The second leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs is currently underway at Caves Valley Golf Club, which is hosting the BMW Championship for the second time. The course last hosted the BMW Championship in 2021, when Patrick Cantlay edged Bryson DeChambeau in a thrilling six-hole playoff, and hopefully, we get to witness a nail-biting finish once again this year.
This year’s BMW Championship has already brought plenty of intrigue and unexpected twists. Robert MacIntyre, who has struggled with consistency this season — managing just five top-10 finishes alongside two missed cuts — has found his form at the perfect time, storming to the top of the leaderboard at 16-under par. Right behind him sits World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, trailing by four shots and staying well within striking distance heading into the final round. Scheffler not only sits second on the leaderboard but also holds a commanding lead in the FedEx Cup standings, ahead of Rory McIlroy, who skipped the opening event of the playoffs, by 2,012 points.
Unlike standard PGA Tour events, there’s no cut based on score after 36 holes. Instead, the tournament features a shortened field of the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings, all of whom qualified based on their performance at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first playoff event. Following this week, the field will be narrowed once more, with only the top 30 in the standings advancing to the season finale at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, where the FedEx Cup champion will be crowned.
With the playoff pressure mounting and only 30 spots available for next week’s TOUR Championship at East Lake, every shot at Caves Valley carries major weight. The players know what’s on the line — not just a trophy, but a significant payday and a chance to chase the $20 million FedEx Cup bonus next week. But this week’s BMW Championship also boasts a massive $20 million purse, with the winner taking home $3.6 million.
Let’s break down the prize money payout for every player this week:
Rank
Prize Money
1
$3.6 million
2
$2.16 million
3
$1.36 million
4
$990,000
5
$830,000
6
$750,000
7
$695,000
8
$640,000
9
$600,000
10
$560,000
11
$520,000
12
$480,000
13
$441,000
14
$402,000
15
$382,000
16
$362,000
17
$342,000
18
$322,000
19
$302,000
20
$282,000
21
$262,000
22
$245,000
23
$229,500
24
$213,000
25
$197,000
26
$181,000
27
$174,000
28
$167,000
29
$160,000
30
$153,000
31
$146,000
32
$139,000
33
$132,000
34
$127,000
35
$122,000
36
$117,500
37
$112,000
38
$108,000
39
$104,000
40
$100,000
41
$96,000
42
$92,000
43
$88,000
44
$84,000
45
$80,000
46
$76,000
47
$72,000
48
$70,000
49
$68,000
While there are supposed to be 50 players this week, Sepp Straka, who now ranks 8th in the standings, is not playing this week to attend to a personal matter. That means there are only 49 of the 50 in the field, but Straka is still guaranteed to be among the top 30 going to East Lake.
Sepp Straka’s Strong Season Allowed Him to Skip the 2025 BMW Championship
“For personal reasons, Sepp is unable to play this week. He intends to compete at the TOUR Championship, but requests privacy at this time as he attends to a family matter at home,” said Butler Melnyk, Straka’s manager, in a statement released to the media on Monday. While the Austrian player had to skip due to personal reasons, it’s also his performances this year that gave him the luxury to withdraw from this week’s BMW Championship. In regular PGA Tour events, if a player withdraws, they are immediately replaced with a player on the waiting list. But only qualified golfers are allowed to participate this week, meaning Sepp Straka will not be replaced in the field, and hence only 49 players are in contention.
Robert MacIntyre takes a four-stroke lead into Sunday as he looks to earn his third win on the PGA TOUR tomorrow @BMWchamps.
(in partnership with @ROLEX ) pic.twitter.com/C9sLV7wmcv
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 17, 2025
The world no.10 has had a strong season, with two wins at the 2025 American Express and the Truist Championship. His season has been defined by consistency, clutch performances, and timely top finishes that positioned him securely inside the top five of the FedEx Cup standings heading into the BMW Championship. But his playoff campaign began with a disappointing tied 17th finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship last week, dropping him three ranks on the FedEx Cup standings. But Straka’s wins and six top-10 finishes this year earned him enough FedEx Cup points (2,783) and a comfortable spot among the top 30 heading to East Lake for the TOUR Championship next week.
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