Back to Zero: PGA TOUR Scraps Starting Strokes in Bold FedExCup Shake-Up
New format for TOUR Championship promises purer drama, as fans and players rally behind a level playing field in pursuit of golf’s Ultimate Prize.
Paju, Korea - The PGA TOUR is resetting the scoreboard—literally. Starting in 2025, players teeing it up at the season-ending TOUR Championship will all begin at even par, as the TOUR ditches its controversial Starting Strokes format in a sweeping reimagining of its FedExCup finale.
The change, unveiled in Ponte Vedra Beach and shaped by player voices and fan feedback, is the headline act in a trio of reforms aimed at sharpening the climax of the golf season. Gone is the head start for the FedExCup leader. In its place: a straight-up 72-hole battle for the game’s richest prize.
“The most competitive golf in the world, played for the highest stakes, in the most straightforward and engaging format,” said Commissioner Jay Monahan. “That’s what our fans want, and that’s what we’re delivering.”
The revamp also includes tweaks to course setup, encouraging closer-to-par scoring and more risk-reward drama—think tucked pins and heroic carries. The 30-player field remains intact, but with an eye to making the TOUR Championship the toughest event to qualify for on the schedule.
For Scottie Scheffler, reigning FedExCup champion and key voice on the Player Advisory Council, it’s a win on every front. “Fans want clarity. Players want competition. This format does both,” he said.
First introduced in 2019, Starting Strokes was meant to simplify the FedExCup race, awarding the No. 1 player a 10-under advantage heading into East Lake. But critics argued it blurred merit with mechanics. Now, every birdie, every bogey, every back-nine charge counts equally.
NBC will broadcast the revamped spectacle in 2025, with CBS taking over in 2026. Meanwhile, GOLF Channel and ESPN+ will offer blanket coverage. And with FedEx backing the TOUR’s evolution, fans can expect more changes in the pipeline.
Ultimately, the aim is simple: to make lifting the FedExCup not just lucrative, but legendary. And from 2025, there’ll be no shortcuts to glory—just four days, one course, and thirty of the best fighting from scratch.