Tour Championship

Last updated

Tour Championship
Tour Championship logo.png
Tournament information
Location Atlanta, Georgia
Established1987
Course(s) East Lake Golf Club
Par71
Length7,346 yards (6,717 m)
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Month playedAugust
Tournament record score
Aggregate257 Tiger Woods (2007)
To par−23 as above
Current champion
Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler
Location map
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Icona golf.svg
East Lake GC
Location in the United States
USA Georgia relief location map.svg
Icona golf.svg
East Lake GC
Location in Georgia

The Tour Championship (stylized as the TOUR Championship) is a golf tournament that is part of the PGA Tour. It has historically been one of the final events of the PGA Tour season; prior to 2007, its field consisted exclusively of the top 30 money leaders of the past PGA Tour season.

Contents

Starting in 2007, it was the final event of the four-tournament FedEx Cup Playoffs, with eligibility determined by FedEx Cup points accumulated throughout the season. From 2019 onward, the FedEx Cup was reduced to three events, and the Tour Championship is now held in late August rather than mid-September.

While originally followed by the PGA Tour Fall Series (for those competing for qualifying exemptions in the following season), a re-alignment of the PGA Tour's season schedule in 2013 made the Tour Championship the final event of the season.

From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event. Beginning in 1997, the event alternated between Champions Golf Club in Houston and East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta; since 2004, East Lake has been the event's permanent home.

Format: 1987–2006

From its debut in 1987 through 2006, the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour after the penultimate event qualified for the event. It took place in early November, the week after the comparable event in Europe, the Volvo Masters, which allowed players who are members of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour to play in both end of season events. After the Tour Championship, the money list for the season was finalized. There were a number of additional events between the Tour Championship and Christmas which were recognized by the PGA Tour, but prize money won in them was unofficial. Also, because this tournament's field was not as large as other golf tournaments, there was no 36-hole cut; all players who started the event were credited with making the cut and received some prize money.

Format: 2007–2018

Brandt Snedeker winning in 2012 Brandt Snedeker 2012 PGA Tour Championship Win.jpg
Brandt Snedeker winning in 2012
Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson on the 17th green in 2015 Hole 17 at East Lake Golf Club.JPG
Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson on the 17th green in 2015
Rory McIlroy during practice rounds in 2015 Rory McIlroy TOUR Championship.jpg
Rory McIlroy during practice rounds in 2015

In 2007, the Tour Championship moved from November to mid-September, where it ended the four-tournament FedEx Cup Playoffs. As in past years, 30 players qualified for the event, but the basis for qualification was no longer prize money. Instead, FedEx Cup points accumulated during the regular PGA Tour season and then during the three preceding playoff events determined the participants. Beginning in 2009, the assignment and awarding of points assured that if any of the top five FedEx Cup point leaders entering The Tour Championship won the event, that player would also win the FedEx Cup. Therefore, it still remained possible for one player to win the Tour Championship and another player to win the FedEx Cup. For example, Tiger Woods won the 2018 Tour Championship but finished second in the FedEx Cup, while Justin Rose won the FedEx Cup despite finishing the tournament tied for fourth, because Woods entered the Tour Championship 20th in overall points while Rose was 2nd. [1] [2]

2007 was also the inaugural year for the Tour's Fall Series, which determined the rest of the top 125 players eligible for the following year's FedEx Cup, which made the event no longer the final tournament of the season. However, starting in 2013, the Tour Championship was the final tournament of the PGA Tour season; seasons begin in October of the previous calendar year. [3] Since 2007, those who qualified for the Tour Championship earned a Masters Tournament invitation. For 2020, players who qualify for the Tour Championship will be invited to the Sentry Tournament of Champions, a byproduct of tournament cancellations from the coronavirus pandemic.

Prior to 2016, hole 18 at East Lake Golf Club was a par 3, which had been criticized as lacking drama for fans. Starting in 2016, the PGA Tour reversed the nines at East Lake for the Tour Championship so that play now finishes on a more exciting par 5 hole. [4]

Format: 2019–present

Beginning in 2019, the tournament adopted a new format in order to ensure that the winner would also be the FedEx Cup champion. Using a method similar to the Gundersen method in Nordic combined, the player with the most FedEx Cup points leading into the tournament starts at 10 under par. The player with the second most points starts at −8, the third at −7, the fourth at -6, and the fifth at −5. Players ranked 6 through 10 begin at −4; 11 through 15 at −3; and so on, down to numbers 26 to 30 who will start at even par. [5] [6]

For purposes of the Official World Golf Ranking only aggregate scores are taken into account, disregarding any starting scores in relation to par. [7]

Calamity Jane trophy

The Calamity Jane is a sterling silver replica of Bobby Jones's original "Calamity Jane" putter, that has been presented to the winner of the Tour Championship since 2005. In 2017, it was made the official trophy for the tournament. [8] [9] Each winner before 2005 has been awarded one retroactively. [10]

Winner's exemption reward

From 1998 to 2018, the Tour Championship winner, if not already exempt by other means, received a 3-year PGA Tour exemption. Since 2019, the Tour Championship winner has been directly awarded the FedEx Cup and a 5-year PGA Tour exemption. [11]

