2020 TOUR Championship Preview

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2020 TOUR Championship Preview

Dates: August 31-September 7, 2020
Where: Atlanta, Georgia
Course: East Lake Golf Club (35-35—70/7,346 yards)
Field size: 30
2019 FedExCup and TOUR Championship winner: Rory McIlroy
FedExCup bonus pool: $60 million ($15 million/winner)
Format: 72-hole stroke play with FedExCup Starting Strokes

Things to know

  • For the second consecutive season, the TOUR Championship is weighted by FedExCup Starting Strokes, with the format crowning a single champion; at the conclusion of the TOUR Championship, the player with the lowest score in relation to par over 72 holes combined with his FedExCup Starting Strokes will win the TOUR Championship and be crowned FedExCup champion
  • For the first time in the FedExCup era, the top three in the FedExCup standings entering the TOUR Championship are also the top three in the Official World Golf Ranking
  • Playing in his TOUR-best 12th consecutive TOUR Championship, Dustin Johnson enters at No. 1 in the FedExCup standings and seeks first FedExCup title
  • Two-time FedExCup champion Rory McIlroy enters the week at No. 12 and seeks to become the first player to win the FedExCup in consecutive seasons
  • Two players played their way into the TOUR Championship following the BMW Championship: Joaquin Niemann, Mackenzie Hughes
  • 12 international players qualified for the TOUR Championship from 11 different countries outside the United States

Notes on the field

  • 17 of the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including eight of the top 10
  • Three FedExCup champions: Billy Horschel (2014), Justin Thomas (2017), Rory McIlroy (2016, 2019)
  • Three past champions of the TOUR Championship: Horschel (2014), Xander Schauffele (2017), McIlroy (2016, 2019)
  • Two PGA TOUR rookies: Scottie Scheffler (FedExCup No. 17), Viktor Hovland (No. 27)
  • Nine first-timers (FedExCup ranking): Cameron Champ (29), Lanto Griffin (16), Tyrrell Hatton (19), Viktor Hovland (27), Mackenzie Hughes (28), Sebastian Munoz (15), Collin Morikawa (5), Joaquin Niemann (18), Scottie Scheffler (17)

TOUR Championship and the FedExCup

  • The TOUR Championship is the last of three events of the FedExCup Playoffs and the finale to the PGA TOUR Season
  • The top 30 players in the FedExCup standings following the BMW Championship qualified for the TOUR Championship
  • Two players played their way into the TOUR Championship: Mackenzie Hughes and Joaquin Niemann
  • Year-by-year look at FedExCup champions and their performance throughout the Playoffs in the year they won:
YearChampionTHE NORTHERN TRUSTDell Tech. Champ.BMW Champ.TOUR Champ.
2019Rory McIlroy (2)T6N/AT19Won
2018Justin RoseMC2nd2ndT4
2017Justin Thomas6thWonT472nd
2016Rory McIlroyT31WonT42Won
2015Jordan SpiethMCMCT13Won
2014Billy HorschelMCT2WonWon
2013Henrik StensonT43WonT33Won
2012Brandt Snedeker2nd6thT37Won
2011Bill HaasT246thT37Won
2010Jim FurykDNPT37T15Won
2009Tiger Woods (2)T2T11Won2nd
2008Vijay SInghWonWon T44T22
2007Tiger WoodsDNPT2WonWon

FedExCup Starting Strokes

FedExCupPlayerStarting Strokes
1Dustin Johnson-10
2Jon Rahm-8
3Justin Thomas-7
4Webb Simpson-6
5Collin Morikawa-5
6Daniel Berger-4
7Harris English-4
8Bryson DeChambeau-4
9Sungjae Im-4
10Hideki Matsuyama-4
11Brendon Todd-3
12Rory McIlroy-3
13Patrick Reed-3
14Xander Schauffele-3
15Sebastian Munoz-3
16Lanto Griffin-2
17Scottie Scheffler-2
18Joaquin Niemann-2
19Tyrrell Hatton-2
20Tony Finau-2
21Kevin Kisner-1
22Abraham Ancer-1
23Ryan Palmer-1
24Kevin Na-1
25Marc Leishman-1
26Cameron SmithEven
27Viktor HovlandEven
28Mackenzie HughesEven
29Cameron ChampEven
30Billy HorschelEven

Players who moved inside the top 30 at the BMW Championship

  • In the 14-year history of the FedExCup, 39 players have entered the BMW Championship outside the top 30 in the FedExCup standings and qualified for the TOUR Championship, with two performing the feat this season:
PlayerEntering BMWBMWThru BMW
Joaquin Niemann31T318
Mackenzie Hughes36T1028

Rookies in the FedExCup Playoffs

  • Eight rookies qualified for the 2020 FedExCup Playoffs, four shy of the 2017 record (12); of that group, four advanced to the BMW Championship
  • Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland qualified for the TOUR Championship, tying the record for most rookies in the TOUR Championship during the FedExCup era
PlayerEntering PlayoffsFinal FedExCup position
Scottie Scheffler2417 (current)
Viktor Hovland2827 (current)
Harry Higgs7255
Maverick McNealy5868
Scott Harrington9498
Matthew NeSmith93100
Tom Lewis123124
Bo Hoag124125

Rookies to qualify for the TOUR Championship since the inception of the FedExCup in 2007:

