Tour Championship preview: What to know for the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale
The final tournament of the 2019-20 PGA Tour season has arrived.
The Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club will put a bow on one of the most bizarre seasons ever, crowning the FedEx Cup champion in the process.
So far, the playoffs have delivered plenty of drama, starting with Dustin Johnson's dominant 11-stroke victory at The Northern Trust followed by last week's thriller that saw Jon Rahm defeat Johnson in extra holes at Olympia Fields.
With the stage set for the postseason finale, here is everything you need to know for the week at East Lake, which starts on Friday, by the way.
When: Sept. 4-7
Where: East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta
Broadcast schedule
| Date | Channel | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Fri. Sept. 4 | Golf Channel | 1-6 PM |
| Sat. Sept. 5 | Golf Channel | 1-6 PM |
| Sun. Sept. 6 | Golf Channel NBC |
1-3 PM 3-7 PM |
| Mon. Sept. 7 | Golf Channel NBC |
1-3 PM 3-7 PM |
The field
Only the top 30 on the FedEx Cup points list at the conclusion of last week's BMW Championship advanced to East Lake. Twelve of the top 15 players in the world are in attendance this week and 20 winners from the 2019-20 season. There is no cut due to the reduced field size, but the staggered scoring already gives some players an advantage ...
How it works
The PGA Tour implemented the staggered-scoring format for the 2019 Tour Championship to ensure the winner of the tournament at East Lake also hoisted the FedEx Cup. Based on the points distribution after the BMW Championship, players are assigned a starting score depending on their position in the standings.
Dustin Johnson starts the week at 10-under, two shots ahead of Jon Rahm but 10 shots ahead of the Nos. 26-30 finishers. Here is every player's starting score for the week:
The field is set.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 31, 2020
The leaderboard is set too.
The top 30 for Friday @PlayoffFinale: pic.twitter.com/hLJQCFvRUi
Last year, Rory McIlroy started at 5-under, five back of Justin Thomas, and erased his deficit to hoist the FedEx Cup.
FedEx Cup payouts
1st: $15,000,000
2nd: $5,000,000
3rd: $4,000,000
$th: $3,000,000
5th: $2,500,000
6th: $1,900,000
7th: $1,300,000
8th: $1,100,000
9th: $950,000
10th: $830,000
See full payouts here.
1st-round tee times (ET)
1:00 p.m. - Scottie Scheffler, Joaquin Niemann
1:10 p.m. - Sebastian Munoz, Lanto Griffin
1:20 p.m. - Patrick Reed, Xander Schauffele
1:30 p.m. - Rory McIlroy, Brendon Todd
1:40 p.m. - Sungjae Im, Hideki Matsuyama
1:50 p.m. - Harris English, Bryson DeChambeau
2:00 p.m. - Collin Morikawa, Daniel Berger
2:10 p.m. - Justin Thomas, Webb Simpson
2:20 p.m. - Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm
The full list of pairings and tee times can be found here.
The course
East Lake Golf Club is a historic venue that was established in 1904 and acted as the home course for the great Bobby Jones. Playing at 7,346 yards, this par-70 track presents golfers with a stern tee-to-green test including a number of long par 4s and no par 3 under 190 yards.
FedEx Cup winners
2019: Rory McIlroy
2018: Justin Rose
2017: Justin Thomas
2016: Rory McIlroy
2015: Jordan Spieth
2014: Billy Horschel
2013: Henrik Stenson
2012: Brandt Snedeker
2011: Bill Haas
2010: Jim Furyk
2009: Tiger Woods
2008: Vijay Singh
2007: Tiger Woods
Odds to win the 2020 FedEx Cup
Dustin Johnson +175
Jon Rahm +275
Justin Thomas +550
Webb Simpson +1100
Collin Morikawa +2000
Bryson DeChambeau +2200
Rory McIlroy +2500
Xander Schauffele +2500
Daniel Berger +2500
Hideki Matsuyama +3000
Harris English +5500
Tony Finau +5500
Patrick Reed +7000