TOUR Championship eliminates starting strokes

The TOUR Championship is returning to a traditional 72-hole stroke-play event in which each player will start the tournament at even par, the PGA TOUR announced Tuesday.

Since 2019, players have begun the TOUR Championship with stroke advantages determined by their FedEx Cup ranking. Scottie Scheffler won the 2024 event after opening the tourney at 10-under par.

Collin Morikawa, who finished the TOUR Championship in second last year, had the lowest 72-hole score but fell short because of the starting stroke format.

The TOUR also plans to adjust the course setup to encourage more risk-versus-reward decisions in each round.

"We want the TOUR Championship to be the hardest tournament to qualify for and the FedEx Cup trophy the most difficult to win," Scheffler said. "Shifting the TOUR Championship to a more straight-up format with a tougher course setup makes it easier for fans to follow and provides a more challenging test for players - which brings out the best competition."

The field size will remain at 30 golfers in 2025, although the Player Advisory Council is expected to review the qualification system in future seasons.

The TOUR Championship is scheduled for Aug. 18-24 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.