As the PGA Tour gears up for its season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake, a storm of criticism surrounding its format has emerged, with players voicing their discontent over what many consider a flawed system. Lucas Glover, a six-time PGA Tour winner, has taken a strong stance against the current structure, labeling it as "contrived" and arguing that it fails to capture the essence of golf. This criticism comes in the wake of a significant format change made in 2019, which has left many players questioning the integrity of the season-long competition.
The Tour Championship, which serves as the climax of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, has been a point of contention since the introduction of a staggered start system. Under this format, the leader of the FedEx Cup standings begins the tournament with a two-shot advantage over the next closest competitor. While this may seem advantageous, it has sparked debate about whether it truly reflects a player's performance throughout the season. Glover, appearing on his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show, expressed his concerns, stating, "It’s so contrived now. Sorry to keep using that term, but it is. It’s made-up drama, and we tried to model this after racing and it just doesn’t work. It’s golf, you know? You can’t have playoffs in golf because nobody gets knocked out."
Scottie Scheffler, the reigning FedEx Cup champion, has also voiced his disdain for the current setup. Ahead of last year's event, he highlighted a potential flaw in the system by saying, "Hypothetically, we get to East Lake and my neck flares up and it doesn’t heal the way it did at The Players, I finish 30th in the FedEx Cup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament? Is that really the season-long race? No." Despite his criticism, Scheffler managed to secure the $25 million bonus for winning last season, but his remarks underscore a growing consensus among players that the current format may not accurately reflect their season-long efforts.
Since the introduction of the FedEx Cup in 2007, the Tour Championship has undergone significant changes. Previously, simply qualifying for the event was a testament to a player's skill and consistency throughout the year. However, the 2019 format has altered this dynamic, as players can now enter the final tournament with a significant points advantage yet still face uncertainty regarding their overall success. For instance, in 2024, Scheffler began the Tour Championship at 10-under, just two strokes ahead of Xander Schauffele, despite having accumulated a substantial points lead during the season. This has led to players ranked as low as 30th in the standings having a viable chance to win the FedEx Cup, a situation that many find perplexing.
Glover's critique of the format is not just about the mechanics of scoring but also about the integrity of the competition itself. He argues that if a player has a significant lead in FedEx Cup points, that player should be rewarded accordingly. "Let’s just play golf. If you’ve got a big lead you’ve got a big lead, you deserve to win, you know?" he stated passionately during his broadcast. This sentiment echoes the feelings of many players who believe that the current format undermines the traditional values of the sport.
As discussions about potential changes to the Tour Championship format continue, speculation has arisen regarding possible alternatives. In January 2025, The Athletic reported that the PGA Tour is considering various options, including a match play or bracket-style format, which could fundamentally alter the way the championship is contested. PGA Tour player director Adam Scott recently provided an update on these discussions, saying, "I feel more confident after we had a PAC meeting last week. There’s a direction, but of course, the Tour needs to speak to everybody involved – TV, sponsors, venue – and make sure they have a level of comfort like the players."
The ongoing debate over the Tour Championship format highlights a broader conversation within the golfing community about how to best reward players for their performance over an entire season. With the 2025 edition of the event approaching, players like Glover and Scheffler are hopeful that their voices will be heard, leading to a system that better reflects the true nature of competition in golf.
As the PGA Tour continues to navigate these challenges, fans and players alike are eager to see how the organization will respond to the feedback from its athletes. The outcome could set a significant precedent for the future of the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup as a whole, potentially restoring faith in a format that many believe has strayed from its original intent.
