The FedEx Cup Playoffs caps off the season for the PGA Tour. All season long, players compete for the FedEx Cup at the Tour Championship.
Since 2007, the FedEx Cup determines who has played well, both in the regular season as well as the playoffs to determine a season-long champion.
FedEx Cup: How it works
Throughout the regular season, players work to finish as high as they can across 36 tournaments. Players choose how many events they want to play in. Before the 2023 FedEx Cup playoffs, the top 125 players would qualify for the first of three playoff events. To create more competition, the PGA Tour shortened the playoff field to 70 in 2023.
However, in order to maintain PGA Tour status, a player has the opportunity to improve their standing during the FedEx Cup Fall to be inside the top 125 of the FedEx Cup standings.
The FedEx Cup playoffs consist of three no-cut tournaments to determine the season-long champion.
The top 70 in the standings advance to the first tournament, which is usually the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Then, the top 50 advance to the second tournament, which is usually the BMW Championship. The final event, the Tour Championship, is for the top 30 of the standings.
As a result, players, especially on the cusp of each benchmark, are working to advance to the next leg, hoping to be at the Tour Championship.
Also read: Top 10 courses on the PGA Tour in 2024, including where East Lake Golf Club ranks
FedEx Cup Points breakdown
PGA Tour members earn points toward their FedEx Cup standing at each event they make the cut. In addition, points are raised depending on the strength of a tournament field.
Regular season points breakdown
- 750 points to winners of The Players Championship and majors
- 700 points to winners of Signature Events
- 500 points to Full-Field Events (the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the two-man events award 400 points to each player on the winning team)
- 300 points to winners of additional events (i.e. the Barracuda Championship)
However, during the playoffs, the points are quadrupled to reward players who get hot and have success down the stretch. A good example is when Lucas Glover won the final regular season event in 2023 to get into the playoffs and won the first leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs to eventually compete in the Tour Championship.
As a result, if a player wins the FedEx St. Jude Championship or the BMW Championship, they earn 2,000 points.
Here is a breakdown of points for the first two events of the FedEx Cup Playoffs if a player places within the top 15.
| Position | Points |
| 1 | 2,000 |
| 2 | 1,200 |
| 3 | 760 |
| 4 | 540 |
| 5 | 440 |
| 6 | 400 |
| 7 | 360 |
| 8 | 340 |
| 9 | 320 |
| 10 | 300 |
| 11 | 280 |
| 12 | 260 |
| 13 | 240 |
| 14 | 228 |
| 15 | 220 |
Where are the playoff events in 2024?
Here are the tentative dates and locations for the three FedEx Cup Playoff events in 2024
| Tournament | Date | Course & Location |
| FedEx St. Jude Championship | Aug. 15-18 | TPC Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.) |
| BMW Championship | Aug. 22-25 | Castle Pines Golf Club (Castle Rock, Colo.) |
| Tour Championship | Aug. 29-Sept. 1 | East Lake Golf Club (Atlanta) |
Related: Golf superstar Scottie Scheffler takes a major shot at current system to decide PGA Tour champion
Where to watch all 3 FedEx Cup Playoff events
All three events that culminate the FedEx Cup Playoffs will be televised between NBC and the Golf Channel.
In addition, there will be coverage on ESPN+ and Peacock for each event.
People also have the opportunity to listen to each FedEx Cup Playoff on Sirius XM.
What are the incentives of advancing in the FedEx Cup Playoffs
Players receive many rewards for competing in the playoffs. First and foremost, if a player makes the playoffs, they keep their card for the 2025 season. They also have a chance to compete at The Players Championship, held every March at TPC Sawgrass.
If a player makes the top 50 and plays the BMW Championship, then that player is exempt for the following season. Complete exemption also includes having the chance to compete in all eight Signature Events that have higher purses. Higher purses equal more money.
Furthermore, if a player cracks the top 30, they are not only exempt for the following season but also for the Signature Events, qualify for the Tour Championship, and have an opportunity to win the first-place prize of $25 million from the $100 million purse.
Speaking of money, there is more. For the 10 players who are atop the FedEx Cup standings entering the playoffs, they get rewarded with cash.
In 2024, here is a breakdown of the $40 million bonus separated by player.
| FedEx Cup Standing | Player (FedEx Cup points in parenthesis) | Amount |
| 1 | Scottie Scheffler (5,993) | $8 million |
| 2 | Xander Schauffele (4,057) | $6 million |
| 3 | Rory McIlroy (2,545) | $4.8 million |
| 4 | Collin Morikawa (2,456) | $4.4 million |
| 5 | Wyndham Clark (2,154) | $4 million |
| 6 | Ludvig Aberg (2,092) | $3.4 million |
| 7 | Sahith Theegala (2,037) | $2.8 million |
| 8 | Hideki Matusyama (1,899) | $2.4 million |
| 9 | Sungjae Im (1,896) | $2.2 million |
| 10 | Shane Lowry (1,867) | $2 million |
Tour Championship starting strokes format
As a result of a player’s success all season, the top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings make the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
The 30 players are then seeded 1-30. The PGA Tour implements the starting strokes format to give players perform well during the season and the playoffs a boost before the first round of the Tour Championship begins.
| Tour Championship seed | FedEx Cup starting strokes |
| 1 | -10 |
| 2 | -8 |
| 3 | -7 |
| 4 | -6 |
| 5 | -5 |
| 6-10 | -4 |
| 11-15 | -3 |
| 16-20 | -2 |
| 21-25 | -1 |
| 26-30 | Even |
Who won the FedEx Cup in 2023?
In 2023, Viktor Hovland won by five strokes. He shot a final round 61 during the BMW Championship to give him the momentum heading into the Tour Championship. During the Tour Championship, Hovland took advantage of a second round 64 and a final round 63 to hoist the FedEx Cup Trophy.
Related: 2023 Tour Championship: 5 big takeaways as Viktor Hovland wins the FedEx Cup
Past FedEx Cup winners
Here is a look at the past FedEx Cup champions.
| Year | FedEx Cup Champion |
| 2023 | Viktor Hovland |
| 2022 | Rory McIlroy |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantlay |
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy |
| 2018 | Justin Rose |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas |
| 2016 | Rory McIlroy |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth |
| 2014 | Billy Horschel |
| 2013 | Henrik Stenson |
| 2012 | Brandt Snedeker |
| 2011 | Bill Haas |
| 2010 | Jim Furyk |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods |
| 2008 | Vijay Singh |
| 2007 | Tiger Woods |
Also read: Who has the most PGA Tour wins of all-time and where does Tiger Woods stand?