Tour Championship

For the "Tour Championship" on the LPGA Tour, see LPGA Tour Championship.
Tour Championship

East Lake Golf Club, current home of the Tour Championship
Tournament information
Location Atlanta, Georgia
Established 1987, 29 years ago
Course(s) East Lake Golf Club
Par 70
Length 7,385 yards (6,753 m)
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund $8.5 million
Month played September
Tournament record score
Aggregate 257 Tiger Woods (2007)
To par −23 Tiger Woods (2007)
Current champion
Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
East Lake 
Golf Club
Location in the United States

The Tour Championship (stylized as the TOUR Championship) is a golf tournament that is part of the PGA Tour. It has historically been one of the final events of the PGA Tour season; prior to 2007, its field consisted exclusively of the top 30 money leaders of the past PGA Tour season.

Since 2007, it has been the final event of the four-tournament FedEx Cup playoff, and eligibility is determined by FedEx Cup points amassed throughout the season instead. While originally followed by the PGA Tour Fall Series (for those competing for qualifying exemptions in the following season), a re-alignment of the PGA Tour's season structure beginning in 2013 makes the Tour Championship the final event of the season.

From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event. Beginning in 1997, the event alternated between Champions Golf Club in Houston and East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta; since 2004, East Lake has been the event's permanent home.

Format: 1987–2006

From its debut in 1987 through 2006, the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour after the penultimate event qualified for the event. It took place in early November, the week after the comparable event in Europe, the Volvo Masters, which allowed players who are members of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour to play in both end of season events. After the Tour Championship, the money list for the season was finalized. There were, and still are, a number of additional events between the Tour Championship and Christmas which are recognized by the PGA Tour, but prize money won in them is unofficial. Also, because this tournament's field is not as large as other golf tournaments, there is no 36-hole cut; all players who start the event are credited with making the cut and receive some prize money.

Format: 2007–present

Jordan Spieth and Henrik Stenson on the 17th Green during the 2015 Tour Championship

In 2007, the Tour Championship moved from its November date to a date in mid-September, where it ends a four-tournament "Chase for the FedEx Cup"; this was announced on the Wednesday of the week of the 2005 event. As in past years, 30 players qualify for the event; however, the basis for qualification is no longer prize money. Instead, FedEx Cup points amassed during the regular PGA Tour season and then during the three preceding playoff events determine the participants. Beginning in 2009, the assignment and awarding of points assures that if any of the top five FedEx Cup point leaders going into The Tour Championship win the event, they will also win the FedEx Cup. It still remains possible, however, for one player to win the Tour Championship and another player to win the FedEx Cup. In 2007, Tiger Woods won both the 2007 Tour Championship and the inaugural FedEx Cup. In 2008, The Tour Championship was won by Camilo Villegas, while Vijay Singh won the FedEx Cup. In 2009, Phil Mickelson won The Tour Championship, while Tiger Woods won the FedEx Cup.

2007 was also the inaugural year for the Tour's Fall Series, which determined the rest of the top 125 players eligible for the following year's FedEx Cup, which made the event no longer the final tournament of the season. However, starting in 2013, the Tour Championship was the end of the PGA Tour season; seasons will now begin in October of the previous calendar year.[1] Since 2007, those who qualified for the Tour Championship earned a Masters Tournament invitation.

Hole 18 at East Lake Golf Club is a par 3, which has been criticized as lacking drama for fans. The PGA Tour announced in February 2016 that it would be reversing the nines at East Lake for the Tour Championship in the coming year so that play will finish on a more exciting par 5 hole.[2]

Rory McIlroy during practice rounds at the 2015 Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club
Brandt Snedeker reacting to his win at the 2012 Tour Championship

Winner's exemption reward

Since 1998 (according to the 1999 PGA Tour Media Guide), the Tour Championship winner, if not already exempt by other means, receives a 3-year PGA Tour exemption (Category-5)

Tournament hosts

Years Venue Location
1998, 2000, 2002, 2004–present East Lake Golf Club Atlanta, Georgia
1990, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 Champions Golf Club, Cypress Creek Course Houston, Texas
1995–96 Southern Hills Country Club Tulsa, Oklahoma
1993–94 The Olympic Club, Lake Course San Francisco, California
1991–92 Pinehurst Resort, No. 2 Course Pinehurst, North Carolina
1989 Harbour Town Golf Links Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
1988 Pebble Beach Golf Links Pebble Beach, California
1987 Oak Hills Country Club San Antonio, Texas

