PGA Tour ditching ‘starting strokes’ advantage in favor of regular 72-hole stroke play at Tour Championship
The season-ending Tour Championship is returning to a standard 72-hole stroke-play format after a vote of the PGA Tour Policy Board on Tuesday at Muirfield Village Golf Club.
Starting strokes, a concept introduced in 2019, will be eliminated and all 30 players who qualify for the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta Aug. 21-24 will have an equal chance to win the FedEx Cup finale by beginning at even par. The bonus money distribution is expected to change with the elimination of starting strokes to reward season-long performance, which could mean some bonus money paid out at the end of the regular season.
“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,” PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan said in a press release. “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.”
Along with removing the starting strokes system—where the FedEx Cup points leader began the Tour Championship at 10-under par, two shots ahead of the nearest competitor—the policy board has approved two more changes.
The first involves altering the course setup at East Lake to encourage more risk/reward scenarios, aiming to heighten the drama and excitement of the final event.
The second change relates to how players qualify for the Tour Championship. While the 2025 field will still include 30 players, the PAC is exploring ways to make earning a spot more difficult in the future. It’s unclear whether this could involve reducing the number of participants.
“Our goal is to make the Tour Championship the toughest event to qualify for and the FedExCup the hardest title to win,” said current FedEx Cup champion Scottie Scheffler, who sits on the PAC. “Moving to a more straightforward format with a tougher setup not only makes it easier for fans to understand, but also pushes players to perform at their best—leading to higher-level competition.”
