: Jake Knapp, 871
48: Jordan Spieth, 865
49: Wyndham Clark, 853
50: Min Woo Lee, 851
51: J.T. Poston, 850
52: Kurt Kitayama, 842
53: Bud Cauley, 831
54: Joe Highsmith, 828
55: Aaron Rai, 811
56: Jhonattan Vegas, 783
57: Max Greyserman, 768
58: Stephan Jaeger, 726
59: Mackenzie Hughes, 704
60: Tony Finau, 690
61: Chris Kirk, 682
62: Nico Echavaria, 672
63: Patrick Rodgers, 668
64: Rickie Fowler, 656
65: Davis Riley, 652
66: Kevin Yu, 645
67: Emiliano Grillo, 628
68: Erik van Rooyan, 634
69: Cam Davis, 625
70: Matthias Schmid, 620
PAST FEDEX CUP WINNERS
2024: Scottie Scheffler
2023: Viktor Hovland
2022: Rory McIlroy
2021: Patrick Cantlay
2020: Dustin Johnson
2019: Rory McIlroy
2018: Justin Rose
2017: Justin Thomas
2016: Rory McIlroy
2015: Jordan Spieth
2014: Billy Horschel
2013: Henrik Stenson
2012: Brandt Snedeker
2011: Invoice Haas
2010: Jim Furyk
2009: Tiger Woods
2008: Vijay Singh
2007: Tiger Woods