PGA TOUR Commissioner returns focus to FedExCup after court ruling

The request by three players from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series for a temporary restraining order that would have allowed them to compete in the FedExCup Playoffs has been denied, allowing the focus to return to the conclusion of a thrilling season of competition, PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan wrote in a memo to the TOUR’s membership on Tuesday evening.

The three suspended players were seeking a temporary restraining order that would have allowed them to return to the TOUR for the FedEx St. Jude Championship this week, but their request was denied by Judge Beth Labson Freeman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

“With today’s news, our players, fans and partners can now focus on what really matters over the next three weeks: the best players in the world competing in the FedExCup Playoffs, capping an incredibly compelling season with the crowning of the FedExCup champion at the TOUR Championship,” Commissioner Monahan wrote.

This has been a season that has seen the emergence of new stars like Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Smith and Sam Burns, who sit atop the FedExCup standings after breakout seasons. Established players like Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay and Jordan Spieth have added victories to their impressive resumes and rookies like Cameron Young, Davis Riley and Sahith Theegala have established themselves as stars in the making.

The FedExCup Playoffs begin Thursday with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind, followed by next week’s BMW Championship at Wilmington Country Club in Delaware. The PGA TOUR’s top 30 players will then convene on East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta on Aug. 25-28 to compete for the FedExCup.