Tour Championship 2023: Rules, format, and more
The Tour Championship is no ordinary golf event; it's a grand culmination of talent, strategy, and intensity. Only a select group of 30 players make it to the Tour Championship. These elite players battle through the preceding playoff events to secure their spots, showcasing their skills and determination on the course.
The Tour Championship serves as the grand finale of the FedExCup Playoffs. A jaw-dropping $75 million prize pool is at stake, with an eye-popping $18 million awarded to the ultimate victor, making it one of the most lucrative events in golf.
What sets this tournament apart is its innovative starting strokes system. The starting strokes are based on the players' FedExCup points, effectively creating a handicap-like advantage. The higher a player's points, the more strokes they begin with, enhancing the competition's intrigue.
The leader in FedExCup points starts at 10-under par, and the subsequent players receive decreasing starting strokes, with the 30th seed starting at even par.
Tour Championship 2023 format and schedule to watch the action unfold
- Round 1: Thursday, Aug. 24
- Round 2: Friday, Aug. 25
- Round 3: Saturday, Aug. 26 (Broadcast on Golf Channel/Peacock 1-3 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+ 3-7 p.m. ET)
- Round 4: Sunday, Aug. 27 (Broadcast on Golf Channel/Peacock 12-1:30 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+ 1:30-6 p.m. ET)
The leaderboard's hierarchy translates into starting strokes, offering an edge to the top-ranked golfers.
The structure for 2023 is as follows:
- Scottie Scheffler: 10-under
- Viktor Hovland: 8-under
- Rory McIlroy: 7-under
- Jon Rahm: 6-under
- Lucas Glover: 5-under
- Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, Brian Harman, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick: 4-under
- Tommy Fleetwood, Russell Henley, Keegan Bradley, Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele: 3-under
- Tom Kim, Sungjae Im, Tony Finau, Corey Conners, Si Woo Kim: 2-under
- Taylor Moore, Nick Taylor, Adam Schenk, Collin Morikawa, Jason Day: 1-under
- Sam Burns, Emiliano Grillo, Tyrrell Hatton, Jordan Spieth, Sepp Straka: Even par
The Tour Championship is a single PGA Tour stroke-play event that adopts a handicap system. The 30-player field competes over 72 holes, each player beginning with their respective starting strokes.
The player with the lowest cumulative score, combining their starting strokes and on-course performance over four rounds, emerges as the victor of both the tournament and the prestigious FedEx Cup. There's no cut during the event, ensuring every golfer has an opportunity to showcase their abilities.
In case of a tie in points after the regulation 72 holes, the Championship introduces a sudden-death stroke-play playoff. This nail-biting playoff involves players competing hole by hole, with the player scoring the fewest strokes on a playoff hole advancing or clinching the tournament victory.
The Tour Championship winner secures not only the coveted FedEx Cup but also a remarkable $18 million first-place prize. Additionally, they earn a five-year PGA Tour exemption and entry into major championships for the upcoming years, solidifying their position among the golfing elite.
The Tour Championship's innovative rules and format add a layer of excitement and strategy to the grand finale, promising fans an unparalleled display of golf's finest talents and creating a fitting climax to the PGA Tour season.