News

The FedEx Cup overhaul is official. Here are the details

Published

8 years ago

Sep 18, 2018

The PGA Tour substantiated the rumored changes to the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Tuesday, unveiling a new playoff format in general, an overhaul of the Tour Championship in particular, and a new regular season points race.

As had been previously established, the Tour will move from four playoff events to three. Most dramatically, the rumored staggered Tour Championship scoring, with the No. 1 player on the points list starting at 10 under, is now a reality. The next four players in the standings will being a 8 under through 5 under. No 6-10 will start at 4 under. Every five players after that will start a stroke further back, with No. 26 through 30 beginning at even par.

There will also now be a $10 million regular season bonus pool sponsored by Wyndham Rewards, aptly named the “Wyndham Rewards Top 10.”

The FedEx Cup Playoffs will wrap prior to Labor Day, thus finishing before the NFL season kicks off. The field for The Northern Trust will be 125 players, 70 for the BMW Championship, and 30 for the Tour Championship, with the points remaining the same for the first two events.

“This is a significant and exciting change for the PGA Tour, our players, our partners and – most importantly – our fans,” said PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan. “As soon as the Tour Championship begins, any fan – no matter if they’ve followed the PGA Tour all season or are just tuning in for the final event – can immediately understand what’s going on and what’s at stake for every single player in the field. And, of course, players will know exactly where they stand at all times while in play, which will ratchet up the drama, consequence and volatility of the competition down the stretch.”

Regarding the $10 million Wyndham Rewards Top 10, the Tour says it, “will also put an even greater premium on excelling over the course of the FedExCup Regular Season.”

The leader of the top 10 will earn $2 million, with the runner-up pocketing $1.5 million. The existing FedEx Cup bonus pool will now total $60 million—$25 million more than the existing pool. Accordingly, the FedEx Cup champion will earn $15 million, rather than the $10 million in the current system.

Alternatively, there’s Geoff Shackelford’s summary of the changes: “This will be easier to follow than the current system where algorithms proved consistently boring to follow. This has to be better…the FedExCup as we knew it, did not work.”

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

30 Comments

SNAKE FARR

Aug 16, 2019 at 5:38 pm

Pga tour has officially been reduced to a net event? Will 2020 usopen give the defending champ a 10 under par start before any one hits a shot? Welcome to the 8th flight club tournament at Bushwood !!!! Changing basic rules of golf scoring so tv watchers that have never played wont get confused. Pga be ashamed!!

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P Cleeve

Sep 20, 2018 at 4:26 am

This will totally alienate ALL viewers and leave the PGA Tour totally alone Internationally, whereas the other Tours will now go forward by being guided, not by greed and demand to be the “ONLY” tour, but by being receptive to informed viewers requests and a genuine interest in ALL players best interests no matter what standing they have. Greed is a killer.

Reply Report comment
Mat

Sep 20, 2018 at 2:22 am

Just to add to the reasons this is stupid, not that it should require any more…

The incentive is now that the top seed will be rewarded for playing *conservatively*. Think about that… play it safe is the right way to play. That’s just so backwards.

If you think you should be giving an advantage, fine. I’d be ok with giving major winners a first round match bye, and I’d also be fine with an even match going to the higher seed after 18, no playoff. Seeding becomes a natural advantage. But the idea that the scoring of a single tournament will be modified makes this right about a local over-50’s weekender.

I honestly hope this costs the commissioner his job. Where other parts of the world are getting rave reviews for 6s golf, this is going to be the short, mistake era of the PGA.

Reply Report comment
Tom54

Sep 19, 2018 at 6:00 pm

I agree with many of the comments about how asinine this new formula is for the FedEx playoffs. Hopefully before the new wraparound season starts which by the was is pretty dumb too,they will have time to come up with something better. Who in the world thought this through gods sake?

Reply Report comment
Ron Owens

Sep 19, 2018 at 4:29 pm

Really? A tournament where players start at various strokes under par? Stupid!

Everyone starts at zero and plays the game. Best man wins. What’s so difficult about that?

