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How Does the PGA Tour Work 2025: Points & Playoffs
Trying to follow the world of professional golf can feel like deciphering a secret code. You hear about FedEx Cup points, Signature Events, and keeping a “Tour card,” but understanding how it all fits together into a coherent season is the biggest challenge for new and even seasoned fans. You’re left wondering: what’s the difference between all the tournaments, and what are the players really playing for each week?
The PGA Tour is the main organization for professional tournament golf, operating a year-long, points-based season where players compete to qualify for the high-stakes FedEx Cup Playoffs and ultimately be crowned the season champion.
This definitive guide, updated for the 2025 season, breaks down exactly how the PGA Tour works. We’ll move from the basic structure of the season and the critical points system to the thrilling playoff format and the different tiers of tournaments you see on TV. By the end, you’ll understand the journey a player takes from the first tee shot in January to the final putt of the Tour Championship.
Contents
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Key Facts
- Separate Entities: The PGA Tour, which organizes events for touring professionals, is a completely separate organization from the PGA of America, which primarily represents club and teaching professionals.
- Points Vary by Prestige: Not all wins are equal. A victory at a Major Championship is worth 750 FedEx Cup points, while a win at a regular event is worth 500 points.
- Playoff Field Reduction: The FedEx Cup Playoffs start with the top 70 players, who are then cut to 50 for the second event, and finally to the top 30 for the Tour Championship.
- New 2025 Playoff Finale: Starting in 2025, the controversial “starting strokes” format is gone. All 30 players in the Tour Championship will start at even par, making it a true 72-hole shootout for the title, as reported by Forbes.
- Job Security Through Winning: A single win on the PGA Tour grants a player a minimum two-year exemption, securing their spot to compete without needing to re-qualify each season.
What is the PGA Tour? A Beginner’s Guide for 2025
The PGA Tour is the main organization for professional tournament golf in North America, separate from the PGA of America, and it organizes a year-long schedule of events for elite players. It functions as a non-profit organization, with its primary focus on creating and managing a competitive schedule for the world’s best “touring” professionals—the players you see competing on TV each week.
Ever wondered why you hear about the ‘PGA’ in two different contexts? Let’s clear that up. While they share an acronym, their missions are fundamentally different. The PGA Tour was actually spun off from the PGA of America in 1968 to serve the distinct needs of its traveling tournament players.
While they share an acronym, the PGA Tour focuses on touring professionals, while the PGA of America serves club and teaching professionals.
Here’s a simple breakdown of the key differences:
- PGA Tour: Manages the premier professional golf tours, including the flagship PGA Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour (the developmental tour), and PGA Tour Champions (for players 50+). Its members are the elite players who compete for millions of dollars in prize money.
- PGA of America: This organization is composed of the club professionals and golf instructors you might find at your local course. They focus on growing the game and run major events like the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup.
Essentially, if a golfer’s job is to travel and play in tournaments week-in and week-out, they are part of the PGA Tour. If their job is to run a golf club or teach lessons, they are a member of the PGA of America.
How the PGA Tour Season is Structured
The PGA Tour season consists of a Regular Season (Jan-Aug), the FedEx Cup Playoffs for the top 70 players, and a Fall Season for other players to improve their status for the next year. Think of the entire year as a roadmap with three distinct phases, all designed to identify the best player of the season.
Did you know the PGA Tour season technically starts in the fall of the previous calendar year? While the main points race begins in January, the FedEx Cup Fall series sets the stage for the year ahead.
Here is the roadmap for the season:
- The FedEx Cup Regular Season (January – August): This is the bulk of the season. From the sunny start in Hawaii in January through the heat of the summer, players compete in weekly tournaments to accumulate FedEx Cup points. Their goal is to finish inside the top 70 on the points list by mid-August to qualify for the lucrative playoffs.
- The FedEx Cup Playoffs (August): The top 70 players enter a three-event, high-stakes sprint to the finish. The field is progressively cut down each week, from 70 players to 50, and finally to the top 30. This is where the season’s champion is crowned.
- The FedEx Cup Fall (September – November): What about the players who didn’t make the playoffs or didn’t finish high enough? The Fall series is their opportunity. Players who finished outside the top 70 can compete in these events to earn points and secure their PGA Tour card (their eligibility) for the following season.
This structure ensures that there is something to play for all year long, whether it’s battling for a championship or fighting to keep your job.
