This Week in Golf: It’s time for the FedEx Cup Playoffs as we approach the business end of the 2024 season

On the DP World Tour the ‘Closing Swing’ restarts with the D&D Real Czech Masters before the ‘Back 9 Swing’ closes out the main part of the season

By Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer

Published: Tue 13 Aug 2024, 5:40 PM

The season seems to be moving on quicker than ever – this week is the start of the 2024 FedEx Cup Playoffs which marks the final stretch of what has been an intense and eventful PGA Tour season

The four Majors are behind us, each adding a unique chapter to the year, and now we're down to the business end, a three-tournament competition that offers the PGA’s largest prize pool and will crown a champion for the season.

With a frequently changing format let’s remind ourselves of how it all works.

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The top 70 players following last week’s Wyndham Championship will compete this week in the FedEx St. Jude Classic. The field will be trimmed to 50 for the BMW Championship – and the final cut to 30 players who will advance to the Tour Championship at the end of August.

Tommy Fleetwood of Britain. - Reuters

The winner of the Tour Championship not only claims the FedEx Cup title but also takes home a significant share of the $25 million prize, making it one of the most lucrative rewards in professional golf.

So, who is in and who is not?

Making the FedEx Cup playoffs include Dubai-based players Tommy Fleetwood (Eng) in 32nd and Thomas Detry (Bel) in 34th. Congratulations to all who have made it – especially Victor Perez (Fr), coached by Peter Cowen – the player who took the final 70th spot. Golf is a game of small margins as we all know.

LIV Golf Greenbrier returns to the scene of last year’s 12 under 58 by Bryson DeChambeau on his way to winning the individual title at The Greenbrier Golf Club. Are we in for another record-breaking event?

On the DP World Tour the ‘Closing Swing’ restarts with the D&D Real Czech Masters which is the penultimate event of this Swing before the ‘Back 9 Swing’ closes out the main part of the season.

The women’s schedule remains in Europe following last week’s Olympics in Paris with a big two weeks of women’s golf in Scotland.

This week sees a strong contingent of players from the LPGA playing at Dundonald Links in the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open – including recent Olympics gold medal winner Lydia Ko (NZ), Lilia Vu (US), Brooke Henderson (Can), Georgia Hall (Eng) and Charlie Hull (Eng).

The Legends Tour ventures to pastures new with the Zambia Golf Legends Championship. It is the first time that Dubai Golden VISA Awardee Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) has played in Zambia – growing the game around the world is part of all the tours’ roles in golf.

Schedule

LIV Golf

Friday 16th – Sunday 18th August, 2024

LIV Golf Greenbrier

Venue: The Old White at The Greenbrier, US

Purse: $25 million

PGA Tour

15th – 18th August, 2024

FedEx St. Jude Championship

Venue: TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee, US

Purse: $20 million

DP World Tour