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FedEx Cup: The History of Golf’s Current Playoff System

By Matt Coles

RIDGEWOOD, NJ - AUGUST 23: FedEx Cup signage is displayed on the 15th hole during the first round of The Northern Trust on August 23, 2018 at the Ridgewood Championship Course in Ridgewood, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
RIDGEWOOD, NJ - AUGUST 23: FedEx Cup signage is displayed on the 15th hole during the first round of The Northern Trust on August 23, 2018 at the Ridgewood Championship Course in Ridgewood, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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WESTBURY, NY – AUGUST 25: Jon Rahm of Spain plays his shot from the 11th tee during round two of The Northern Trust at Glen Oaks Club on August 25, 2017 in Westbury, New York. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
WESTBURY, NY – AUGUST 25: Jon Rahm of Spain plays his shot from the 11th tee during round two of The Northern Trust at Glen Oaks Club on August 25, 2017 in Westbury, New York. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

How This Year’s FedEx Cup Works

This year’s FedEx Cup Playoffs have changed massively from previous years. First of all, there are only three events, whereas in the past there have always been four.

They used to be the Northern Trust, the Dell Technologies Championship, the BMW Championship, and the season-ending Tour Championship.

In 2019 though, the Dell Technologies Championship is no more, leaving just the three other events to now constitute the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

The same numbers apply when it comes to players involved as last year, with the top 125 in the points standings from the regular season qualifying for the Northern Trust on Thursday.

As is the norm on the PGA TOUR, there will be a 36-hole cut to the top 70 players plus ties, but that only counts for the NT, as it would on a regular week on tour.

Then, instead of 100 for the Dell and then 70 for the BMW, this year it goes straight down to the top 70 players in the points standings who qualify for the BMW Championship.

Then, for the season-finale at East Lake Golf Club, only the top 30 players in the points standings qualify for the Tour Championship.

Finally, and one of the biggest changes to the way the Playoffs work in 2019, the Tour Championship will see players start in minus figures. In a change to make it slightly fairer on the top 30, and to give everyone a chance, it has changed from being the accumulation of points throughout the season to giving players a slight advantage ahead of the week.

So, at the Tour Championship at East Lake in two weeks, the FedEx Cup points leader will start the event at 10-under-par, due to the new Starting Strokes system, right the way down to the players ranked 26-30, who will begin the event at level-par. Here is the exact order:

  • Ranked No.1 = 10-under-par
  • Ranked No.2 = 8-under-par
  • Ranked No.3 = 7-under-par
  • Ranked No.4 = 6-under-par
  • Ranked No.5 = 5-under-par
  • Ranked 6-10 = 4-under-par
  • Ranked 11-15 = 3-under-par
  • Ranked 16-20 = 2-under-par
  • Ranked 21-25 = 1-under-par
  • Ranked 26-30 = Level-par

Then, from there it will be a straight shootout over 72 holes, with no-one being cut at the halfway stage. The player will the lowest aggregate score, from his week’s total combined with the FedEx Cup Starting Strokes will win the Tour Championship.

Got it? Great! But what about the past winners of the event?

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