The Tour Championship returns to East Lake this week with $40 million on the line and a fresh, level playing field: all 30 players start at even par as the field is reset for the finale of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the red-hot favorite who is chasing a sixth win of the season, the tournament is wide open with every golfer having a shot at the big prize. Scheffler isn’t handed any advantage this year as he was a year ago, making this week a true “clean slate” for all 30 contenders. As Rory McIlroy put it, any of the starters can win the FedEx Cup this year, and that perspective adds a new level of suspense and opportunity for players who may not have been the season’s dominant force but are peaking now.
Key contenders in the field include:
– Scottie Scheffler: entering with five wins this season, aiming for his first back-to-back FedEx Cup title and potentially joining Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as multi-time FedEx Cup champions. DataGolf projects him with about a 31% chance to win this week.
– Rory McIlroy: back on tour and fresh off a BMW Championship top-12, he’s a three-time East Lake winner and has been steady in his recent starts.
– Viktor Hovland: a former standout who swung back into form this season and showed confidence with a strong BMW finish; he’ll be searching to recapture the peak that helped him win the Tour Championship in the past.
– Patrick Cantlay and Justin Thomas: both veterans of East Lake and Ryder Cup conversations, with Cantlay among the favorites to bolster his captain’s-picks case.
– Others to watch include Ludvig Åberg, Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns, Collin Morikawa, Sepp Straka (who will be limited in points this week due to scheduling), Cameron Young, Ben Griffin, Maverick McNealy, Justin Rose, Brian Harman, Sungjae Im, Hideki Matsuyama, Shane Lowry, and Keegan Bradley, among others.
What makes this week different
– The starting-at-even-par format eliminates any early advantage, putting Scheffler and every other top player on equal footing as the race to the FedEx Cup crown unfolds over 72 holes.
– The field blends seasoned veterans, rising stars, and Ryder Cup suitors, making tactical decisions and momentum critical as players chase one of the sport’s most coveted trophies.
– Several players enter with Ryder Cup implications on their minds, whether chasing captain’s picks or securing automatic qualification, which adds an extra layer of strategy and urgency.
Course and play notes
– East Lake’s Bermuda greens and the renovated course layout have influenced recent results, with past success at this venue often translating into momentum for the season’s closing stretch.
– Players will look to balance aggressiveness with precision, leveraging length off the tee, accurate approach shots, and clutch putting to navigate the challenging conditions around the greens.
Why fans should be optimistic
– The reset at East Lake means the championship can hinge on late-round surges and bold decisions rather than a single early lead. With Scheffler and McIlroy among the headliners, the potential for a dramatic finish is high, and a surprise winner remains very much in play.
– The FedEx Cup race has been wide-ranging this season, allowing a player outside the early-season favorites to seize the moment and cap a breakthrough year with the biggest prize in golf.
Summary
The Tour Championship at East Lake anchors the PGA Tour’s season finale with a $40 million payoff and a level playing field for all 30 players. Scheffler arrives as the standout favorite following another win, but the week’s open format and deep field guarantee a compelling finish as the season’s narrative shifts toward the FedEx Cup title and Ryder Cup conversations beyond.
Optional forward-looking note
– Expect heightened drama from players who can leverage a strong performance here to bolster Ryder Cup chances, while others will be aiming to cap off their campaigns with momentum heading into the offseason. A strong finish could set the stage for a hopeful, positive run in 2025.
If you’d like, I can condense this into a shorter teaser for the homepage or expand the player-by-player notes with recent form and course-specific trends for a deeper feature.