PGA TOUR Champions announces changes to Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – PGA TOUR Champions announced today a change to the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, effective beginning in 2018. The Charles Schwab Cup Championship, which previously featured a points reset at the season’s last event, will now feature double points awarded to the 36-player field, as approved by the Tour’s Policy Board.

“The Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs have delivered a unique level of excitement to the PGA TOUR Champions season each of the last two years, and we are confident that this change to the points structure will allow that momentum to continue in 2018 and beyond,” said PGA TOUR Champions President Greg McLaughlin. “With double points at each of the three Playoffs events, we now have a platform of consistency which allows for fans to better engage with these tournaments as we determine our season-long champion.”

The first two Playoffs events, the Dominion Energy Charity Classic and PowerShares QQQ Championship, feature $2 million purses and double points. With the new format, players will compete for a $2.5 million purse at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship and now also earn double points at that event.

"The Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs have been a great addition to PGA TOUR Champions over the last two years and have certainly added an increased level of excitement to our season-ending events,” said reigning Charles Schwab Cup champion Kevin Sutherland. “This change to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship will provide great balance, ensuring the champion had an outstanding year while still providing for Playoff drama in our final tournament.”

In 2017, Sutherland entered the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at No. 5 in the standings. The Sacramento native, who posted three runner-up finishes on the year prior to the final week in Phoenix, won the Championship for his first PGA TOUR Champions title, as well as the Charles Schwab Cup.

Bernhard Langer, who finished second in the 2017 Charles Schwab Cup, won the Cup in 2016 following a four-win campaign which led to Player of the Year honors.

The 2018 Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs will feature the Dominion Energy Charity Classic (Oct. 19-21), PowerShares QQQ Championship (Oct. 26-28) and Charles Schwab Cup Championship (Nov. 8-11), which will return to Phoenix Country Club for a second straight year.

For more information on the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs or PGA TOUR Champions, please visit PGATOUR.COM.