PGA Tour confirms controversial FedExCup changes

More fine-tuning and less explaining of possible scenarios would suggest the FedExCup playoffs will be bigger and better in 2019.

No sooner had the dust settled on Justin Rose’s FedExCup Playoffs win when the PGA Tour began to explain how much easier it would be to follow them next season.

Jay Monahan (Credit: PGA Tour)

For starters there will be three instead of four events in the FedEx playoffs.

There will also be a new $10m program for the FedExCup Regular Season sponsored by Wyndham Rewards: the “Wyndham Rewards Top 10.”

The playoffs will begin with 125 contesting the Northern Trust Open; then 70 for the BMW Championship and finally 30 for the Tour Championship, where the FedExCup champion will be decided.

While the points structure for the first two events will remain the same (awarding quadruple points compared to FedEx Cup Regular Season events), there will be a significant change to the format for the Tour Championship.

Instead of a points reset at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, beginning with the 2018-19 event the Tour will introduce a strokes-based bonus system related to the FedExCup standings through the BMW Championship.

The FedExCup points leader after the first two playoff events will begin the Tour Championship at 10-under par.

The next four players will start at eight-under through five-under, respectively.

The next five will begin at four-under, regressing by one stroke per five players until those ranked Nos. 26-30 start at even par.

With the implementation of this change, the player with the lowest total score will be the FedExCup Champion and be credited with an official victory in the Tour Championship competition.

“This is a significant and exciting change for the PGA Tour, our players, our partners and – most importantly – our fans,” said Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

“As soon as the Tour Championship begins, any fan – no matter if they’ve followed the PGA Tour all season or are just tuning in for the final event – can immediately understand what’s going on and what’s at stake for every single player in the field.”

“And, of course, players will know exactly where they stand at all times while in play, which will ratchet up the drama, consequence and volatility of the competition down the stretch.”