What is the FedEx Cup? (all you must know)
All golfers out there have probably heard of the annual FedEx Cup and FedEx Cup playoffs. But how much do you know about this event?
In this article, you’ll find out when the FedEx Cup starts, how players win the cup, who has won in the past, and more, so keep reading to learn more about this topic!
What is the 2022 FedEx Cup?
The FedExCup is a season-long points competition culminating in the FedExCup Playoffs, a series of three events to determine the FedExCup champion. This trophy is awarded to the winner of the PGA Tour Championship. First announced in November 2005, the trophy was first awarded in 2007 and will continue to be offered in 2022.
There’s still a lot to learn about the FedEx Cup, so you better keep reading this article for more helpful facts!
What is the point of the FedEx Cup?
The FedEx Cup is a trophy awarded to the player with the most points in the regular PGA season and playoffs.
How is the FedEx Cup determined?
As mentioned, the FedEx Cup is both a season points race and a playoff trophy.
That said, players will have to not only perform well in a grueling regular season but also stay calm under the pressure of the playoffs to become FedEx Cup champions.
Final standings in the FedEx Cup are determined by points earned during the regular season.
According to PGA rules, the top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings at the end of the regular season are eligible for the FedEx Cup playoffs.
The playoffs consist of three events: the Northern Trust, the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship.
All 125 players are eligible for The Northern Trust event.
Whoever finishes in the top 70 of the event will advance to the BMW Championship. Then, whoever finishes in the top 30 of that event will qualify for the Tour Championship.
Whoever wins the Tour Championship will also win the FedEx Cup.
It’s also worth mentioning that rank affects how much a player scores at the start of each playoff game.
For example, the No. 1 player in the FedEx Cup standings after the BMW Championship starts the Tour Championship at 10 under.
The numbers 2 to 5 start at 8 under, 7 under, 6 under and 5 under, respectively.
In other words, players start with the strengths (or weaknesses) of their regular-season performance.
So, the better a player does in the regular season, the easier it is for them to do well in the playoffs.
How Much Do FedEx Cup Champions Make?
The PGA’s 2021-2022 FedEx Cup prize pool is $75 million.
Whoever wins the FedEx Cup will receive a $17 million cash advance and $1 million deferred into their retirement account, a pension administered by the PGA Tour.
In addition to the top prize, the final top 150 players will receive a portion of the remaining $60 million prize pool.
These rankings are based on the final rankings at the end of the Tour Championship.
Here’s what the top 10 players earn:
- $18 million
- $6.5 million
- $5 million
- $4 million
- $3 million
- $2.5 million
- $2 million
- $1.5 million
- $1.25 million
- $ 1,000,000
When are the FedEx Cup playoffs?
The FedExCup is a season-long points competition that concludes with the FedExCup playoffs in August.
Where is the FedEx Cup held?
The PGA’s final playoff event, the Tour Championship, is held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia.
Whoever wins at East Lake will also win the FedEx Cup.
When does the FedEx Cup start?
FedEx announced the Cup in November 2005 and first awarded the trophy in 2007. Its introduction marked the first time that men’s professional golf had a playoff system.
Who won the FedEx Cup?
Since the first FedEx Cup in 2007, there have been 13 different winners. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy both won twice.
Here is the full list of other winners:
| year | winner |
| 2021 | Patrick Cantley |
| 2020 | Dustin Johnson |
| 2019 | Rory McIlroy |
| 2018 | Justin Ross |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas |
| 2016 | Rory McIlroy |
| 2015 | Jordan Spieth |
| 2014 | Billy Horscher |
| 2013 | Henrik Stenson |
| 2012 | Brant Snedek |
| 2011 | Bill Haas |
| 2010 | Jim Furyk |
| 2009 | tiger woods |
| Year 2008 | Vijay Singh |
| 2007 | tiger woods |
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are tied for the most FedEx Cup wins, as both have won twice.
Can you win the Tour Championship instead of the FedEx Cup?
Before 2019, it was possible for a golfer to win the PGA Tour title, but not the FedEx Cup.
At the time, the PGA decided to change the playoff schedule, reducing the number of events from four to three.
The change also means that the winner of the East Lake Championship in Atlanta also automatically becomes the FedEx champion.
In fact, the Tour Championship no longer has a separate prize money, as all prize money is awarded through the FedExCup.
This change was made to clear up the confusion that someone won the Tour Championship and not the FedEx Cup.
Is the Masters part of the FedEx Cup?
Several major events are part of the PGA Tour. These include the Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship and PGA Championship.
Whoever wins the PGA Championship wins the FedEx Cup. This event is separate from The Masters, not the same event.
To learn more, you can also read our post on FedEx sorting facilities, what is FedEx Express, and whether you can reschedule FedEx packages.
in conclusion
The FedExCup has changed a bit since its inception in 2007. What was originally a separate tour event is now combined with the PGA Tour Championship. In other words, whoever wins the Tour Championship wins the FedEx Cup.
Victory doesn’t just mean trophies, but also some pretty big bonuses. In fact, the winner will take home $18 million. Now that you know all about the FedEx Cup, be sure to check out all the action the next time the Cup is broadcast.
