FedEx Cup Playoffs format: How does the new ‘Fall Series’ system work?

As if the PGA Tour’s season finale wasn’t confusing enough, there’s a new system in place to finish up the 2023 season. So what is the revamped FedEx Cup Playoffs format?

Let’s break it down…

What are the FedEx Cup Playoffs?

The FedEx Cup Playoffs are three PGA Tour post-season events for which a limited number of players can qualify.

The three events are the FedEx St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind, the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields, and the Tour Championship at East Lake.

Up until last season, the top 125 in the season-long FedEx Cup standings qualified for the first event of the Playoffs, with the top 70 progressing to the second week, and the top 30 after that progressing to the season finale.

But that’s been changed from 2023.

So what’s new?

The PGA Tour have reverted to a calendar year season that runs from the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January to the Tour Championship in August, and a new series called the FedEx Cup Fall has been introduced – but we’ll get to that in a bit.

First, let’s focus on the changes to the FedEx Cup Playoffs format.

This year, only the top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings will qualify for the first event of the Playoffs. That field will then cut to 50 for the second week, then 30 for the third.

What hasn’t changed though, is the format. All three of the Playoffs are normal 72-hole stroke play tournaments, but do not feature any mid-tournament cuts.

Isn’t there a staggered start for the Tour Championship? 

Well remembered! And that will remain the case going forward, but let’s have a brief refresher.

Following the BMW Championship, the 30 remaining players are ranked and will begin the Tour Championship on a score based on said ranking.

Sounds confusing, but it really isn’t. So the player leading the FedEx Cup rankings ahead of the Tour Championship will tee up at East Lake on 10-under-par, the player in second will tee up at 8-under-par, and so on.

In fact, here’s the full rundown:

• 1st: -10
• 2nd: -8
• 3rd: -7
• 4th: -6
• 5th: -5
• 6th-10th: -4
• 11th-15th: -3
• 16th-20th: -2
• 21st-25th: -1
• 26th-30th: Even par

It’s mainly to give the leading players the best shot at winning the title, as well as eliminating the possibility of having two winners on that final Sunday of the season – one for the Tour Championship and one for the FedEx Cup.

And how much money do they win? 

A lot. The total prize pool for the FedEx Cup Playoffs is a whopping $75 million, with the FedEx Cup Champion taking home a cool $18 million cut.

• See the full breakdown of the FedEx Cup Playoffs prize money

Come on then – the FedEx Cup Fall series…

Right, this is where the real changes start to take place.

The FedEx Cup Fall consists of seven events – the Fortinet Championship, Sanderson Farms Championship, Shriners Children’s Open, Zozo Championship, World Wide Technology Championship, Bermuda Championship and the RSM Classic – which will take place between September and November.

The series is designed to offer opportunities for the PGA Tour’s rank and file to earn exemptions into the designated events and other major tournaments in 2024.

Who qualifies for the FedEx Cup Fall events?

Anyone finishing 51st and lower in the FedEx Cup standings can carry their points from the regular season into the FedEx Cup Fall series and continue to accumulate points in a bid to earn playing rights for the following year.

The benefits of winning a FedEx Cup Fall event are the same as winning a regular series event – including a two-year PGA Tour exemption, 500 FedEx Cup points, and entry into certain events such as the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The Players, and any major championship that offer exemption for PGA Tour champions. There will also be a total of $57 million up for grabs across the seven events.

And what does it all mean for the following season? 

After the FedEx Cup Fall series is complete, the top 125 will receive full playing rights for the following season, while those ranked 126-150 will receive a conditional PGA Tour status – so there is loads up for grabs in that autumn showdown.

Is that all? 

Of course not!

Don’t worry, we haven’t lost the traditional December hit-and-giggle events – but now they’ve been made more “official”, so to speak.

Starting from 2023, the new PGA Tour Challenge Series will consist of Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge, the mixed-gender Grant Thornton Invitational, and the parent-child PNC Championship.