FedEx Cup Playoffs: Scheffler and the Fight for the Cup and the Ryder Cup

PGA Tour Playoffs Begin: The Race for the FedEx Cup

The PGA Tour playoffs kick off this Thursday with the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee. This tournament marks the first of three consecutive ones that will define the FedEx Cup champion. Almost all of the 70 best-performing golfers in the season’s points standings will compete against the world number one, Scottie Scheffler, who is seeking to become the first player to win the FedEx Cup consecutively at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, from August 21 to 24.

It’s the time of year when everyone wants to be in their best shape and play their best.

Justin Thomas

Scheffler, despite a hand injury at the beginning of the season and not having achieved as many victories as last year, has achieved four wins, including victories in the PGA Championship and The Open.

Tournament Details

• Tournament: FedEx St. Jude Championship
• Dates: Thursday to Sunday
• Location: TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee
• Prize money: $20 million ($3.6 million for the winner)
• Defending champion: Hideki Matsuyama

The top 70 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings return to TPC Southwind for the first leg of the playoffs, with the notable absence of Rory McIlroy, who has decided not to participate. McIlroy, ranked second, has already secured his participation in the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship. Despite having three top-ten finishes in eight appearances at TPC Southwind, his performance last year was less favorable, finishing in 68th place.

I finished, basically, in last place there [last year], and I only dropped one spot in the playoff standings.

Rory McIlroy

The urgency is greater for those golfers who are just inside or outside the top 50, including Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau, both with long streaks of participation in the Tour Championship. Schauffele, currently in 42nd place, and Finau, in 60th place, need a good performance to secure their place in the final tournament. Other players like Rickie Fowler and several more in the “bubble” are also looking to secure their qualification for the BMW Championship. The BMW Championship will take place from August 14 to 17 at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Maryland, with a prize purse of $20 million. The top 50 golfers in the points standings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to the second stage of the playoffs. The Tour Championship, to be held from August 21 to 24 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, will feature a traditional 72-hole stroke play format, with the top 30 golfers starting at par. The defending champion is Scottie Scheffler. The Tour Championship winner will receive $10 million, with significant prizes for the finalists. TPC Southwind has been renovated, including new practice areas and improvements to the greens and tee boxes. Regarding the Ryder Cup, the captain of the American team, Keegan Bradley, will have the opportunity to evaluate the players’ performance during the playoffs. The six best golfers in the Ryder Cup standings after the BMW Championship will secure their place on the American team. The competition for a place on the European team is also underway, with McIlroy already qualified and several other players looking to secure their spot.