The PGA Tour season culminates this month with the start of the FedExCup Playoffs, a high-stakes competition that highlights the top golfers of the year. Scheduled from August 7 to 24, 2025, the playoffs will feature three tournaments where players vie for points and significant prize money.
What exactly are the FedExCup Playoffs? This event consists of a season-long points race, where golfers accumulate points based on their performances in PGA Tour events, with bonus points available for performances in major tournaments, The Players Championship, and other prestigious events. Established in 2007, the playoff format has evolved over the years, with the current iteration including a limited field of 70 players.
The competition kicks off with the FedEx St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, where only the top 70 players qualify. Following this, the top 50 will progress to the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland. Both tournaments award 2,000 FedExCup points to the winners, a fourfold increase compared to standard PGA Tour events, and do not feature a 36-hole cut. The playoffs conclude with the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where the top 30 players will compete.
Leading the charge is world number one Scottie Scheffler, who has had an impressive season, including victories in two majors. Close behind is Rory McIlroy, who aims for his fourth FedExCup title after winning The Masters among three victories in 2025. Although McIlroy plans to skip the first playoff event, he is expected to contend in the latter two tournaments. Other prominent players include Sepp Straka, Russell Henley, and Justin Thomas, rounding out the current top five.
The format of the Tour Championship has undergone significant changes over the years. Initially, players’ standings continued to update throughout the tournament, leading to multiple awards. The format transitioned in 2019 to a staggered scoring system that granted the leader a two-shot advantage, starting at 10 under par. This year, however, that advantage has been removed, meaning all 30 players will start on equal footing, with the champion determined by performance over four rounds.
Prize money has also seen adjustments. The FedExCup Bonus Distribution remains at $100 million, but now the top 10 players after the Wyndham Championship will receive payouts, and the top 30 after the BMW Championship will also earn additional rewards. The Tour Championship features a purse of $40 million, with the winner set to receive $10 million, the largest prize in PGA Tour history. Each of the preliminary playoff events will offer $3.6 million for the winner.
Qualifying for the FedExCup playoffs brings significant benefits as well. Players finishing in the top 70 will gain exemptions for all full-field events on the PGA Tour in 2026, including The Players. Those in the top 50 will automatically qualify for next year’s Signature Events. Furthermore, players qualifying for the Tour Championship will earn spots at three major tournaments: The Masters, US Open, and The Open in the following season.
The playoffs also present a chance for golfers to earn qualification points for the Ryder Cup. The qualification campaign for Team USA concludes after the BMW Championship, making these events critical for players aiming to secure their spots.
As the playoffs commence, Scottie Scheffler is poised to make history by becoming the first back-to-back FedExCup champion. With Rory McIlroy as a formidable contender, alongside rising stars like Viktor Hovland and Patrick Cantlay, the upcoming weeks promise to be thrilling for golf fans.
Live coverage of the FedExCup Playoffs will be available on Sky Sports, featuring extensive programming for each tournament round. The first two rounds of the FedEx St Jude Championship will begin at 13:00 on Sky Sports+, followed by full coverage from 19:00 on Thursday, 18:30 on Friday, and 18:00 over the weekend on Sky Sports Golf.
As the excitement builds, all eyes will be on who can challenge Scheffler and seize the coveted FedExCup title.