The Engine of the Tour: Understanding the FedEx Cup Points System
Players earn FedEx Cup points throughout the regular season based on their finish in tournaments. The number of points varies, with major events offering 750 points to the winner and regular events offering 500. This points system is the engine that drives the entire how does pga tour work narrative. It’s not just about prize money; it’s about accumulating points to get into the playoffs.
The value of a win changes dramatically depending on the tournament’s status. The PGA Tour has a clear hierarchy, and the points distribution reflects that. A win at a major championship can single-handedly secure a player’s spot in the playoffs, while consistent high finishes at regular events are also crucial.
Based on the official PGA Tour structure, here is how the points break down for the winner of each tournament category:
| Tournament Category | Winner’s Points | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Major Championships | 750 | The four most prestigious events in golf. |
| The Players Championship | 750 | Considered the “fifth major” and run by the PGA Tour. |
| Signature Events | 700 | Limited-field events with huge purses and top players. |
| Regular PGA Tour Events | 500 | The standard weekly tournaments on the schedule. |
| Alternate Events | 300 | Events played opposite a Major or Signature Event. |
Pro Tip: Pay attention to whether an event is a ‘Signature Event.’ With 700 points on the line, a win there can dramatically change a player’s entire season! Players also earn points for making the cut and for their finishing position all the way down the leaderboard, rewarding season-long consistency.
The Road to Champion: How the FedEx Cup Playoffs Work
The top 70 players qualify for the three-event FedEx Cup Playoffs. The field is cut to 50 players, then 30 for the final Tour Championship, where the winner is crowned the FedEx Cup Champion and receives a $10 million bonus. This is the culmination of the entire season—a high-pressure, elimination-style showdown.
The journey through the playoffs is intense:
- FedEx St. Jude Championship: The playoffs begin with the top 70 players from the regular season points list. After this tournament, only the top 50 in the standings advance. For 20 players, their season is over.
- BMW Championship: The remaining 50 players compete. Following this event, the field is trimmed again, with only the top 30 players on the FedEx Cup points list moving on to the final.
- The Tour Championship: The final 30 players gather at East Lake Golf Club to compete for the ultimate prize: the FedEx Cup. This single event determines the season-long champion.
Big Change for 2025: The controversial ‘starting strokes’ format is gone. All 30 players will now start the Tour Championship at even par, making it a true 72-hole shootout for the title.
Previously, players started the final tournament with a staggered score based on their points ranking. Now, the player who shoots the lowest 72-hole score at East Lake will win the FedEx Cup, the massive bonus, and a five-year PGA Tour exemption. This format change means the player who shoots the lowest score at the final tournament wins it all. Do you think this is a fairer way to crown the champion?
A Golfer’s Journey: How to Get (and Keep) a PGA Tour Card
Players primarily earn their PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour. They maintain it by finishing in the top 125 on the FedEx Cup points list or by winning a tournament, which grants a multi-year exemption. A “PGA Tour card” is essentially a player’s membership status, granting them eligibility to compete in Tour events. Earning one is a grueling process, and keeping it is just as tough.
Here are the primary pathways to the highest level of professional golf:
- The Korn Ferry Tour: This is the main developmental tour for the PGA Tour. Think of it as the Triple-A of professional golf. Players compete all season, and the top performers at the end of the year are awarded PGA Tour cards for the following season.
- PGA Tour University: A more recent pathway, this program rewards the best collegiate players. The top-ranked graduating senior automatically earns a PGA Tour card, giving them an immediate path to the big leagues.
- Winning an Event: The most direct, though incredibly difficult, route. If a non-member who gets into a tournament (via a sponsor exemption or Monday qualifying) wins the event, they earn a full PGA Tour card and a two-year exemption.
Once a player has their card, the pressure is on to keep it. The most common way is to finish in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup points standings. However, recent changes have made this even more challenging, as the number of fully-exempt cards has been reduced from 125 to 100.
Pro Tip: Winning a single PGA Tour event is a game-changer—it guarantees a player’s ‘card’ and job security for at least two years! A major win earns a five-year exemption, and 20 career wins provide a lifetime exemption.
Understanding the Tournaments: Majors, Signature Events, and More
PGA Tour tournaments range in prestige from the four Majors down to regular and alternate events. Higher-prestige events like Majors and Signature Events offer more prize money, more FedEx Cup points, and feature stronger fields. Not every week on Tour is the same. Understanding the hierarchy of tournaments is key to knowing how the pga tour works.