YearPlayerFinal FEC position
2020Scottie Scheffler17 (current)
2020Viktor Hovland27 (current)
2019Sungjae Im19
2018Aaron Wise24
2017Xander Schauffele3
2017Patrick Cantlay29
2016Emiliano Grillo11
2016Si Woo Kim17
2015Daniel Berger11
2013Jordan Spieth7
2012John Huh29
2011Keegan Bradley20
2009Marc Leishman20
2008Andres Romero28
2007Brandt Snedeker20

First-timers at the TOUR Championship

  • There are nine players in the field who are making their TOUR Championship debut:
PlayerFedExCup position
Cameron Champ29
Lanto Griffin16
Tyrrell Hatton19
Viktor Hovland27
Mackenzie Hughes28
Sebastian Munoz15
Collin Morikawa5
Joaquin Niemann18
Scottie Scheffler17

A look back at the 2019 TOUR Championship

Pos.PlayerBeganR1R2R3R4Total
1Rory McIlroy-5-4-3-2-4-18
2Xander Schauffele-4-6-1-3E-14
T3Brooks Koepka-7-3-3-2+2-13
T3Justin Thomas-10E-2+1-2-13
5Paul Casey-2-4-3-2+2-9
  • Rory McIlroy secured his 17th career PGA TOUR victory, second TOUR Championship crown and second FedExCup title
  • McIlroy joined Tiger Woods (2007, 2009) as the only players to win the FedExCup more than once
  • McIlroy became the first player to win THE PLAYERS Championship and FedExCup in the same season

Player notes – Top five in FedExCup standings

Dustin Johnson (No. 1 FedExCup, No. 1 OWGR)

  • Qualified for the TOUR Championship for the 12th consecutive season, the longest active streak on TOUR
  • Since the Return to Golf, has recorded two victories (Travelers Championship, THE NORTHERN TRUST) and two runner-up finishes (PGA Championship, BMW Championship)
  • Owns five FedExCup Playoffs titles, tying him for most on TOUR with Rory McIlroy
  • In the FedExCup Playoffs, owns the most top-fives (12) and the most top-10s (20)

Jon Rahm (No. 2 FedExCup, No. 2 OWGR)

  • Made a 66-foot, 5-inch putt for birdie on the first playoff hole at last week’s BMW Championship to defeat Dustin Johnson
    • The victory was his fifth PGA TOUR title, which moved him from No. 9 to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings
    • One of four players with at least one win in each of the last four PGA TOUR seasons (Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas)
    • One of six multiple winners in the 2019-20 season (others: Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Brendon Todd, Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson)

Justin Thomas (No. 3 FedExCup, No. 3 OWGR)

  • Only player with three victories this season (THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, Sentry Tournament of Champions, WGC- FedEx St. Jude Invitational)
    • Nine top-10 finishes this season, tied with Bryson DeChambeau for most on PGA TOUR
    • Has not finished worse than T7 in four previous appearances at East Lake Golf Club (T6/2016, 2nd/2017, T7/2018, T3/2019)

Webb Simpson (No. 4 FedExCup, No. 6 OWGR)

  • Withdrew from the BMW Championship last week in “order to be well rested for the TOUR Championship”
    • Leads PGA TOUR in Scoring Average (68.86), Par 4 Scoring Average (3.88), Birdie Average (4.73) and Putting Average (1.690)
    • Qualified for his fourth consecutive TOUR Championship and eighth overall
    • Owns three top-10s at East Lake Golf Club (T4/2018, 4th/2013, T5/2012)

Collin Morikawa (No. 5 FedExCup, No. 5 OWGR)

  • Making TOUR Championship debut; finished No. 59 in the FedExCup standings in 2018-19, his rookie season
    • Owns six top-10s in 20 starts this season, highlighted by two wins (Workday Charity Open, PGA Championship)
    • At 23 years, 6 months, 3 days, became the third-youngest PGA Championship winner since World War II, behind only Rory McIlroy and Jack Nicklaus

Players receive the following exemptions based on their final position in the FedExCup:

FedExCupEligibility for the 2020-21 Season
Top 125 from 2019-20The American Express
Top 125 starting in 2019-20 thru event two weeks priorEntry to the event above The Genesis Invitational, THE PLAYERS Championship, RBC Heritage
Top 80Entry to all events above Charles Schwab Challenge
Top 70Entry to all events above Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide
Top 60Entry to all events above THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK, ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD
Top 30Entry to all events above 2020 U.S. Open (top 5 players from final FedExCup standings not otherwise exempt), WGC-HSBC Champions, Sentry Tournament of Champions, WGC-Mexico Championship, 2021 Masters Tournament, 2021 U.S. Open
FedExCup championEntry to all events above Five-season exemption (2024-25) PGA Championship

Tournament Records

  • Low 18-hole score: 60 (Zach Johnson/R3/2007)
    • Low first 36-hole total: 127 (Tiger Woods/2007)
    • Low first 54-hole total: 191 (Tiger Woods/2007)
    • Low 72-hole total: 257 (Tiger Woods/2007)
    • Largest margin of victory: 8 (Tiger Woods/2007)
    • Best come-from-behind victory: 8 strokes (Camilo Villegas/2008)

The 2020 Tour Championship Preview is via PGA TOUR

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