The PGA Tour announced a significant change to the Tour Championship, set to take place at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta from August 21-24, 2024. That new format will have all 30 entrants starting at even par in a stroke-play-style tournament. This decision comes after years of criticism regarding the previous staggered start format, which was introduced in 2019 to protect top golfers and reduce confusion surrounding tournament champions.
From 2007 to 2018, the Tour Championship crowned two champions: the winner of the tournament and the leader of the season-long FedEx Cup points race. The staggered start was meant to do just that—make this process easier. In response to this backlash, the PGA Tour has now chosen to remove this divisive format. They know that ultimately hurt the mood heading into such a monumental championship.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan stated, “You can’t call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament.” This theme reflects the tour’s commitment to restoring competitive integrity. It’s all about creating a more simple and straightforward championship experience for players and fans.
The newly announced format pushes the players more than ever before. That not only makes the action more digestible for fans, but it increases the fun factor and excitement level. Fans have long clamored to avoid seeing such winning scores many shots under par at the Tour Championship. The tour has heard this constructive criticism and feedback.
Scottie Scheffler, who began the event at 10 under, was the FedEx Cup season-long points leader. He even provided some fiery rhetoric to stoke the industry’s enthusiasm for the changes. He emphasized that he wants “the Tour Championship to be the hardest tournament to qualify for and the FedEx Cup trophy the most difficult to win.” Scheffler noted, “Shifting the Tour Championship to a more straight-up format with a tougher course setup makes it easier for fans to follow and provides a more challenging test for players—which brings out the best competition.”
The PGA Tour is working with prospects to find new, innovative ways to improve the overall championship. They are looking to move the event, perhaps after the 2027 season. East Lake Golf Club has hosted the championship ever since its inception. That doesn’t mean, though, that it won’t find further life in a rotation for future events.
PGA Tour recently announced a significant format change. They made it clear that bonuses will continue to be paid to the top 30 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings. Only the overall winner after 72 holes will receive the FedEx Cup trophy and a big bonus of $15 million this year. They’ll receive a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
Scheffler expressed concerns about the previous format, saying, “I talked about it the last few years, I think it’s silly.” He further illustrated his point by referencing potential injuries that could impact a player’s standing in the FedEx Cup: “Hypothetically, we get to East Lake and my neck flares up and it doesn’t heal the way it did at the Players. I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament? Is that really the season-long race? No, it is what it is.”
The PGA Tour’s decision follows its “Fan Forward Initiative,” which evaluates each aspect of the season to enhance fan engagement. As a continuation of this exciting evolution, further improvements to the Tour Championship are expected in the next few months.
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