Winners

YearPlayerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-upPurse ($)Winner's
share ($)
Tour Championship
2016 Rory McIlroy  Northern Ireland 268 −12 Playoff United States Kevin Chappell
United States Ryan Moore
8,500,000 1,530,000
Tour Championship by Coca-Cola
2015 Jordan Spieth  United States 271 −9 4 strokes New Zealand Danny Lee
England Justin Rose
Sweden Henrik Stenson
8,250,000 1,485,000
2014 Billy Horschel  United States 269 −11 3 strokes United States Jim Furyk
Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy
8,000,000 1,440,000
2013 Henrik Stenson  Sweden 267 −13 3 strokes United States Jordan Spieth
United States Steve Stricker
8,000,000 1,440,000
2012 Brandt Snedeker  United States 270 −10 3 strokes England Justin Rose 8,000,0001,440,000
2011 Bill Haas  United States 272 −8 Playoff United States Hunter Mahan 8,000,0001,440,000
The Tour Championship presented by Coca-Cola
2010 Jim Furyk  United States 272 −8 1 stroke England Luke Donald 7,500,0001,350,000
2009 Phil Mickelson (2)  United States 271 −9 3 strokes United States Tiger Woods 7,500,0001,350,000
2008 Camilo Villegas  Colombia 273 −7 Playoff Spain Sergio García 7,000,0001,260,000
2007 Tiger Woods (2)  United States 257 −23 8 strokes United States Mark Calcavecchia
United States Zach Johnson
7,000,0001,260,000
2006 Adam Scott  Australia 269 −11 3 strokes United States Jim Furyk 7,000,0001,170,000
2005 Bart Bryant  United States 263 −17 6 strokes United States Tiger Woods 6,500,000 1,170,000
2004 Retief Goosen  South Africa 269 −11 4 strokes United States Tiger Woods 6,000,0001,080,000
2003 Chad Campbell  United States 268 −16 3 strokes United States Charles Howell III 6,000,000 1,080,000
2002 Vijay Singh  Fiji 268 −12 2 strokes United States Charles Howell III 5,000,000900,000
The Tour Championship presented by Dynegy
2001 Mike Weir  Canada 270 −14 1 stroke Spain Sergio García
South Africa Ernie Els
United States David Toms
5,000,000900,000
The Tour Championship presented by Southern Company
2000 Phil Mickelson  United States 267 −13 2 strokes United States Tiger Woods 5,000,000900,000
1999 Tiger Woods  United States 269 −15 4 strokes United States Davis Love III 5,000,000900,000
1998 Hal Sutton  United States 274 −6 Playoff Fiji Vijay Singh 4,000,000720,000
The Tour Championship
1997 David Duval  United States 273 −11 1 stroke United States Jim Furyk 4,000,000 720,000
1996 Tom Lehman  United States 268 −12 6 strokes United States Brad Faxon 3,000,000540,000
1995 Billy Mayfair  United States 280 E 3 strokes Australia Steve Elkington
United States Corey Pavin
3,000,000540,000
1994 Mark McCumber  United States 274 −10 Playoff United States Fuzzy Zoeller 3,000,000540,000
1993 Jim Gallagher, Jr.  United States 277 −7 1 stroke South Africa David Frost
United States John Huston
Australia Greg Norman
United States Scott Simpson
3,000,000540,000
1992 Paul Azinger  United States 276 −8 3 strokes United States Lee Janzen
United States Corey Pavin
2,000,000360,000
1991 Craig Stadler  United States 279 −5 Playoff United States Russ Cochran 2,000,000360,000
Nabisco Championship
1990 Jodie Mudd  United States 273 −11 Playoff United States Billy Mayfair 2,500,000450,000
1989 Tom Kite  United States 276 −8 Playoff United States Payne Stewart 2,500,000450,000
1988 Curtis Strange  United States 279 −9 Playoff United States Tom Kite 2,000,000360,000
1987 Tom Watson  United States 268 −12 2 strokes United States Chip Beck 2,000,000360,000

2015 Tournament purse

Breakdown of the $8,250,000 purse for the 2015 Tour Championship

Prizes shown below were awarded to the top 30 finishers in the Tour Championship itself. See also: FedEx Cup bonus pool payouts

Place Earnings ($) Place Earnings ($) Place Earnings ($)
1 1,485,000 11 222,750 21 155,100
2 891,000 12 211,200 22 151,800
3 569,250 13 201,300 23 148,500
4 396,000 14 191,400 24 145,200
5 330,000 15 181,500 25 141,900
6 297,000 16 174,900 26 138,600
7 280,500 17 168,300 27 136,950
8 264,000 18 165,000 28 135,300
9 247,500 19 161,700 29 133,650
10 234,300 20 158,400 30 132,000

References

  1. "PGA Tour announces changes". ESPN.com. March 21, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  2. Hole 18 is a par 3, which has been criticized as lacking drama for fans. The PGA Tour announced in February 2016 that it would be reversing the nines at East Lake for the Tour Championship in the coming year so that play will finish on a more exciting par 5 hole.[12]

Coordinates: 33°44′35″N 84°18′11″W / 33.743°N 84.303°W / 33.743; -84.303

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