PGA Tour Reverts Tour Championship to Traditional Stroke Play

The PGA Tour is reverting the Tour Championship format back to a traditional 72-hole stroke-play event without the previous staggered starting strokes system, which gave the FedEx Cup points leader an initial advantage. This change, starting with the upcoming season finale at East Lake, has been met with near-unanimous approval from players, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who criticized the previous format as confusing and 'silly' despite benefiting from it last year. The Tour aims to reward consistent season-long performance while simplifying the event to make it more understandable and engaging for fans. Additionally, adjustments are planned for how FedEx Cup bonus money is distributed, potentially rewarding players more for their regular-season performance rather than solely their finish at the Tour Championship. The overall goal is to maintain the prestige of the Tour Championship while ensuring it resonates better with the public and fairly compensates players. These changes reflect the Tour's ongoing efforts to balance competitive integrity with fan engagement and player satisfaction.