New Season, New Rules: The Road to the FedExCup Crown Starts Now in Memphis
This week, the PGA TOUR's best golfers converge on TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, for the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the opening act of the 2025 FedExCup Playoffs. The regular season is officially in the rearview mirror, and the top 70 players have earned their spot in this elite field, with their eyes firmly set on the ultimate prize.
Only the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to the BMW Championship next week. For those on the bubble, every shot carries immense weight as they fight to extend their season and secure their TOUR card for 2026.
Beyond the competition, the 2025 FedExCup Playoffs represent a new chapter for the PGA TOUR. In a move designed to simplify the season's grand finale and elevate the drama, the PGA TOUR has made significant changes to the FedExCup format for the 2025 season. The most impactful of these modifications will fundamentally alter how the TOUR Championship is contested and how the FedExCup champion is crowned.
The most notable change is the elimination of the "Starting Strokes" system. This format, which has been in place since 2019, saw players begin the TOUR Championship with a staggered score based on their FedExCup standing. The top player would start at 10-under par, the second at 8-under, and so on, with the final players starting at even par. While it was designed to reward season-long performance, it often created a confusing leaderboard for fans and could diminish the excitement of the final round's competition.
Beginning in 2025, the TOUR Championship will revert to a traditional 72-hole stroke-play event. All 30 players who qualify will start at even par, with the winner of the four-day tournament also being crowned the FedExCup champion. This change is a direct response to feedback from both players and fans who desired a more straightforward and competitive conclusion to the season. The new format ensures that the player with the best performance at East Lake Golf Club will be the one to hoist the trophy and claim the substantial $10 million winner's share of the bonus pool.
Last year, Scottie Scheffler won the FedEx Cup over Collin Morikawa and took home the $25 million grand prize. The $10 million represents a $15 million decrease from a season ago, but the bonus payouts throughout the postseason make up for it as the player ranked first in the FedEx Cup standings following the Wyndham Championship ($10 million) and BMW Championship ($5 million) receives the difference in that figure. As the player ranked #1 after last week’s Wyndham Championship, Scheffler earned the $10 million bonus.
The changes extend beyond the TOUR Championship itself. The number of players retaining their TOUR cards for the following season has also been adjusted. While the top 70 players will still qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs, the number of players who retain full status has been reduced from 125 to 100. This modification aims to heighten the pressure of the FedExCup Fall series, as players outside the top 70 will be fighting to secure their status for the following season.
These changes reflect the PGA TOUR's commitment to "Fan Forward" initiatives, seeking to make the sport more engaging and easier to follow for its audience. By simplifying the scoring at the TOUR Championship and increasing the stakes for players throughout the season, the TOUR hopes to create a more compelling narrative from the first tee shot of the season to the final putt at East Lake. The 2025 FedExCup playoffs promise a renewed sense of competition and a more transparent path to crowning a true champion.