PGA Tour Postseason Begins as FedEx St. Jude Championship Headlines Busy Golf Week

 PGA Tour Postseason Begins as FedEx St. Jude Championship Headlines Busy Golf Week

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The PGA Tour postseason begins this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind, while the U.S. Amateur returns to historic Merion Golf Club and major events take place across the LPGA Tour, DP World Tour and PGA Tour Champions.

The FedEx St. Jude Championship features the top 70 players in the FedEx Cup standings and carries a $20 million purse, with $3.6 million going to the winner. Scottie Scheffler enters the postseason as the No. 1 seed for the third consecutive season.

Justin Rose is the defending champion, while Rory McIlroy returns to the tournament after skipping last year’s event. McIlroy and Brian Harman are also beginning their 15th consecutive PGA Tour postseason, the longest active streaks on Tour.

The tournament takes on added importance because the top 50 players who advance will qualify for all of next season’s $20 million signature events. Daniel Berger is the only qualified player who is not competing at TPC Southwind.

Michael Brennan enters the postseason after winning the Wyndham Championship last week. He is one of 11 players making their first appearance in the PGA Tour postseason.

Jason Day, meanwhile, will miss the playoffs for the first time in his career.

The FedEx St. Jude Championship has produced close finishes in recent years, with three of the last four editions being decided by a playoff.

U.S. Amateur returns to Merion

The U.S. Amateur takes center stage at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, where the championship will be played for a record seventh time.

Defending champion Mason Howell returns after defeating Jackson Herrington 7 and 6 at The Olympic Club last year. Howell, who was entering his senior year of high school when he won, is now beginning his freshman year at the University of Georgia.

The championship provides significant rewards for the winner. The champion earns exemptions into the U.S. Open and, provided he remains an amateur, the Masters and British Open. The runner-up receives invitations to the Masters and U.S. Open.

Preston Stout, the world’s No. 1-ranked amateur, is among the leading contenders.

Merion previously hosted the U.S. Amateur in 2005, when Italy’s Edoardo Molinari won the championship. Tiger Woods remains the last player to win the title in consecutive years, capturing it three straight times.

LPGA Tour continues toward Solheim Cup selections

The LPGA Tour heads to Portland, Oregon, for the Standard Portland Classic at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club.

Aki Iwai is the defending champion, while Nelly Korda leads the Race to CME Globe but is not competing this week. Korda has not won since capturing her second consecutive major at the U.S. Women’s Open two months ago.

Haeran Ryu, who won the next two majors, is in the field. Lexi Thompson is also returning to individual competition after a three-month absence. It will be only her fifth start of the year.

With only two tournaments remaining before the Americans finalize their Solheim Cup team for the Sept. 11-13 matches in the Netherlands, the Portland event carries additional significance.

DP World Tour resumes in Denmark

The Danish Golf Championship at Great Northern marks the DP World Tour’s return following the British Open and begins an eight-week stretch of tournaments on the European continent.

Eugenio Chacarra is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 63 in the world. Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and LIV Golf player Caleb Surratt are also competing.

Home players Rasmus Hojgaard and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen will look to make an impact after failing to qualify for the PGA Tour postseason. Henrik Stenson is also in the field.

Cink, Johnson dominate Champions Tour

On the PGA Tour Champions, Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson have each won four times this season. Cink leads the Charles Schwab Cup standings by slightly more than $700,000.

Johnson is skipping the Boeing Classic after winning the Portugal Invitational last week, while Seattle native Fred Couples is set to make only his fourth start of the season.

The Korn Ferry Tour also continues with the Albertsons Boise Open in Idaho, while LIV Golf heads toward its season finale with Joaquin Niemann coming off his victory at LIV Golf New York.

With postseason races intensifying across professional golf, this week’s schedule features major storylines from Memphis to Merion and Portland to Denmark.

Analysis: PGA Tour Postseason Opens a High-Stakes Week Across Golf

The 2026 golf calendar enters one of its most consequential weeks as the PGA Tour postseason begins alongside the U.S. Amateur at historic Merion Golf Club. The two events represent very different stages of the sport, but both carry enormous significance for players trying to establish themselves at the highest level.

The biggest storyline is the opening of the FedExCup Playoffs at the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. Scottie Scheffler arrives as the No. 1 seed, reinforcing his position as the player to beat after another strong regular season. The 70-player postseason field was established through the regular-season standings, although Daniel Berger’s injury withdrawal leaves the Memphis field at 69. 

The importance of the tournament extends beyond its $20 million purse and $3.6 million winner’s prize. The real objective for many players is survival. Only the top 50 after Memphis advance to the BMW Championship, while the top 30 after the BMW move on to the Tour Championship. That creates immediate pressure for players near the cutoff.

Michael Brennan’s arrival illustrates just how quickly fortunes can change. Brennan won the Wyndham Championship last week to jump into the postseason after entering the tournament outside the qualifying positions. His victory demonstrates the value of peaking at precisely the right time.

For established stars, the postseason is about maintaining momentum. Rory McIlroy returns after missing last year’s St. Jude Championship, while Justin Rose attempts to defend his title. Meanwhile, Jason Day’s absence is particularly notable because he failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time in his career. 

At Merion, the story is different but equally compelling. The U.S. Amateur provides the next generation with an opportunity to announce itself. The championship’s return to Merion adds historical significance, while defending champion Mason Howell enters with the experience of already having won the title. The event also features Preston Stout, one of the leading amateur players in the world. 

Merion’s demanding layout immediately emphasizes precision. Early reports from the championship showed how difficult the rough can be, with William Lisle and Finn Koelle sharing the opening-round lead after 5-under 65s while numerous players struggled to find fairways. 

The broader schedule adds another layer to the week. The LPGA Tour is approaching its Solheim Cup selection deadline, while the DP World Tour resumes its European swing in Denmark. The PGA Tour Champions also continues its battle between Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson.

Ultimately, this week highlights the depth of professional golf. In Memphis, established stars are fighting for FedExCup glory and access to lucrative future events. At Merion, young amateurs are competing for exemptions that could accelerate their careers. The contrast makes this one of the most important weeks of the golf season—not because of one tournament, but because of how many careers and championship ambitions are being shaped simultaneously.

Source: PGA Tour