Well, we have finally reached the end of the PGA Tour season and are on the eve of crowning a new FedEx Cup champion at this week's Tour Championship.
The top 30 in the FedEx Cup rankings make their way to Atlanta for the season finale, battling it out for the $15 million bonus and the pride of being the best season-long player on the PGA Tour this year (although if Jacob Bridgeman wins this year, just throw the whole thing in the trash and start over).
Every year that goes by, I feel like the FedEx Cup loses more and more of its luster. The only good thing that the Tour can hang their hat on is that their season isn't going out with a whimper like LIV Indianapolis being the season finale after the Michigan event got canceled because they don't have the money. Is it exciting seeing the best players in the world go up against each other? Yes, but that's why we have the majors.
The FedEx Cup is like a stolen valor championship; it doesn't actually mean anything in its current iteration, and it's nice that Rolapp has fixed this, because it's pretty embarrassing that the PGA Tour can't garner any sort of momentum for their year-long race to matter, even when they've had 20 years to figure it out.
Anyways, let's try to find a winner to close out the 2026 season. Like last year, because of the shrunken field size this week, we're only going with a top-five list for the Tour Championship, and no honorable mentions are allowed. Last year we had Tommy Fleetwood find win number one, and it would be the funniest outcome if Fleetwood won again this year (feels very unlikely, but imagine). Let's get another win this season and finish strong.
5. Collin Morikawa
This could have very easily been Russell Henley, but I didn't want too much carryover from last year's picks. The summer was pretty sparse in terms of Collin Morikawa due to him still dealing with his back injury from The Players.
That being said, East Lake being more of an irons and accuracy course shouldn't cause too many issues for Collin. He's played pretty well at East Lake over the years, finishing in the top six three times in six starts. I don't feel the best about Morikawa this week, but he's the best of the rest that I was picking out of this week, so maybe he steals a FedEx Cup this year.
4. Rory McIlroy
Rory is the start of the group that I think can really win this weekend. I wasn't going to have him in this top five if he didn't put together the third-place performance last week at Bellerive. I fully thought that McIlroy had given up on the FedEx Cup, but then he turns around and gives Wyndham Clark a run for his money last week.
Obviously, he's won at East Lake three times before, so he likes this course. Once again, I don't know what version of Rory we're going to get this week. Regardless, he has to be in the conversation this weekend.
3. Wyndham Clark
So, I'll just never get the timing right on believing in Wyndham Clark. Sure, I had him for the U.S. Open this year, but I feel like every other win, I've gone into that week thinking that there's no way Wyndham will win.
This week feels like a head-to-head match between Clark and Scottie for Player of the Year (I know the award doesn't matter, but we have to talk about something), but I think three wins and a major this year put Clark in the driver's seat this weekend. He shouldn't fit East Lake, but he's finished in the top 10 both times he's played here, so I don't know. Just roll with the hot hand, I guess.
2. Patrick Cantlay
He almost did it last year, but he's going to do it this year: Patrick Cantlay is going to win the FedEx Cup and invalidate this whole stupid system. Cantlay was 42nd entering the playoffs and 43rd entering the BMW Championship, and comfortably played his way into the Tour Championship with a second-place finish.
His strokes-gained numbers have been improving consistently throughout August, and he loves East Lake. The irons have gotten back close to his peak form, and if his putter can cooperate this weekend, Cantlay could find himself with a nice payday come Sunday.
1. Scottie Scheffler
No wonder Scottie didn't play well last week; he had hand, foot and mouth disease! If he had been fully healthy, I would imagine he would have, at the very least, contended. He still pulled out a T12 finish, so truly nothing can hold Scheffler down for too long.
He's been the most consistent player on Tour this year, with his MC in Scotland being his lone finish outside of the top 25 all season. Scheffler probably should be Player of the Year, but wins matter. If he can take down a second FedEx Cup in three years, then he's getting his fifth straight Player of the Year trophy, too.
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