FedEx Cup Playoffs Format Explained: Including Points And Starting Scores

At the end of the regular season, the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs build towards naming the FedEx Cup champion - the ultimate winner of a year-long points race.

Introduced in 2007, 14 different players have lifted the FedEx Cup, with only Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy going on to become multiple-time champions. Woods triumphed in 2007 and 2009 while McIlroy won in 2016, 2019, and 2022.

Throughout 2024, PGA Tour players have been competing in 36 FedEx Cup events - which include all four Majors - for the title, as well as significant prize money and FedEx Cup points in a bid to take over from reigning champion, Viktor Hovland.

Regular tournaments offered 500 points for the winner while the eight Signature Events handed out 700 for its champion - it was 750 at The Players. Additional event winners earned 300 FedEx Cup points. Any player who made the cut also picked up points and a paycheck, leading to the final FedEx Cup standings.

Only the top-70 golfers earned the right to potentially tee it up through the remainder of August, with anyone outside that number eagerly awaiting the arrival of the FedEx Cup Fall series in a bid to ensure they maintain full exemption at the top table in 2025.

While Fall events begin in September, August signals the point in the season where the FedEx Cup Playoffs reign supreme. Here is how it all works and everything you need to know.

FedEx Cup Playoffs Format

The FedEx Cup Playoffs consist of three tournaments in successive weeks throughout August - the FedEx St Jude Championship (15-18), the BMW Championship (22-25), and the Tour Championship (Aug 29-Sep 1). 

The top-70 golfers enter the Playoffs with the same number of points as they finished the regular season with. They then compete at the FedEx St Jude Championship in a bid to hold a spot in the top-50 before the BMW Championship the following week.

The same scenario is then true ahead of the Tour Championship, only with the top-30 spots up for grabs instead. There are no cuts in any of the four-day Playoff events,  with the first two tournaments awarding 2,000 points to its champion.

In the event an eligible player is unable or chooses not to play, the PGA Tour states that "the field will be shortened and no alternates will be added."

Once the field is set for the Tour Championship via the updated standings, players are then awarded a starting score based on their position. The leading player in the FedEx Cup starts on 10-under while the second player begins on eight-under. Third is seven-under, fourth is six-under, and fifth is five-under.

Golfers in positions six to 10 will tee off on four-under, players 11th-15th on three-under, 16th-20th on two-under, 21st-25th on one-under, and those players in positions 26 to 30 will tee off on the first hole at East Lake on even par.

FedEx Cup Starting Strokes For Tour Championship

From there, it's four rounds over four days and - as usual - it's the lowest tournament score that wins. The 2024 FedEx Cup champion will earn a mammoth $25 million from a total prize pool of $100 million across the Playoffs while everyone else in the top-10 will bank at least $1.75 million.

If anyone who reaches the Tour Championship is unable to compete for any reason, starting strokes will not be reallocated to the remainder of the field. Should a player be disqualified or withdraw from the season-ending event, they will finish in 30th.

While reaching the final event is clearly the goal for all concerned, those in the Playoffs have all secured full status on the PGA Tour for 2025 and do not need to concern themselves with the FedEx Cup Fall. Plus, making it through to the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado certainly has its perks as well.

The top-50 golfers in the FedExCup standings are fully exempt for the following season at all events, including the Players Championship and all eight Signature Events.

FedEx Cup Schedule 2024