This Week in Golf: FedEx Cup and LIV Team Championship set to decide season sinners
The PGA Tour hosts its Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The format has changed, and rightly so, to create a level playing field in determining the champion. No handicaps, no gimmicks, just pure golf.
Over the years, the PGA Tour has experimented with formats to craft a grandstand finish, but sometimes the best approach is to simply recognise the player who has dominated the sport. This year, that player is Scottie Scheffler, who boasts five victories, including two Majors.
Scheffler leads the FedEx Cup with 7,456 points, far ahead of second-placed Rory McIlroy, a three-time FedEx Cup champion, who has 3,687 points. The top 30 players on the FedEx Cup list are in the field. Notables missing from the season finale include Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Si Woo Kim, and Rickie Fowler.
Meanwhile, the LIV Golf League concludes its season with the three-day Team Championship in Michigan. Last week's Individual Championship in Indianapolis decided relegation and other standings, leaving only the team event to settle.
The LIV Golf format has evolved over the years, with finales often trying to strike the right balance. As a fan, however, I believe simplicity is key. This week, the 12th and 13th-ranked teams face off in a Play-In match, with the winners advancing and the losers eliminated. On Friday, the 12 remaining teams compete in six quarter-final matches, and on Saturday, the six winners move on to the semi-finals. The final three teams then battle it out for the championship on Sunday.
Saturday and Sunday also feature consolation matches to determine prize money distribution down to 13th place.
Play-In, quarter-finals, and semi-finals follow matchplay rules: two individual (1v1) matches per team and one alternate-shot (2v2) contest. Sunday returns to stroke play, where all four scores count. There's no hiding; everyone must bring their best game.
As IronHeads GC demonstrated in 2024, even a lower-seeded team can reach the final if they performs at their peak.
Another highlight this week: the top six European players for Luke Donald's Team Europe for next month's Ryder Cup will be announced on Sunday night.
It promises to be another unforgettable week for golf fans worldwide.
Key Events This Week
LIV Golf
Friday 22 – Sunday 24 August, 2024
LIV Golf Team Championship
Venue: The Cardinal at St John's, Michigan, US
Purse: $50 million
PGA Tour
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 August, 2025
Tour Championship
Venue: East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia, US
Purse: $40 million
DP World Tour
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 August, 2025
Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo
Venue: The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Sutton Coldfield, England
Purse: $3.5 million
HotelPlanner Tour
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 August, 2025
The Dutch Futures
Venue: The Dutch, Spijk, Netherlands
Purse: €300,000
LPGA
Thursday 21 – Sunday 24 August, 2025
CPKC Women's Open
Venue: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Purse: $2.6 million
Ladies European Tour
Friday 22 – Sunday 24 August, 2024
Hills Open
Venue: Hills Golf & Sports Club, Gothenburg, Sweden
Purse: €300,000
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