PGA Tour Playoffs Begin: The Fight for the FedEx Cup
This Thursday, the excitement of golf moves to Memphis, Tennessee, with the start of the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first of three consecutive tournaments that will define the FedEx Cup champion. The top 70 golfers of the season will seek glory, with the number one in the world, Scottie Scheffler, as the main target.
Justin Thomas highlights the importance of this crucial moment of the season, where players aim to reach their best level. Scheffler, despite a complicated start to the season due to a hand injury, has achieved four victories, including important titles in the PGA Championship and The Open.FedEx St. Jude ChampionshipDates: Thursday to SundayLocation: TPC Southwind, Memphis, TennesseePrize pool: $20 million ($3.6 million for the winner)Defending Champion: Hideki Matsuyama
The tournament will feature the participation of the 70 best golfers in the FedEx Cup, with the exception of Rory McIlroy, who has decided not to participate. McIlroy, currently ranked second, has already secured his participation in the following playoff tournaments.
The pressure is greater for those players who are on the border of the top 50, such as Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau, who are looking to secure their place in the Tour Championship.
Xander Schauffele (No. 42)
Tony Finau (No. 60)
Rickie Fowler (No. 64)
Other golfers looking to secure their spot for the BMW Championship include Harry Hall (No. 44), Akshay Bhatia (No. 45), Si Woo Kim (No. 46), Jake Knapp (No. 47), Jordan Spieth (No. 48), Wyndham Clark (No. 49), Min Woo Lee (No. 50), J.T. Poston (No. 51), Kurt Kitayama (No. 52), Bud Cauley (No. 53), Joe Highsmith (No. 54), and Aaron Rai (No. 55).
Among the notable names who failed to qualify for the playoffs are Gary Woodland (No. 72), Adam Scott (No. 90), Tom Kim (No. 94), Max Homa (No. 111), and Sahith Theegala (No. 146).
BMW Championship
Dates: August 14-17Location: Caves Valley Golf Club, Owings Mills, MarylandPrize pool: $20 million ($3.6 million for the winner)Defending Champion: Keegan Bradley
The top 50 golfers after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will advance to the second stage of the playoffs and secure their place in the eight signature events of 2026. The BMW Championship returns to Caves Valley Golf Club, where Patrick Cantlay defeated Bryson DeChambeau in an exciting playoff in 2021.
The Caves Valley Golf Club course, which opened in 1991, has hosted several major tournaments and has made improvements to its facilities.
In the BMW Championship, golfers compete to advance to the Tour Championship, the final tournament of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Tour Championship
Dates: August 21-24Location: East Lake Golf Club, AtlantaPrize pool: $40 million ($10 million for the winner)Defending Champion: Scottie Scheffler
For the first time since 2019, the Tour Championship will abandon the starting strokes format, and will be played as a traditional 72-hole stroke play tournament, with the top 30 golfers starting at par.
The Tour Championship winner will take home $10 million, regardless of their ranking position.
The TPC Southwind has been renovated, including new green complexes and practice areas. Scheffler highlighted the good work done to maintain the essence of the course.
Golfers will face high temperatures in Memphis during the four days of competition.
In Play: The Ryder Cup
The U.S. Ryder Cup team captain, Keegan Bradley, will have the opportunity to evaluate the players’ performance during the playoffs. The top six golfers in the Ryder Cup ranking after the BMW Championship will automatically qualify for the U.S. team.
Scheffler is already qualified, and Schauffele, J.J. Spaun, Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau, and Harris English seem to secure their place on the team. Thomas is also in a good position.
In the European team, McIlroy is already qualified, and Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Shane Lowry, and Sepp Straka are in the top six.
