The PGA TOUR has reached the final stop of the FedExCup Playoffs, and the biggest prize of the season is once again up for grabs. This year the event has been adjusted so there are no more starting strokes, meaning all 30 players have an even chance to claim the FedExCup championship. The TOUR Championship will take place at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia. It tees off on Thursday, August 21, and will continue through Sunday, August 24. Let’s take a quick look at the history and format of this event and the course that will host this week’s tournament!
The History of the TOUR Championship
The TOUR Championship has typically been held towards the end of the season and gives the top players on the PGA TOUR a chance to win a piece of an even bigger purse. It has always been an exclusive event, and originally invited the top 30 money winners from the season and took place in November.
In 2007, it became the final event in the FedExCup playoffs and moved to mid-September. From 2007 to 2018, the event gave out the most FedExCup points but didn’t necessarily award the winner of the tournament the FedExCup Championship. The FedExCup trophy went to the player with the most points at the end of the event, even if they didn’t win at East Lake. That confusing situation highlights the dual nature of this week’s event. It is trying to crown a season-long winner but also have drama for this week’s tournament as a standalone event.
In 2019, the Playoffs shrunk from four events to just three and the winner of the FedExCup Championship was whoever won the TOUR Championship. To still reward season-long play, starting strokes were used to “rank” the players before the event began.
This year, the starting strokes are gone for the first time. All 30 players will start at even par and chase their piece of the purse, including the $10 million prize for finishing first. Even the 30th-place player will take home $355,000 in prize money.
The top 30 in the FedExCup standings are all in action for this week’s tournament and will play a no-cut tournament. The winner will claim both the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup Championship.
To check out all 30 players teeing it up and the opening odds for the week, check out this post from my colleague Ciaran Doyle.
A Closer Look at the Course
East Lake Golf Club dates back to 1904 and is the historic home of legendary golfer Bobby Jones. It’s the oldest golf course in Atlanta, but it has also stayed modern thanks to a restoration under the guidance of Andrew Green.
Here’s an overview on the historical restoration:
In addition, Here’s the video the PGA TOUR produced about the restoration.
Even after the changes, the course remains a parkland layout that features narrow fairways, difficult Bermuda rough, uneven lies, and fast greens, which usually lead to fairly high scores relative to par. The design is founded on the concept of offering players a reward for taking risks on most of the holes.
The key to success throughout the years at this track has been avoiding the rough to set up easier approach shots from the fairway. Accuracy off the tee is important, but since it’s a par-70 with a distance of 7,440 yards, it also helps to have plenty of length off the tee.
If you’re looking for metrics to target this week, Total Driving is the top stat to use along with Strokes Gained: Approach. The top players in the game all have extended history at this course as well, although the starting strokes in the last few seasons does affect some of the finishes and strategy.
With so much money on the line and an even-par start for everyone in the field, this week’s TOUR Championship should provide plenty of drama for the top 30 golfers on the PGA TOUR this season.
Get your fill of golf for a few weeks, since the next PGA TOUR event won’t be until the ProCore Championship from September 11-14.
