The Tour Championship
East Lake GC, Atlanta, Georgia
Date: 23 - 26 Sep 2010
Winning Share: $1,350,000
Yards: 7,154
Purse: $7,500,000
Defending Champ: Phil Mickelson
THE TOUR Championship will again feature the top-30 players in the
FedExCup standings following the BMW Championship in Chicago.
However, changes to the qualifying structure for the PGA TOUR
Playoffs for the FedExCup, as well as a points reset immediately
preceding THE TOUR Championship, will make for an even more exciting
event, as the winner of the FedExCup will ultimately be decided at
East Lake Golf Club.
The tournament moved
it's date
from November to mid-September a couple years ago. The move enables THE
TOUR Championship to cap-off a four-tournament event,
the Chase for the FedEx Cup.
For most of its 100-year history, East Lake Golf Club
has been known as the home of Bobby Jones.
The Tour Championship presented by Coca Cola is in fact
more than just a premier event, it is THE crowning event of
The FedEx Cup series, a season-long event for the players
that was promoted as a way to crown a champion on Tour. |
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The TOUR Championship began in 1987 as a year end tourney
for the seasons top 30 money winners and has rotated the
event amongst various golf courses and regions of the
country in the past.
The East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta has been in that rotation
since 2004 when it was deemed the 'permanent' season ending
home to the PGA Tour's official season ending Tour
Championship and now crowning the PGA Tour's FedExCup
Champion. Coca Cola is the 'permanent' sponsor of the event
in the home of their origination; Atlanta, GA.
2009 Winner of The
Tour Championship - Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
had the smaller check and felt like the biggest winner.
Tiger Woods was congratulated after he finished second in
the Tour Championship.
It was the ninth time that golf's two biggest stars finished
1-2 in a tournament. Never have they shared the spotlight,
each going home with a trophy that was meaningful in its own
way.
Mickelson capped off a tumultuous summer at home with a
spectacular rally at East Lake, closing with a 5-under 65 to
go from four shots behind to a three-shot victory.
2008 Winner of The Tour Championship
Camilo Villegas made up a five-shot deficit in the final
round to win the Tour Championship, closing with a 4-under
66 and beating Sergio Garcia on the first playoff hole with
a two-putt par.
Villegas had gone 85 starts on the PGA Tour without winning,
but Sunday was his second victory in a row.
The 26-year-old Colombian wound up second in the FedEx Cup
behind Vijay Singh, who only had to complete the Tour
Championship to capture the $10 million prize.
Villegas, who should move to No. 6 in the world ranking,
earned $1.26 million for winning the Tour Championship and
$3 million in bonus money for his second-place finish in the
FedEx Cup.
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