The PGA Tour has introduced a significant shift in the format of the FedEx Cup finale, replacing the staggered start with a fresh pay structure that incorporates staggered bonuses. This new system awards bonuses at three critical points during the final month of the golfing season.
The restructured plan outlines that the title of FedEx Cup champion will now come with a $10 million payout, a noticeable decrease from the previous $25 million. However, if the top-seeded player maintains their lead throughout the playoffs, they can still achieve a total of $25 million.
Despite these changes, the total bonus pool remains robust at $100 million, per the details shared on Wednesday. Previously, the FedEx Cup champion received $25 million at the conclusion of the Tour Championship. Under the new format, the No. 1 player will receive $10 million at the end of the regular season, following the conclusion of the Wyndham Championship. Furthermore, the leader after the BMW Championship will secure a $5 million bonus, while the Tour Championship victor receives another $10 million.
The PGA Tour anticipates that these decisions will enhance the excitement of the season finale and address previous concerns regarding its complexity. The previous ‘staggered start’ format, which gave the No. 1 seed an initial two-shot advantage at the Tour Championship, has been eliminated. All top 30 players reaching East Lake will now start on an even playing field, as in typical tournaments, with the Tour Championship winner becoming the FedEx Cup champion.
This new approach aims to continue rewarding season-long performances without disproportionately penalizing players for a single poor performance at East Lake. Last year, Scottie Scheffler’s consistent leadership throughout the playoffs earned him the $25 million top prize. With the revised bonuses, if the structure had been applied in 2023, Jon Rahm would have earned $10 million for leading into the playoffs, Scheffler $5 million post-BMW Championship, and Viktor Hovland $10 million for winning the FedEx Cup.
Rahm, who entered the 2023 playoffs as the No. 1 seed, tied for 18th at the Tour Championship and earned a postseason payout of $675,000. In contrast, with the current structure, Rahm’s FedEx Cup bonus earnings would have totaled $12,208,750, factoring in his playoff standings.
The Tour Championship will effectively come with a $40 million purse, though the bonus funds are still listed as unofficial. The FedEx Cup points system remains the same, maintaining quadruple value for the FedEx St. Jude Championship and the BMW Championship, enabling shifts in standings. Additionally, the $40 million Comcast Business Tour Top 10 bonus pool persists, offering this year’s FedEx Cup postseason leader $10 million from FedEx and $8 million from Comcast.