FedEx Cup Playoffs Begin: The Battle for Big Money Kicks Off

FedEx Cup Champion to Be Decided Through Three Playoff Events
Grand Prize for Final Winner: 14.2 Billion Won Windfall
McIlroy, Scheffler, and Siwoo Kim Compete for the Top Spot

The PGA Tour in the United States is kicking off the FedEx Cup Playoffs, with a total prize pool of $80 million (approximately KRW 114 billion) at stake. The world’s top golfers will engage in a final battle for the season’s ultimate championship and a massive bonus.

According to the PGA Tour on August 10, the regular season concluded with the Wyndham Championship, and from the 13th, the three FedEx Cup Playoff events will be held in succession. The Playoffs serve as the grand finale for players with the highest achievements of the season, with a substantial prize pool and bonuses on offer.

The top 70 players in the FedEx Cup rankings will compete in the first event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship (August 13-16). Afterward, only the top 50 move on to the second event, the BMW Championship (August 20-23), and finally, the top 30 compete in the Tour Championship (August 27-30) to determine the season champion.

Rory McIlroy (left) and Scottie Scheffler will face off in a battle of pride in this year's FedEx Cup Playoffs. Photo by PGA

The FedEx Cup was first introduced in 2007. From 2019 to 2024, the Tour Championship used a bonus-stroke system based on FedEx Cup rankings, with the top-ranked player starting at 10-under-par, the second at 8-under-par, and so forth, creating a staggered start by ranking.

However, this system was criticized for being overly advantageous to players at the top, reducing the suspense of the final event. Therefore, since last year, the PGA Tour has abolished the bonus stroke system, and now all 30 players competing in the Tour Championship contend for victory under equal conditions.

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are considered the PGA Tour’s biggest "money event." After the launch of LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in 2022, the PGA Tour significantly increased the prize money. Until 2022, the total purse for the first and second playoff events was $15 million, but since 2023, this has been raised to $20 million (about KRW 28.5 billion) each. The Tour Championship offers a total of $40 million (approximately KRW 57 billion), with $10 million (about KRW 14.2 billion) awarded to the winner.

Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) is inseparable from the history of the FedEx Cup. Although he won both the first and second playoff events in 2012 and finished as the overall runner-up, he claimed his first FedEx Cup title in 2016. He then came from behind in the 2019 final as the fifth-ranked player and secured an unprecedented third FedEx Cup victory in 2022.

McIlroy remains a strong contender this year. Having won the Masters and achieving the sixth career Grand Slam, he has also reached 30 wins on the PGA Tour. Although he has played in only 11 tournaments this season, he has focused on major events to pursue his fourth career FedEx Cup title.

Kim Siwoo, who is participating in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, is boasting the best condition among Korean players this year. Photo by AFP News Agency

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) is also a leading favorite. With 20 PGA Tour victories (including four majors), he has shown consistent form this year, winning the American Express, finishing runner-up five times, and placing third twice.

Scheffler decided to skip the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the regular season finale at the Wyndham Championship after finishing runner-up at last month’s 3M Open to focus on preparing for the Playoffs. As the 2024 FedEx Cup champion, he is aiming for his second title in two years.

Among Korean players, Im Sungjae holds the best FedEx Cup result with a runner-up finish. Im exceeded the previous record for an Asian player—Choi Kyung-Ju’s fifth-place finish in 2007—by tying for second in the 2022 Tour Championship. Im received a bonus of $5.75 million (about KRW 8.2 billion) on that occasion. This year, three Korean players—Im Sungjae, Kim Siwoo, and Kim Joohyung—are competing in the first round of the Playoffs.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.