Different strokes: PGA Tour eliminates 'starting strokes' from the Tour Championship format
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"Starting strokes" are gone from the PGA Tour's richest event.
The Tour announced in a late-evening release on May 27 that the Tour Championship will eliminate the controversial system for its season-ending event to decide the FedEx Cup Championship at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, with all 30 players in the field beginning at even par.
The winner of the FedEx Cup earns $25 million from a total purse of $100.
The Tour said the move was in response to its "Fan Forward" initiative in which fans were asked to weigh in on issues such as pace of play and the format for the season-long FedEx Cup.
The Tour Championship is Aug. 21-24, capping the 19th year of the FedEx Cup.
“Our Fan Forward initiative has helped us evaluate each part of the PGA Tour season and today’s announcement is an important first step in the evolution of our postseason,” said Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in a statement. “The Player Advisory Council led a thorough process to respond to what our fans are asking for: The most competitive golf in the world, played for the highest stakes, in the most straightforward and engaging format.”
The "Starting Strokes" system, which began in 2019, gave the points leader through the first two playoff events a score of 10-under par.
The No. 2 player began at eight under, going to seven under, six under and five under for the rest of the top-five.
The next five players begin at four under, with the under-par score reduced by one shot every five players until Nos. 26-30 at even par.
The method was to reward players at the top of the points list, which was compiled for the entire season.
In every Tour Championship since then, the player who began at the top of the points list and was assigned a 10-under starting strokes score went on to win the FedEx Cup.
Tour Championship field size being studied
The news release also said the Tour will adjust the course setup for more risk-reward holes in each round. The field size of 30 players is under study by the PAC.
“We want the Tour Championship to be the hardest tournament to qualify for and the FedExCup trophy the most difficult to win,” said defending FedExCup champion and PAC member Scottie Scheffler, in a statement. “Shifting the Tour Championship to a more straight-up format with a tougher course setup makes it easier for fans to follow and provides a more challenging test for players – which brings out the best competition.”
In the past, FedEx Cup points were reset to give players at the top an advantage.
Tour's TV partner approves
“We applaud the PGA Tour and their Player Advisory Council for listening to fans and are excited to collaborate on one of the premier events in golf,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella in a statement.
CBS will air the Tour Championship in 2026.
Although the Tour did not have specifics, it said in the release that with the elimination of starting strokes, the FedEx Cup bonus distributions for the top 30 players "will be balanced for 2025 to account for the increased volatility, reward season-long performance and recognize the significance of the FedExCup."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: PGA Tour eliminates 'starting strokes' from the Tour Championship format
