You probably wouldn’t change the Super Bowl’s rules in the middle of the NFL’s regular season. You wouldn’t tweak the Champions League after the group stages. Yet, the PGA Tour still feels it hasn’t quite perfected the formula for its high-stakes, season-ending Tour Championship — so it’s planning to revise the format. Those changes could be announced in the coming weeks and might take effect as early as this season.
On one hand, this seems like a bold move given the stakes: the FedEx Cup awards $25 million to its winner and $100 million in total. On the other hand, it makes perfect sense — when you’re offering such a substantial prize, you want to ensure the format is spot on.
CURRENT FORMAT
The current Tour Championship format takes the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup and staggers their starting strokes based on points accumulated earlier; the leader begins the final 72-hole tournament at 10 under par, two strokes ahead of their nearest competitor. The rest of the field is spread out accordingly, down to even par.
However, it hasn’t always been this way. The staggered-start format was introduced in 2019 to crown a single champion, avoiding the previous scenario where one player won the Tour Championship and another claimed the FedEx Cup simultaneously. (You may recall that Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship in 2018; you may not remember that Justin Rose won the FedEx Cup alongside him.)
Many have criticised the format, including last year’s winner, Scottie Scheffler, who has called it “silly” on several occasions.
So, what’s next?
NEW FORMAT CLUES
The short answer is that we don’t yet know — but there are some hints. News of potential changes emerged at the start of the 2025 season, with PGA Tour leadership confirming they were exploring a Tour Championship overhaul as part of broader efforts to enhance the product.
If there were a simple, perfect solution that satisfied players, fans, and TV partners, it likely would have been implemented already. Hence, discussions continue.
“There are a few different formats we’re considering right now. Some are good, some were less promising. I won’t go into details as we’re still refining them,” Scheffler said last month in Orlando.
Adam Schupak of Golfweek spoke with Adam Scott and gathered insights from several player leaders. Scott, in particular, emphasised the need to revamp the format and elevate the FedEx Cup’s status. This, more than any geopolitical or inter-tour issues, motivated him to engage in governance.
“I thought it needed improvement. That was my focus,” Scott said. “I believed I could offer a clear perspective to make it more straightforward, accessible, and respected across all sports. I’ve been sidetracked a lot.”
WHAT WE DO KNOW
The staggered starting strokes are likely to be scrapped, according to Scott, who noted that “everyone involved” wants to eliminate the confusing format.
However, match play — perhaps the most eye-catching potential addition — seems unlikely to be adopted.
“It’s hard to get your head around playing one style all season and then switching to an entirely different format for the final event,” Scott explained.
There appears to be some consensus: Sam Burns told Schupak that the Player Advisory Council met at last week’s RBC Heritage and agreed on a preferred format. The next step is securing approval from other stakeholders, including broadcasters NBC and CBS, and sponsors such as FedEx, Coca-Cola, and Southern Company.
Kevin Kisner, who balances roles as a Tour pro and NBC analyst, suggested one TV-friendly format that would reduce the field to 16, then eight, then four to heighten drama. However, this is unlikely to be the final solution.
“I think it will be a more traditional tournament with greater consequences,” Kisner told Schupak. “I don’t want to give away too much.”
“It’s going to be a better tournament for the players, sponsors, and everyone involved,” Burns added.
Change is coming, and players seem enthusiastic. The new format will likely face some scepticism. Ultimately, its success will be judged by one key factor: whether there’s an immediate push to change it again.
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