FedEx Finale Looking at Another Change

It’s a system that fans have found difficult to grasp and was destined for change almost as soon as it was announced.

The biggest issue when the playoffs were first announced was if they were actually a playoff.

Playoffs are not a cumulative system based on a year’s performance. Instead, they are a process that gives everyone an equal chance to win once they make the playoffs.

There is not one major sport that provides a handicapped benefit to a competitor in the playoffs.

Another issue the Tour had with the playoff system was that it shoehorned the playoffs into its existing schedule, using existing tournaments. This ultimately eliminated the Western Open, one of the longest-running championships.

It also meant that the finale at East Lake was for two trophies, the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup.

Oddly, this is precisely how the Race to Dubai handles its finale, with two competitions co-occurring and two trophies on the line.

However, in 2019, after many modifications, the Tour adopted its handicapped system. Under this system, the FedEx Cup and the Tour Championship are tied together with the handicapped leader.

While it allowed for one winner, its failings are apparent. In 2019 and 2022, Rory McIlroy had the lowest score that week regardless of handicap; the other four Tour Championships had other players with the lowest score but not winning the event.

Much is still in the drawing board phase of any change to the playoff finale, and any such changes will need a review by the Player Advisory Council (PAC) and the PGA Tour Policy Board.

But even with the swift approval of a new format, implementing the changes for the 2025 season seems a fool’s errand.

Since this would be one of many system changes to the finale, it seems more sensible for the Tour to take its time and finally get it right.

Either way, change is coming, and any modifications to the FedEx Cup finale will be just one of many announced in 2025. The field size and the exempt number after this year have also changed from 125 to 100.

With billions flowing into the PGA Tour through outside investments, the focus will be on how to pay an equitable return on those investments.

Changes already made and potential changes like rejiggering the playoff structure are part of the process, but what else is in the pipeline?