The TOUR Championship returns to East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta this week with a star-studded lineup, headlined by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and No. 2 Rory McIlroy teeing off in the same featured group. Scheffler arrives as the defending TOUR Championship winner who just claimed last week’s BMW Championship, his fifth Tour victory in 2025 including a PGA Championship and an Open Championship. McIlroy, fresh off a Masters win that completed his career Grand Slam, is also a former FedExCup champion and a key challenger as the playoffs reach their crescendo.
The field also features a handful of the world’s top players, including four of the top 10: No. 5 Justin Thomas, No. 6 J.J. Spaun, No. 7 Collin Morikawa, and No. 9 Harris English. Rounding out the top 25 are No. 11 Justin Rose, No. 15 Viktor Hovland (the 2023 TOUR Championship winner), No. 16 Hideki Matsuyama, and No. 21 Shane Lowry. For the first time since 2018, the TOUR Championship will be contested as a 72-hole stroke-play event, with all players starting at even par.
Before the main championship action, ESPN+ flags an entertaining prelude on Wednesday with The Creator Classic at East Lake. Eleven popular social media golf creators—Tisha Alyn, Sabrina Andolpho, Garrett Clark, Brad Dalke, Peter Finch, Gabby Golf Girl, Luke Kwon, Micah Morris, Chris Solomon, Roger Steele and Sean Walsh—will compete in an eight-hole gross stroke-play format on East Lake’s No. 10 through No. 17. The lowest four scores plus ties will advance to a sudden-death playoff on the 18th.
On Thursday, ESPN+ will stream exclusive, four-feed coverage of the TOUR Championship with the main tournament coverage kicking off at 11:15 a.m. ET. The day’s action includes extensive Featured Group coverage, with early pairings including Matsuyama and Lowry, Morikawa and Hovland, Morikawa and McIlroy, Scheffler and McIlroy, and Thomas with English among others. ESPN+ subscribers also get access to PGA TOUR LIVE, which provides more than 4,300 live hours across 35 tournaments, including all eight Signature Events in 2025, along with a wide array of ESPN programming and articles.
Full scheduling highlights for Thursday include a 11:15 a.m. ET main feed, 11:30 a.m. Par 3 hole action, and 11:45 a.m. Featured Groups, moving into early afternoon broadcast windows and continuing through Sunday’s final round. First-round coverage will also be available to stream on ESPN on Disney+.
What fans can expect
– A rare, high-stakes 72-hole stroke-play format with everyone at even par heightens the intensity and consistency across four rounds.
– A chance to gauge Scheffler’s current form against McIlroy as they chase the season’s culminating prize and FedExCup momentum.
– A deep field featuring Thomas, Spaun, Morikawa, English, Rose, Hovland, Matsuyama and Lowry, ensuring compelling early-week competition and a multi-front chase for the Cup.
– Entertaining pre-tournament content with The Creator Classic highlighting golf’s growing social media footprint and fan engagement at East Lake.
Summary
The TOUR Championship at East Lake blends established star power with fresh formats and a robust ESPN+ and PGA TOUR LIVE coverage plan. With Scheffler and McIlroy in the same featured group and a strong lineup of world-class challengers, the event promises drama, strategy, and a climactic finish to the FedExCup Playoffs.
If you’re looking for a positive takeaway, the move back to a traditional 72-hole stroke-play format in a pivotal playoff setting could elevate competitiveness and deliver a memorable conclusion to the season, especially with Scheffler and McIlroy carrying momentum from recent major wins.
Additional note
For fans wanting extended access, ESPN+ provides a broad window into tournament action with multiple feeds and a deep library of golf content, while PGA TOUR LIVE offers extensive, exclusive coverage across the event and the season’s Signature Events. This combination gives both casual viewers and hardcore followers ample ways to catch the action.
Overall, the week shapes up as a marquee moment in 2025 golf, delivering elite competition, star power, and new formats that could influence how future playoffs are staged.