The Major Championships
These are the four most important tournaments in golf, run by separate organizations, not the PGA Tour itself. They offer the most FedEx Cup points (750) and define a player’s career. Each has a unique playoff format for ties:
* The Masters: A sudden-death playoff beginning on the 18th hole.
* PGA Championship: A three-hole aggregate score playoff.
* U.S. Open: A two-hole aggregate score playoff.
* The Open Championship: A four-hole aggregate score playoff.
The Players Championship
Often called the “fifth major,” this is the PGA Tour’s flagship event. It awards 750 FedEx Cup points, the same as a major, and consistently features one of the strongest fields in golf all year.
Signature Events
These are a newer category of tournaments designed to bring the top players together more often. They feature limited fields (around 70-80 players), no cut (meaning everyone plays all four rounds), and massive $20 million purses.
Regular & Invitational Events
These form the backbone of the PGA Tour schedule. They are full-field events (120-156 players) with a 36-hole cut and award 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner. Invitationals, like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, are similar but often have slightly smaller fields and are tied to a legendary player or course.
Alternate Events
These tournaments are played in the same week as a Major or Signature Event. They provide playing opportunities for PGA Tour members who did not qualify for the higher-status event, but offer fewer FedEx Cup points (300) and smaller purses.
Quick Fact: The Players Championship is often called the ‘fifth major’ because it awards the same number of FedEx Cup points (750) as the actual majors!
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FAQs About How the PGA Tour Works
How many rounds are in a standard PGA Tour tournament?
A standard PGA Tour event consists of four rounds of 18 holes each, totaling 72 holes. The tournament typically runs from Thursday to Sunday. This format is used for the vast majority of events, including all four major championships and the playoffs.
How does scoring work on the PGA Tour?
The PGA Tour primarily uses stroke play. In this format, each player counts the total number of strokes taken on every hole. The player with the lowest total score after 72 holes is the winner. Scores are often referred to in relation to par, such as “-10” (ten strokes under par).
What happens if players are tied at the end of a tournament?
If two or more players are tied for first place after 72 holes, they enter a sudden-death playoff. The tied players play a pre-determined hole (usually the 18th) over and over. The first player to win a hole outright wins the tournament. Major championships have different rules, often using multi-hole aggregate playoffs.
What is the “cut” and how does it work?
The “cut” happens after the first two rounds (36 holes) of a standard tournament. The field of players is reduced, or “cut,” to the top 65 players and anyone tied with them. Only these players get to compete in the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday and earn prize money.
How is the FedExCup Champion determined in 2025?
For the 2025 season, the FedExCup Champion will be the winner of the final playoff event, the Tour Championship. The top 30 players will compete, and all will start at even par. The player with the lowest 72-hole score at the end of the tournament wins the FedExCup and the bonus prize money.
Do amateurs get paid if they play well in a PGA Tour event?
No, amateurs are not allowed to receive prize money to maintain their amateur status. If an amateur makes the cut and finishes in a position that would normally earn money, that prize money is redistributed among the professional players who made the cut.
What’s the difference between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s format?
The primary differences are in length, scoring, and structure. PGA Tour events are 72-hole individual stroke play tournaments with a cut. LIV Golf events are 54-hole tournaments with no cut, shotgun starts (all players start at the same time on different holes), and feature both an individual and a team competition simultaneously.
Final Summary: Key Takeaways on How the PGA Tour Works
Understanding how the pga tour works transforms watching golf from a passive pastime into an engaging, season-long story. It’s a year-round race driven by the pursuit of FedEx Cup points, where every tournament has implications for a player’s chance to make the playoffs, secure their job for the next year, or etch their name into history by winning a major. From the regular season grind to the high-stakes, elimination-style playoffs, the structure is designed to reward excellence and consistency, culminating in the crowning of a single champion.
Here are the most critical takeaways to remember:
- The season is a three-part journey: the Regular Season for earning points, the Playoffs for crowning a champion, and the FedEx Cup Fall for securing future status.
- The FedEx Cup points system is the engine of the Tour, with different events carrying different weights—Majors and Signature Events are worth the most.
- The FedEx Cup Playoffs are an intense, three-week sprint where the field is cut from 70 to 50 to a final 30 players.
- A player’s goal is not just to win, but to earn enough points to keep their PGA Tour card, which is their ticket to compete.
Now that you understand the season-long race for the FedEx Cup, try watching the next tournament and see if you can spot how a player’s performance might affect their playoff chances
Last update on 2025-09-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
