East Lake out as permanent host for Tour Championship after 2027
The details haven’t been finalized, but East Lake Golf Club will no longer be the exclusive site of the FedEx Cup Championship, starting in 2028.
The PGA Tour announced Monday its season-ending playoffs will have a different structure, feature some form of match play and will rotate sites. The number of players involved in the postseason and the format are still being debated.
East Lake is out as the permanent host of the season finale but will likely be in the rotation for future playoff events. The PGA Tour said it still values the Atlanta market and the unique part East Lake plays in the golf universe.
“We’re working that out,” PGA Commissioner Brian Rolapp said Monday. “In the postseason, we certainly want to rotate.”
Tommy Fleetwood, who won the 2025 Tour Championship at East Lake, was philosophical about the decision.
“East Lake is always going to have a special place in the history of the game and, for me in particular, is going to have special memories,” he said. “I also think the opportunity to rotate and maybe go to some more iconic courses and create memories, special moments, whatever they may be, is still an amazing opportunity.”
The decision means PGA playoff events could be hosted at Pine Valley Golf Club in Clementon, New Jersey, the No. 1-rated course in the country, or Cypress Point in Pebble Beach, California, the No. 2-ranked course. Both are among the game’s white whales, whose exclusive locations have rarely been seen by fans and would bring a television bonanza. Neither has been open to a large event in the past.
“A new-look Tour Championship will be contested across a rotation of prestigious courses, many of which the PGA Tour would play for the first time,” the PGA Tour stated in a release.
Other courses rumored as potential sites include Chicago Golf Club; Sand Hills Golf Club in Mullen, Nebraska; The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts; and Bandon Dunes.
East Lake has a contract to host the Tour Championship through 2027. The club alternated with Champions Golf Club in Houston as the tournament host from 1997 to 2003 and became the permanent site in 2004.
This year’s Tour Championship is scheduled for Aug. 27-30.
In its time at East Lake, the event has made a significant mark, both financially and in its community development.
In a statement, Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council, said the tournament “has an incredible legacy in Atlanta, both on and off the course,” and expressed appreciation for the PGA Tour’s “continued commitment to our city.”
“We are grateful for our longstanding partnership with the PGA Tour, the leadership of Tour Championship Executive Director Alex Urban, a valued and engaged member of the Atlanta Sports Council Board of Directors, and the support of Accenture, Coca-Cola and Southern Company in making this event so impactful,” Corso said in his statement.
The event has contributed to several community organizations, such as the East Lake Foundation, which helps support Charles R. Drew Charter School. In March 2026, the Tour Championship made a record-breaking contribution of $7.3 million.
“The East Lake Foundation is deeply grateful for its longstanding partnership with the PGA TOUR and the TOUR Championship. Together, we have demonstrated how golf can be a catalyst for meaningful community transformation, creating opportunities for generations of East Lake residents and beyond,” Ilham Askia, the foundation’s president and CEO, said in a statement.
“Community development is never finished. The progress made over the past several decades has shown what is possible when committed partners work toward a shared vision. The East Lake model will continue to thrive as a blueprint for community revitalization, inspiring and informing similar efforts in communities across the country.”
East Lake was attractive for many reasons. It was the home of golf legend Bobby Jones and the centerpiece of the community’s metamorphosis by developer and East Lake member Tom Cousins. The financial base, which includes Coca-Cola, the Southern Co. and Accenture, was reliable and involved.
East Lake provided plenty of drama over the years. The ground literally shook when Tiger Woods won the 2018 Tour Championship, his first victory in five years, and a prelude to his emotional 2019 Masters victory. The tournament has been won by many of the game’s top players: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott.
“We’ve all been huge fans of East Lake for a long time and very grateful for what we’ve had there,” said Fleetwood, whose first PGA Tour victory came at the Tour Championship. “We’ll see where we go in the future.”
The playoff changes are just a piece of the sweeping changes for 2028 when the Tour transitions to a two-tiered format. The PGA Tour Championship Series will exclusively feature the top 120 players and feature 23-24 tournaments. The PGA Tour Challenger Series will feature at least 20 events with 144-player fields and will provide a pathway to the more lucrative Championship Series.
“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” Scheffler said. “I think what the people want is to get the best players playing together more often. I think the competition will get better, play good golf courses and play against the best players in the world. For a player, I don’t think you could really ask for much more.”
Education reporter Cassidy Alexander and local news reporter Zachary Hansen contributed to this story.