Scheffler Seals Another $5M Bonus Before Penultimate Playoff Event

Scottie Scheffler has quietly clinched another multimillion-dollar payout that elevates his bonus money earned this season past his on-course tournament winnings.

After pocketing $18 million for finishing the PGA Tour’s regular season with the most FedEx Cup points, Scheffler is set to earn another $5 million for being in first place in the FedEx Cup standings after this week’s BMW Championship, thanks to a new bonus money distribution structure that was implemented midseason.

That will give Scheffler $23 million in bonus money so far this season, compared to $20.36 million in tournament prize money. (If Scheffler wins the BMW Championship, his prize money earned would vault to $23.96 million.)

Scheffler—thanks to finishing tied for third at last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship—is 2,012 points clear of Rory McIlroy, who sits in second place. The most points McIlroy could earn this week is 2,000 if he wins. So, even if Scheffler didn’t play this week, he would still earn the $5 million for being first in the FedEx Cup standings through the BMW Championship, which is the penultimate FedEx Cup playoff event.

The top 30 players in the FedEx Cup standings after the BMW Championship will qualify for the season-end Tour Championship, and each will earn a bonus payout. Second place will receive $3.5 million, third place $2.6 million, all the way down to $195,000 for 30th.

The Tour Championship will have a $40 million purse, as part of its new format that has eliminated the controversial starting strokes that have been used since 2019. The winner at East Lake Golf Club will receive $10 million, meaning Scheffler could end up with more than $30 million in on-course prize money this season. 

However, even if he were to win the BMW Championship and Tour Championship, his total earnings would be able to reach just $56.96 million, which would fall short of the $62.2 million he made last season.