The PGA Tour has made history by introducing an official $40 million prize fund for its Tour Championship event. For the first time ever, the FedEx Cup playoff will pay out as official money, marking a significant change from previous years.
Prior to this season’s changes, the bonus pool at the Tour Championship was considered unofficial money and had some of it deferred. However, with the elimination of starting strokes in 2019, which gave the top seed a significant advantage, the introduction of a $40 million prize fund was welcomed by players like Patrick Cantlay.
Cantlay praised the change, stating that winning the Tour Championship, even for those not at the top of the leaderboard, is still an impressive achievement. With the new format, the total purse will be split among the top 30 players, with the winner receiving $10 million.
The introduction also marks a significant boost to prize money, with notable players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy now having a mathematical chance of overtaking him if they win at East Lake. The runner-up and third-place finishers will receive official payouts of $5 million and $3,705,000, respectively.
This development is seen as a positive change for the PGA Tour and its players, offering greater rewards for those who have performed well throughout the year.
Source: https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/45969334/tour-championship-now-offers-richest-prize-40m-purse