The FedEx Cup playoffs have had different levels of predictability over the past few years, and the 2025 edition could fall into a more unpredictable category. On the PGA Tour in May, we announce changes to the Tour Championship format that will allow all 30 golfers to start on equal arenas in the postseason finals, and simply proceed to East Lake Golf Club will create a legitimate opportunity to win the top prize at the conclusion of the season.
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland have insisted on the FedEx Cup Crowns in recent years, and all three should consider some abilities this postseason. Additional variances introduced in the Tour Championship have been added, with no starting strokes awarded to players. Some outsiders may present an opportunity to raise the Silver Cup.
Two or 12 rounds of golf will separate two or 12 rounds of golf from the offseason, so that the top 70 of the PGA Tour at the St. Jude Championship will trim the field to 50 players at the BMW Championship and ultimately trim to 30 players at the Tour Championship.
Can someone from outside the top 50 advance to the BMW Championship, Tour Championship, or even the winner’s circle at East Lake?
So what exactly will happen in the three weeks of the FedEx Cup playoffs? Let’s first look at predictions and choices from CBS Sports experts as we try to project who will win and what will go down in this postseason iteration.
2025 FedEx Cup Playoff Picks, Experts’ Predictions
Odds by DraftKings Sportsbook
Golf writer Patrick MacDonald
Pick to win the FedEx Cup – Russell Henry (22-1): Henry has entered the playoffs within the top five races during the season, with guaranteed tee time in the Tour Championship. He finished third in the restored East Lake last season and arrives this year in the best form of his career. Trustworthy right-handers compete (and win) in large events such as major championships and signature events.
FedEx Cup winner Sleeper – Aaron Rai (200-1): There’s a lot of work to do for the RAI, but he has makeup that goes on all the way. The British are outside the top 50 bubbles at the start of the postseason, but a strong start at TPC Southwind could serve as the launchpad for August. Rye just finished in the top five at the Windham Championship, and if he does that this far, he’s perfect for TPC Southwind and Eastlake.
Most likely to be disappointed – Ben Griffin (starting at No. 6): Griffin returned to the wagon for the Wyndham Championship, but before that he got a bit caught with two straight miss cuts at the John Deere Classic and the Open. He played golf courses that he had never seen in the PGA Tour competition (Cave Valley and East Lake), and his ball strikes took a dip from the summer peak.
Player with the most lines – Jordan Spieth (starting at No. 48): Spieth was criticized throughout 2025 for accepting sponsor invitations into signature events, but now he has the opportunity to play himself in those tournaments. If he maintains his place among the top 50, Spieth can choose and choose his schedule in 2026. If he exceeds expectations and qualifies for the Tour Championship, that probably means he fought (or won) in one of the first two playoff events.
Golf writer Robbie Kalland
Pick to win the FedEx Cup – Scotty Schaeffler (12/5): Why tell your way to someone else who wins these big events just to see Schaeffler Steam Roll? He torched a new look of Eastlake (-20 without starting a stroke) last year, but I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that this year won’t be able to do it again. Hitting the ball moves everywhere and his putter appears to be traveling more than he is now. This is a terrible proposition.
FedEx Cup Winner Sleeper – Wyndham Clark (190-1): Wyndham has been in tears since destroying several lockers at Oakmont.
Do I agree with his method? No, but it’s difficult to discuss the outcome. He has left T17, MC, T11, T1 and T12 since the US opened, reaching 49th place in the rankings. He needs to do more work to go to East Lake, but he won the top 10 at St. Jude last year. And the Cave Valley was friendly to long hitters in 2021.
Most likely to be disappointed – Keegan Bradley (starting at No. 10): Since the first playoff event moved to Memphis, Bradley has become MC, T43 and T59 at St. Jude. That’s not a harbinger of him getting down to the hot start he needs in these playoffs to put a little pressure on him from the impending Ryder Cup captain’s pick. If he doesn’t have a great show in any of the first two playoff events, his decision on whether to choose himself as a play captain becomes even more difficult.
He looked like a team rock after he won the Traveler Championship, but Bradley erased some stretches as others got stronger later this year to give him some really tough choices. He did an incredible job this year, keeping Keegan apart from Captain Keegan, but the captain pick comes after BMW and it will be nearly impossible for the next two weeks. It also seems appropriate for this decision to be as twisty as possible, if he’s circling the playoffs.
Players with the most lines – Morikawa Coal River (starting at No. 19): There are three players at this spot: Morikawa, Spieth and Bradley. Two of these names have already been discussed, so we won’t rehash them here. Morikawa is spiraled to finish the season. He has experienced multiple caddy changes (along with another new bagman this week in Memphis) sparred in the media at various times, posting a top 10 finish (T8 in Rocket Classic) back to the Masters, missing the final two cuts and is now out of the top 6 in the automatic spot for the US Ryder Cup team.
For someone who seemed terrifying to start this year and has long been standing as one of the most consistent performers on the PGA Tour, it was a pretty impressive season for Morikawa. The playoffs offer him pivot points. If he continues to struggle, he is not completely trapped in the Tour Championship. It was shocking that he missed the Ryder Cup team, but he certainly didn’t make the best case for himself to get into Beth Page Black.
However, Morikawa has three chances to build momentum with the boat right into the Ryder Cup. He has played solidly for St. Jude in the past and would have beat Schaeffler in East Lake last year. Right now, there may be no top players who need some kind of aggressiveness on the course than Morikawa. If he can’t find it, the chatter only grows in front of Beth Page.
Who will win the FedEx St. Jude Championship and which long shots will surprise the world of golf? Visit our Sportsline to see our predicted leaderboards and best practices. All have risen over $8,500 since June 2020 from models that nailed 16 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past four masters.
