This year, the PGA Tour scrapped the long-debated “starting strokes” format for the FedExCup finale, and the move reignited debate among fans and players alike. At the heart of it is Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who might’ve benefited from the old system as he chases his first PGA Tour win. Fleetwood welcomed the reset with a playful jab at the biggest name hit.
Speaking on Tuesday at a press conference ahead of this week’s Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club, Fleetwood was asked to weigh in on the event’s major format change— a return to traditional 72-hole stroke play, with all 30 qualifiers starting from even par. Tommy Fleetwood, who ranks 5th in the FedEx Cup rankings, was asked whether the elimination of the ‘starting strokes’ format would be disadvantageous to him this week. And his response? Thoughtful, honest, and just enough to turn heads.
Tommy told the media, “I don’t know, to the second question. I think it’s really difficult. I guess the question is, what is the FedExCup or what are the FedExCup playoffs, and I’m definitely not one to answer that,” Fleetwood began. “I just want to keep playing and competing. I think it’s great being here, and I think — I’m sure everybody aside from Scottie Scheffler loves the fact that we’re all starting on a level playing field. You win this week and you’re holding two trophies or whatever that is,” he continued. It was a subtle jab at the season points leader, Scottie Scheffler, who Fleetwood thinks would be the one affected the most. Last year, Scheffler started the Tour Championship at 10-under, a head start that the starting strokes format offered, and cruised to victory at 30-under. But this year, it’s a clean slate, meaning no one, not even the world No. 1, gets a head start.
“In all honesty, I didn’t know until today or yesterday what the — obviously I knew it was a normal tournament, but I didn’t know everything evolving around it, what the circumstances were or what — I try not to get sort of carried away looking into those things,” Fleetwood continued. For someone who has been narrowly close to a win this year, like in the first two events of the playoffs or even the 2025 Travelers Championship, the old format could have been an advantage. But he admitted that he hadn’t fully wrapped his head around the new structure until recently, and emphasized that the opportunity ahead was what truly mattered.
“I think it’s exciting. It’s probably more exciting for the players to come here, everybody on a level field, knowing it’s an unbelievable opportunity to have a great week, win the tournament, and obviously leave here unbelievably happy,” he added. “I think staggered start, for guys that are here, I think you would probably — I’m thinking, I made it last year – I finished sixth in the BMW to make it here. Obviously, I’m starting at level par or something, or 1-under, just trying to have a great week. You know that — you also know even though it was a staggered start, you also know that there’s the background of the tournament where the scores do count for things like world ranking and things like that. So there’s always that,” Fleetwood expressed.
Tommy Fleetwood heads to the Tour Championship still without a victory on the PGA Tour despite coming close several times. He thinks it would be “pretty funny” if he were to earn his maiden win this week and take home the FedEx Cup too.
I hope he gets into contention again! pic.twitter.com/IGWurqbiCs
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) August 19, 2025
Still, when asked what he would do differently given the fair playing field, Fleetwood was bare-bones honest — “The honest answer is I don’t know. I love that I have a chance to win this week. What would you do differently? I’m not so sure.” For someone who is still chasing his elusive first PGA Tour title, the hunger is obvious, and with everyone starting at even par this week, Tommy Fleetwood has a high chance to win. But the timing of this change also couldn’t have been better for the Englishman.
Tommy Fleetwood’s consistent season could finally pay off
Tommy Fleetwood’s 2025 season doesn’t include a victory, but few players in the field can match his consistency. His season started strong with a tied 5th finish at the Genesis Invitational and top-20 finishes in the three events that followed. A drop in form at the Valero Texas Open saw him finish tied 62nd, but he picked up soon after at the Masters, where he finished tied 21st. Since then, Fleetwood has had six top-10 finishes and has missed the cut just once (2025 U.S. Open) in 18 starts, quietly piecing together one of the most consistent runs this season.
Even without a win, Tommy Fleetwood ranks 5th in the FedEx Cup standings — a result of his composure and consistency under pressure. He even ranks third in the overall strokes gained and the scoring average in 2025, trailing Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy — a testament to how well-rounded and effective his game has been all season. His tied 3rd finish at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and tied 4th last week at the BMW Championship indicate that he’s peaking at the perfect time. With the reset format eliminating the head starts and returning the Tour Championship to traditional stroke play, Fleetwood may never get a better shot at his first PGA Tour title. The pressure is high, but so is the opportunity, and for a player long overdue, East Lake could finally be the venue where promise turns into payoff.
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