In another potential adjustment to the PGA Tour’s tournament structure, change may be coming to the season-ending Tour Championship that determines the FedEx Cup winner.
According to a report last week in The Athletic, discussions are underway about revamping the format for the 30-player event, moving to a bracket-style competition and away from the weighted scoring system used in recent years.
Such a change would require the approval of the tour’s policy board, corporate sponsors and television executives, but it’s possible such a change could be in place when the season culminates at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta in late August.
Exact details of the proposed format change have not been made public. According to various reports, mixing stroke play and match play in the final event is among the ideas being considered.
“I do know that the format now, I think, is a little clunky. I think it’s a little strange. ”
Keegan Bradley
“I just think the way I’ve heard it and the way, from what I’ve heard from one person, I think there’s a better way to play it out than what I heard. But I don’t know what’s set in stone or not. Whatever it is you just got to live with it,” Collin Morikawa said.
Keegan Bradley is open to change in the season-ending event but doesn’t have a clear concept for what might work the best.
“I do know that the format now, I think, is a little clunky. I think it’s a little strange. There’s no right, there’s no right or wrong way,” Bradley said. “They’re trying to create drama in the last event of the year, and you got guys like Scottie Scheffler who, if they don’t do something like that, wouldn’t have to even play that week and you win the FedEx Cup.”
In fact, a player must play the finale to win the FedEx Cup under the current format.
Last year, Scheffler questioned the current format, saying it was possible for him to dominate the PGA Tour season but not win the FedEx Cup because of a poor final week or a potential injury.
The tour has made several changes in recent years, most notably creating eight signature events designed to bring the top players together more often during the season.
The three-event FedEx Cup playoffs have been reduced in recent years from the top 125 qualifiers to only the top 70 earning spots in the playoffs. Adjusting the format of the Tour Championship, which awards the biggest prize in professional golf, could help spark interest in the event, which has struggled to capture attention on par with other major events.
This is the last year the tour will award full playing privileges to the top 125 players on the season-ending FedEx Cup points list. Beginning in 2026, only the top 100 players will retain their playing privileges.
Ron Green Jr.