FedExCup: How does the PGA Tour season finale work?
The FedExCup is about qualifying for the PGA Tour and a lot of money. The mode is complicated. You can find the explanation here.
The FedExCup is far more than just a points competition; it is the highlight of the PGA Tour season, which crowns its champion in August with the dramatic FedExCup Playoffs. Those who triumph here have not only distinguished themselves through excellent performances in the regular season, but have also withstood the enormous pressure of the final events. Names such as Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland adorn the list of previous champions - a squad of players who have made golf history.
The FedExCup - The PGA Tour leaderboard
The hunt for the FedExCup begins in January and continues throughout the regular season and into August. The 2025 season includes 36 official FedExCup events.
PGA Tour members earn FedExCup points in these tournaments based on their finishes. The system is designed to reward wins and top finishes. If there is a tie for a position, the points for those places are averaged and then awarded to each player in the tie - fair and transparent, just like the prize money distribution.
The value of the tournaments varies greatly and is reflected in the points awarded (points for the winner):
- Majors & THE PLAYERS Championship: 750 points
- Signature Events: 700 points
- Full-Field Events: 500 points (exception: the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a two-team event, awards 400 points per player of the winning team)
- Additional events (take place parallel to higher-paying tournaments): 300 points
It is important to note that only PGA Tour members or players who become members during the season are included in the official FedExCup ranking. Amateurs, for example, cannot collect points.
The FedExCup Playoffs: the nerve-wracking final
After the regular season, or more precisely after the Wyndham Championship, the top 70 players in the FedExCup rankings qualify for the tense playoffs. These consist of a series of three tournaments:
- FedEx St. Jude Championship: this is where the top 70 players compete. The points collected in the regular season are taken into this tournament. The winner receives an additional 2,000 points.
- BMW Championship: The field is reduced to the top 50 players. The points from the regular season still count and the winner also receives 2,000 points.
- TOUR Championship: The grand final, for which only the top 30 players qualify. And there will be a significant change here in 2025.
The controversial "Starting Strokes" system, in which players started the TOUR Championship with different stroke rates based on their ranking position, has been abolished (the leader starts at ten under Par, the runner-up at eight under, etc.). From 2025, all 30 finalists will start the 72-hole counting play at even par. The player with the lowest total score after four rounds at the Tour Championship wins the FedEx Cup. This promises pure stroke-play competition and increases the drama immensely.
Important to know: There are no cuts in the play-off events. If a qualified player is unable or unwilling to compete, the field will be reduced accordingly, but no substitutes will be added.
The FedExCup champion not only receives the coveted trophy and status as the best player of the season, but also a handsome bonus of 10 million US dollars and five years' eligibility to play on the PGA Tour.
FedExCup Fall: The postseason as a second chance
After the playoffs, the FedExCup Fall, a series of seven tournaments, continues in September. The main purpose of this postseason is to finalize the Top 100 eligibility for the upcoming season and provide additional playing opportunities for players outside the top ranks.
Players ranked 51st or higher in the FedExCup Rankings after the FedEx St. Jude Championship will continue to earn points in the FedExCup Fall. This is crucial to improve or secure their Tour status. For example, those ranked 51-60 in the FedExCup Fall qualify for two signature events the following season via the so-called "Aon Next 10" list.
The financial side: a shower of 100 million dollars in prize money
The FedExCup is not only a heavyweight in sporting terms, but also financially. The total bonus pool remains unchanged at 100 million US dollars.
The abolition of starting strokes at the 2025 Tour Championship also has an impact on bonus distribution. The payments have been restructured to reward season performance even more:
- Bonus payments after the Regular Season: after the Wyndham Championship, the top 10 in the FedExCup rankings will receive a share from a US$20 million pool. The leader alone receives 10 million US dollars.
- Bonus payments after the BMW Championship: Here, the top 30 players receive a further share from a bonus pool, for example the leader receives 5 million US dollars.
- Bonus after the TOUR Championship: The remaining bonus money (around 57 million US dollars) is distributed based on the ranking in the final tournament, with the FedExCup champion receiving an additional 10 million US dollars.
There is also the Comcast Business TOUR TOP 10, where a further 40 million US dollars is distributed to the top 10 players in the regular season after the Wyndham Championship.
| Rank | FedExCup rank after Wyndham Championship | FedExCup rank after: BMW Championship | Rank at the TOUR Championship |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $10,000,000 | $5,000,000 | $10,000,000 |
| 2 | $4,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $5,000,000 |
| 3 | $1,200,000 | $2,595,000 | $3,705,000 |
| 4 | $1,000,000 | $1,800,000 | $3,200,000 |
| 5 | $800,000 | $1,450,000 | $2,750,000 |
| 6 | $700,000 | $900,000 | $1,900,000 |
| 7 | $650,000 | $700,000 | $1,400,000 |
| 8 | $600,000 | $585,000 | $1,065,000 |
| 9 | $550,000 | $550,000 | $900,000 |
| 10 | $500,000 | $515,000 | $735,000 |
| 11 | $380,000 | $695,000 | |
| 12 | $365,000 | $660,000 | |
| 13 | $350,000 | $625,000 | |
| 14 | $335,000 | $590,000 | |
| 15 | $325,000 | $560,000 | |
| 16 | $290,000 | $505,000 | |
| 17 | $285,000 | $490,000 | |
| 18 | $280,000 | $475,000 | |
| 19 | $275,000 | $460,000 | |
| 20 | $270,000 | $445,000 | |
| 21 | $240,000 | $430,000 | |
| 22 | $235,000 | $415,000 | |
| 23 | $230,000 | $400,000 | |
| 24 | $225,000 | $390,000 | |
| 25 | $220,000 | $380,000 | |
| 26 | $215,000 | $375,000 | |
| 27 | $210,000 | $370,000 | |
| 28 | $205,000 | $365,000 | |
| 29 | $200,000 | $360,000 | |
| 30 | $195,000 | $355,000 |
Playing rights: What the FedExCup means for next season
The position in the FedExCup ranking is decisive for eligibility for the following season:
- Top 50 FedExCup: these players receive full playing eligibility for the following season, including coveted participation in THE PLAYERS Championship and all eight signature events.
- Rank 51-70 FedExCup: These players also secure full playing rights, including participation in THE PLAYERS Championship.
- Top 100 in FedExCup Fall: Players who make it into the top 100 of the FedExCup Fall Rankings will receive enhanced eligibility for full-field events and a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship next season.
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Release date
07 Aug 2025
photos
The FedExCup is the trophy for the best player of a PGA Tour season. (Photo: Imago)