Reply Report comment
HDTVMAN

Sep 19, 2018 at 1:23 pm

I just looked up the definition of the PGA Tour in the on-line dictionary: “A very rich group of gentlemen, who play for extremely large amounts of money, a 501c3 non-profit, lead by a commissioner and board equivalent to the characters in ‘Dumb & Dumber'”.

Reply Report comment
Gary Ahlert

Sep 19, 2018 at 1:00 pm

This is beyond stupid. Either these guys are on drugs or ought to be. Absolutely nuts. Ta Ta PGA. Youve lost me as viewr. Stop trying to gimic everything up

Reply Report comment
GHN

Sep 19, 2018 at 12:32 pm

I like it! It is simply not a normal tour event it is the FedEx Cup playoff and giving the leader 10 strokes over the last 4 guys in the field makes perfect sense. It will be much better then trying to figure out what is on the white board! The players and the fans will know where everyone stands and every player will know what they need to do to win.

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Yawning

Sep 19, 2018 at 12:23 pm

You’ve made it simpler Mr. Monahan, simply buzz killing. Handicaps are for Ams.
Just neck the field down a couple times to 30, then match play with one seeding bye for the top 10 ranked players, based on season performance. But since the press releases already went out it seems we will have to endure at least one farce, the 2019 FedEx cup.
While you are in a “simplifying” mood, how about dumping the wrap-around season and go back to traditional calendar based scheduling ?

Reply Report comment
Dan

Sep 19, 2018 at 10:31 am

Oh and by the way it wasn’t the Playoffs or the Tour Championship format that needed revamping. It was the points accrued throughout the season. How is a player that hasn’t won at all ranked higher than a player who has won 2 majors. There is your problem!!

Reply Report comment
Dan

Sep 19, 2018 at 9:43 am

Wow! Now I’ve heard it all. We are giving professional golfers handicaps. What a sham. Pretty surprised the player’s board allowed that to happen. Now the Tour Championship is a meaningless made for TV event. Hot garbage!!

Reply Report comment
Roy

Sep 19, 2018 at 9:07 am

Guess there is a reason the NFL dosen’t start the playoffs with one team up 14-0 at the opening kickoff….

Reply Report comment
Scheiss

Sep 19, 2018 at 3:09 am

So, so dumb.
It should be simple, like this:

Play the usual season and collect moneys as usual; the top 144 of the Money List qualify for the Final 4 events. No need for points. No need to worry about who won how many times. Just make them all just go out there and get the moneys.
Then play cut-line.
1st Final Event, the 144 players get cut to 108.
QuarterFinal, cut to 72.
SemiFinal, cut to 36.
Final, just 1 Winner. Gets the Cup.

Simples!

They’ll be hungry and will be gunning for it at the end. No need to shuffle anything around, no points needed, just do it by earnings to qualify.

Reply Report comment
bogeypro

Sep 18, 2018 at 9:52 pm

wow, just wow…. no words for how dumb this is. just do a 32 man match play. Handicapping a pga event is ridiculous.

Reply Report comment
- Mat
  
  Sep 19, 2018 at 7:52 am
  
  Couldn’t agree more. I’d prefer nothing better than a simple bracket. I’d want 28, so that your four major winners get a bye.
  
  But anything other than match play is revolting.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jacob Bengtson

Sep 18, 2018 at 9:40 pm

Garbage, match play or nothing. Looks like I won’t even be watching anything after the Us open for the 20th year in a row.

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Liberty Apples

Sep 18, 2018 at 8:50 pm

So the Tour Championship is now a handicapped event? Utter nonsense.

Reply Report comment
Rebill One

Sep 18, 2018 at 6:39 pm

I thought the real final event was Phil vs Tiger.

Reply Report comment
Jill Ouellette

Sep 18, 2018 at 4:36 pm

Really dumb thing to do! We don’t care if one person wins the Tour Championship and another the Cup. If you make it to the final 30, you should have an equal chance in the Tour Championship. Your overall performance should be the determining factor, not just one tournament. What you’ve done does not increase interest–in fact, just the opposite.

