FedEx Cup: The History of Golf’s Current Playoff System
By Matt Coles
2016-2018: Europe Takes Charge
2016 – Rory McIlroy
Jason Day led the way going into the 2016 FedEx Cup Playoffs, with fellow Australian Adam Scott and Scotsman Russell Knox in close order, along with the usual bunch of American protagonists.
Patrick Reed was one of those in the top ten, and he catapulted himself to the top of the points standings after winning the Barclays.
Rory McIlroy won the Deutsche Bank, winning ahead of fellow European Paul Casey, with both men moving into the top ten in the standings with two weeks to go.
After winning the BMW Championship in the penultimate week of the season, Dustin Johnson took the lead in points going into East Lake, but it would be the Northern Irishman that eventually won out.
McIlroy won at East Lake by way of a playoff against Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore. With the win, he moved clear of the field in the standings to become only the second European to do so.
2017 – Justin Thomas
McIlroy’s good friend Justin Thomas was the 2017 victor in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and he came into the post-season in 2nd place in the points standings, behind Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who had enjoyed a breakout year.
Jon Rahm was also in the top ten in his first real showing, alongside the likes of Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, and Brooks Koepka.
The Barclays was renamed the Northern Trust for the 2017 event, and it was won by DJ, who beat Jordan Spieth in a playoff to take the title.
The pair moved into the top two in the standings, with Spieth then moving ahead of DJ after a 2nd place finish at the Dell Technologies behind Justin Thomas, who moved into 2nd in the standings.
Marc Leishman took the victory at the BMW Championship, to make it two non-Americans in the top five going into East Lake.
Xander Schauffele won the Tour Championship to jump from 26th up to 3rd in the points standings, but it was Justin Thomas who took the FedEx crown thanks to a 2nd place finish. In doing so, JT became the first player to win the FedEx Cup who had not won the season-finale since Vijay Singh in 2008.
2018 – Justin Rose
Last year’s event went all the way to the final hole, with Justin Rose becoming the first Englishman to get his hands on the FedEx Cup since its inception in 2007.
He went into the post-season sitting in 4th in the points standings, behind three major champions in Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and the defending FedEx Cup champ, Justin Thomas.
Bryson DeChambeau was enjoying a breakthrough year on the PGA TOUR, and he won the first two playoff events of the 2018 Playoffs.
The American won both the Northern Trust and the Dell Technologies to catapult himself into a commanding lead atop the points standings with two to play.
Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship, after defeating Rose on a playoff to take the win, with Tiger Woods sealing the win at the Tour Championship to end his long drought on the PGA TOUR.
Rose finished in a tie for 4th to beat Woods to the FedEx Cup by 41 points, and in doing so, he became the first player to win the FedEx without taking a victory at any of the four playoff events.
The Englishman missed the cut at the Northern Trust, before finishing 2nd at both the Dell and the BMW. He then finished fourth to claim the title at East Lake.