Tournament hosts

YearsVenueLocation
1998, 2000,
2002, 2004–present
East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, Georgia
1990, 1997,
1999, 2001, 2003
Champions Golf Club,
Cypress Creek Course
Houston, Texas
1995–96 Southern Hills Country Club Tulsa, Oklahoma
1993–94 The Olympic Club, Lake Course San Francisco, California
1991–92 Pinehurst Resort, No. 2 Course Pinehurst, North Carolina
1989 Harbour Town Golf Links Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
1988 Pebble Beach Golf Links Pebble Beach, California
1987 Oak Hills Country Club San Antonio, Texas

Winners

YearWinnerTo par [lower-alpha 1] Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-upLowest gross [lower-alpha 2]
Tour Championship
2024 Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler −30 (−10)4 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Collin Morikawa Flag of the United States.svg Collin Morikawa 262
2023 Flag of Norway.svg Viktor Hovland −27 (−8)5 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele Flag of Norway.svg Viktor Hovland
Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele
261
2022 Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy (3)−21 (−4)1 stroke Flag of South Korea.svg Im Sung-jae
Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler
Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy 263
2021 Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Cantlay −21 (−10)1 stroke Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Na
Flag of Spain.svg Jon Rahm
266
2020 Flag of the United States.svg Dustin Johnson −21 (−10)3 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele
Flag of the United States.svg Justin Thomas
Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele 265
2019 Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy (2)−18 (−5)4 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy 267
YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upPurse
($) [lower-alpha 3]
Winner's
share ($)
Tour Championship
2018 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (3)269−112 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Billy Horschel 9,000,0001,620,000
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Xander Schauffele 268−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Justin Thomas 8,750,0001,575,000
2016 Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy 268−12Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Kevin Chappell
Flag of the United States.svg Ryan Moore
8,500,0001,530,000
2015 Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Spieth 271−94 strokes Flag of New Zealand.svg Danny Lee
Flag of England.svg Justin Rose
Flag of Sweden.svg Henrik Stenson
8,250,0001,485,000
2014 Flag of the United States.svg Billy Horschel 269−113 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk
Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy
8,000,0001,440,000
2013 Flag of Sweden.svg Henrik Stenson 267−133 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jordan Spieth
Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker
8,000,0001,440,000
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Brandt Snedeker 270−103 strokes Flag of England.svg Justin Rose 8,000,0001,440,000
2011 Flag of the United States.svg Bill Haas 272−8Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Hunter Mahan 8,000,0001,440,000
The Tour Championship
2010 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk 272−81 stroke Flag of England.svg Luke Donald 7,500,0001,350,000
2009 Flag of the United States.svg Phil Mickelson (2)271−93 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 7,500,0001,350,000
2008 Flag of Colombia.svg Camilo Villegas 273−7Playoff Flag of Spain.svg Sergio García 7,000,0001,260,000
2007 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods (2)257−238 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Mark Calcavecchia
Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson
7,000,0001,260,000
2006 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Adam Scott 269−113 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk 6,500,0001,170,000
2005 Flag of the United States.svg Bart Bryant 263−176 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 6,500,0001,170,000
2004 Flag of South Africa.svg Retief Goosen 269−114 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 6,000,0001,080,000
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Chad Campbell 268−163 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Charles Howell III 6,000,0001,080,000
2002 Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 268−122 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Charles Howell III 5,000,000900,000
2001 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Weir 270−141 stroke Flag of Spain.svg Sergio García
Flag of South Africa.svg Ernie Els
Flag of the United States.svg David Toms
5,000,000900,000
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Phil Mickelson 267−132 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 5,000,000900,000
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods 269−154 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Davis Love III 5,000,000900,000
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Hal Sutton 274−6Playoff Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 4,000,000720,000
1997 Flag of the United States.svg David Duval 273−111 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk 4,000,000720,000
1996 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Lehman 268−126 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Brad Faxon 3,000,000540,000
1995 Flag of the United States.svg Billy Mayfair 280E3 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Steve Elkington
Flag of the United States.svg Corey Pavin
3,000,000540,000
1994 Flag of the United States.svg Mark McCumber 274−10Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Fuzzy Zoeller 3,000,000540,000
1993 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Gallagher Jr. 277−71 stroke Flag of South Africa (1982-1994).svg David Frost
Flag of the United States.svg John Huston
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Norman
Flag of the United States.svg Scott Simpson
3,000,000540,000
1992 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Azinger 276−83 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Lee Janzen
Flag of the United States.svg Corey Pavin
2,000,000360,000
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Craig Stadler 279−5Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Russ Cochran 2,000,000360,000
Nabisco Championship
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Jodie Mudd 273−11Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Billy Mayfair 2,500,000450,000
1989 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite 276−8Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Payne Stewart 2,500,000450,000
1988 Flag of the United States.svg Curtis Strange 279−9Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite 2,000,000360,000
1987 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson 268−122 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Chip Beck 2,000,000360,000

Notes

  1. Since 2019, players have been allocated a starting score (relative to par) based on their position in the FedEx Cup standings. This is shown in parentheses.
  2. With the change of format in 2019, OWGR points have been awarded based on the lowest total strokes for the tournament rather than the winning score relative to par.
  3. From 1987–2018 the Tour Championship had its own purse. From 2019 the tournament no longer has its own prize fund, with prize money being distributed from the FedEx Cup bonus pool.

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References

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  3. "PGA Tour announces changes". ESPN. March 21, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  4. "East Lake Golf Club Front, Back Nines to be Reversed for Tour Championship by Coca-Cola". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 30, 2019.
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33°44′35″N84°18′11″W / 33.743°N 84.303°W / 33.743; -84.303