Tour Championship 2022: Tee times, prize money, TV coverage as Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler head field

After a season that has seen 35 different players enter the winners’ circle on the PGA Tour, it all boils down to the Tour Championship at East Lake.

Since the FedEx Cup’s inception in 2007, 13 players have got their hands on huge riches in the season-ending event.

Only Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are multiple winners, with the latter looking for a hat-trick of victories.

Patrick Cantlay arrives as the defending champion, while Scottie Scheffler tops the FedEx Cup standings heading to Atlanta.

Scheffler’s reward for topping the standings is a two-shot advantage over the field, as it is a staggered start in the hunt for the $18 million top prize.

Scheffler will begin the tournament at 10-under, No. 2-ranked Cantlay will be at eight-under, No. 4 Xander Schauffele at six-under and No. 5 Sam Burns at five-under. Players ranked six to 10 begin at four-under, 11 to 15 at three-under, 16 to 20 at two-under, 21-25 at one-under, and players 26 to 30 kick off at even.

There is no No. 3 as Will Zalatoris has been forced to withdraw due to a back injury, meaning 29 players will tee it up.

The 29 players compete over 72 holes as normal, but there is no cut and the lowest aggregate score when combined with the starting strokes will be the winner of the Tour Championship, FedEx Cup and the $18m bonus.

It sounds confusing, but once play gets underway it is the usual scenario of the hunter and the hunted.

Course: East Lake

The Tour Championship has had eight different venues since its inception in 1987, with East Lake being its home since 2004.

East Lake, a short hop from Atlanta, dates back to 1904 and its main claim to fame is being the home course of the legendary Bobby Jones.

Tom Bendelow designed the initial layout, but revered architect Donald Ross redesigned the venue either side of WW1.

East Lake has a riches to rags to riches story, as it fell victim to the general malaise that struck Atlanta in the 1960s. As the area surrounding East Lake continued to decline the course was in danger of closure, until a local businessman bought the club and also created a foundation with the aim of regenerating the area.

Rees Jones restored the track to Ross’ original design in the mid-1990s, and it has been on an upward curve since playing host to the Tour Championship – and all profits go to the East Lake Foundation.

Like Augusta, East Lake has a sub-air system so officials can make the greens as fast or as slow as they wish. They will be fast, extremely fast.

Prize Money: $75m, with the winner’s share being $18m.

Format: 72-hole strokeplay.

Course records: 18 holes: Zach Johnson (60) in 2009, 72: holes: Tiger Woods (257) in 2007

TV Coverage: The Tour Championship is live on Sky Sports in the UK.

Past Winners:

• 2021: Patrick Cantlay
• 2020: Dustin Johnson
• 2019: Rory McIlroy
• 2018: Tiger Woods
• 2017: Xander Schauffele
• 2016: Rory McIlroy
• 2015: Jordan Spieth
• 2014: Billy Horscshel
• 2013: Henrik Stenson
• 2012: Brandt Snedeker
• 2011: Bill Haas
• 2010: Jim Furyk
• 2009: Phil Mickelson
• 2008: Camilo Villegas
• 2007: Tiger Woods
• 2006: Adam Scott
• 2005: Bart Bryant
• 2004: Retief Goosen
• 2003: Chad Campbell
• 2002: Vijay Singh
• 2001: Mike Weir
• 2000: Phil Mickelson

Tee Times (Local):

• 2:05pm – Scottie Scheffler
• 2:05pm – Patrick Cantlay
• 1:55pm – Xander Schauffele
• 1:55pm – Sam Burns
• 1:45pm – Cameron Smith
• 1:45pm – Rory McIlroy
• 1:35pm – Tony Finau
• 1:35pm – Sepp Straka
• 1:25pm – Sungjae Im
• 1:25pm – Jon Rahm
• 1:15pm – Scott Stallings
• 1:15pm – Justin Thomas
• 1:05pm – Cameron Young
• 1:05pm – Matt Fitzpatrick
• 12:55pm – Max Homa
• 12:55pm – Hideki Matsuyama
• 12:45pm – Jordan Spieth
• 12:45pm – Joaquin Niemann
• 12:35pm – Viktor Hovland
• 12:35pm – Collin Morikawa
• 12:25pm – Billy Horschel
• 12:25pm – Tom Hoge
• 12:15pm – Corey Conners
• 12:15pm – Brian Harman
• 12:05pm – K.H. Lee
• 12:05pm – J.T. Poston
• 11:55am – Sahith Theegala
• 11:55am – Adam Scott
• 11:45am – Aaron Wise