Established 1987, 30 years ago Prize fund $8.5 million Course East Lake Golf Club Length 7,385 yards (6,753 m) Format Stroke play | Tour(s) PGA Tour Location Atlanta, Georgia Aggregate 257 Tiger Woods (2007) To par −23 Tiger Woods (2007) Month played September | |
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Highlights rory mcilroy wins it all at the tour championship
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
- Highlights rory mcilroy wins it all at the tour championship
- Format 19872006
- Format 2007present
- Winners exemption reward
- 2015 Tournament purse
- References
Since 2007, it has been the final event of the four-tournament FedEx Cup playoff, and eligibility is determined by FedEx Cup points amassed throughout the season instead. 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 structure beginning in 2013 makes 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, and still are, a number of additional events between the Tour Championship and Christmas which are recognized by the PGA Tour, but prize money won in them is unofficial. Also, because this tournament's field is not as large as other golf tournaments, there is no 36-hole cut; all players who start the event are credited with making the cut and receive some prize money.
Format: 2007–present
In 2007, the Tour Championship moved from its November date to a date in mid-September, where it ends a four-tournament "Chase for the FedEx Cup"; this was announced on the Wednesday of the week of the 2005 event. As in past years, 30 players qualify for the event; however, the basis for qualification is no longer prize money. Instead, FedEx Cup points amassed during the regular PGA Tour season and then during the three preceding playoff events determine the participants. Beginning in 2009, the assignment and awarding of points assures that if any of the top five FedEx Cup point leaders going into The Tour Championship win the event, they will also win the FedEx Cup. It still remains possible, however, for one player to win the Tour Championship and another player to win the FedEx Cup. In 2007, Tiger Woods won both the 2007 Tour Championship and the inaugural FedEx Cup. In 2008, The Tour Championship was won by Camilo Villegas, while Vijay Singh won the FedEx Cup. In 2009, Phil Mickelson won The Tour Championship, while Tiger Woods won the FedEx Cup.
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 end of the PGA Tour season; seasons will now begin in October of the previous calendar year. Since 2007, those who qualified for the Tour Championship earned a Masters Tournament invitation.
Hole 18 at East Lake Golf Club is a par 3, which has been criticized as lacking drama for fans. The PGA Tour announced in February 2016 that it would be reversing the nines at East Lake for the Tour Championship in the coming year so that play will finish on a more exciting par 5 hole.
Winner's exemption reward
Since 1998 (according to the 1999 PGA Tour Media Guide), the Tour Championship winner, if not already exempt by other means, receives a 3-year PGA Tour exemption (Category-5)
2015 Tournament purse
Breakdown of the $8,250,000 purse for the 2015 Tour Championship
Prizes shown below were awarded to the top 30 finishers in the Tour Championship itself. See also: FedEx Cup bonus pool payouts