FedExCup Playoffs scenarios ahead of BMW Championship

The FedExCup Playoffs continue at this week’s BMW Championship, the second leg of the three-event Playoffs, which will be contested at Castle Pines Golf Club outside Denver, Colorado, for the first time.

Aside from the race for the FedExCup’s No. 1 spot into the TOUR Championship (Scottie Scheffler can clinch with a solo fourth or better, whereas Xander Schauffele can clinch with a win if Scheffler finishes in a two-way T4 or worse), the attention turns to the all-important top-30 bubble.

The top 50 on the season-long FedExCup after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship have qualified for the BMW Championship and secured spots in next season’s eight Signature Events. This week’s key number is 30, as the top 30 players on the FedExCup after the BMW Championship will qualify for next week’s TOUR Championship at East Lake and greatly boost their chances of playing all four majors in 2025 (Masters, U.S. Open and The Open traditionally offer exemptions for TOUR Championship qualifiers).

The BMW Championship features quadruple FedExCup points (2,000 to the winner) compared to a Full-Field Event, which will likely mean increased volatility on the standings as competition unfolds. Last week’s 70-player FedEx St. Jude Championship (also featuring quadruple FedExCup points) saw three players move inside the top 50, led by Viktor Hovland, who finished runner-up at TPC Southwind to vault from No. 57 to No. 16. Eric Cole and Max Greyserman also moved inside the top 50, with three players falling out: Tom Kim, Mackenzie Hughes and Jake Knapp.

After a ninth-place finish at last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship, Denny McCarthy holds the No. 30 spot on the FedExCup into the BMW Championship, just three points ahead of Tommy Fleetwood. Other players outside the top 50 into the BMW Championship include Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 36), Will Zalatoris (No. 37), Adam Scott (No. 41) and Max Homa (No. 43).

Castle Pines previously hosted the PGA TOUR at The International from 1986 to 2004, which utilized the Modified Stableford format (which is now used at the Barracuda Championship). The course is situated at 6,200 feet of elevation, which should give way for booming drives and complex yardage calculations for players as they navigate the top-30 bubble.

Here’s a look at scenarios for players outside the top 30 into the BMW Championship – the minimum finish needed for a chance to finish inside the top 30. Endless permutations are in play, but one thing is for sure: The BMW Championship will be a wild ride, high above sea level.

Minimum finishes required to have a chance to make the top 30