Reply Report comment
- Jack
  
  Sep 19, 2018 at 9:41 am
  
  You are so right Jill! The entire PGA Tour staff should be tested for substance abuse. That has to be the only explanation for this mind-numbing decision.
  
  Reply Report comment
emb

Sep 18, 2018 at 3:35 pm

so you’re 6th in points for the entire year and you start the Tour Championship 6 shots back? that seems a little extreme, I feel like the leader is given too much of an advantage but I’m sure they’ll tweak it after next year as well depending on results. Wonder how long it’ll be before they go 2 full seasons without changing anything

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Knarls Barkley

Sep 18, 2018 at 3:16 pm

I still think Greg Norman got jobbed for having come up with this idea of an elite level playoff system, presenting it to the Tour, and they poo poo’d it, ONLY TO PRESENT THEIR OWN VERSION OF IT!! AND THE SYSTEM IS STILL COCAMAMIE NONSENSE!!

Reply Report comment
Ryan Michael

Sep 18, 2018 at 3:15 pm

128 man match play event make it short and sweet for all the marbles and most importantly it simplifies things!

Reply Report comment
dat

Sep 18, 2018 at 2:53 pm

This scoring system sounds like something a network exec. came up with who has never played golf in his life.

Reply Report comment
Graham Fee

Sep 18, 2018 at 2:18 pm

I really dislike this, seems very foolish to change a system that was working to something convoluted. If this is a reaction to the possibility of someone winning the FedEx Cup without a win, it sure is an extreme reaction. I have no issue with Finau winning the Cup – shows he has been playing well all year. I like the regular season race – good addition. The starting a tournament with under-par scores already on the board – no thanks! I think this cheapens the perception of the Tour Championship overall.

Reply Report comment
- kevin
  
  Sep 18, 2018 at 2:56 pm
  
  if the winner of the final event didn’t take home the fedex trophy….it wasn’t a playoff.
  
  no one likes watching an event where math is needed to calulate whether or not the guy finishing the last tournament in 2nd or 3rd would actually be the overall winner.
  
  the new system, although not perfect, is a step in right direction. however i’d rather see a final 8 match play event.
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Rebill One
    
    Sep 18, 2018 at 6:40 pm
    
    Final 8 match play is a great idea!
    
    Reply Report comment
Tom

Sep 18, 2018 at 1:46 pm

The timing of this is strange, two days before the 2018 finals you reveal the next version?
Basically inferring the current program isn’t very good, puts a cloud over this week’s event?

Reply Report comment
- kevin
  
  Sep 18, 2018 at 2:56 pm
  
  agreed. but it wasn’t a secret the current system is garbage
  
  Reply Report comment
Midwest Blade

Sep 18, 2018 at 1:14 pm

Seems like they are really forcing the effort to create something exciting. These season ending events look more and more like every other event during the season and are probably not gaining much in audience or interest. There are always certain events throughout the year that I do really enjoy watching, The Masters has always been the start to the season, followed by the US Open, The Open and finally the PGA. Throw in The Players and a couple of other events like the old Western Open, anything played at Firestone and that was a wrap for the majority of my golf viewing. Week after week of golf tournaments looking like the week before are not gaining fans. Weekly money is so large that fields in the off weeks seem to be getting weaker and weaker. All the top players schedule for the major’s, WGC’s (non cut events, guarantees $’s) and a few other events. Why can’t the season end with a simple two event run, top 80 make the series which is then cut to 40 for a final tour championship, simple, clean and easy to understand. No strokes, no points, simply top 80 on the money list make the finals.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

6 hours ago

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GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

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Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

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In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

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News

Tour Tech Rundown: Heroic Henley

Published

3 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.

Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.

PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole

Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.

Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.

Henley’s Suitcase

Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype

LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!

Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.

Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.

Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.

Celine’s Suitcase

Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS

DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!

Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.

Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.

Kaneko’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping Max G440
Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7

Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro

Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.

The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.

Alvaro’s Suitcase

Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
Wedges
Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C

A party on the green!

Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026

LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.

Niemann’s Suitcase