Hideki Matsuyama won the FedEx Cup St. Jude Championship on Sunday, and as the second round in the Fedex Cup Playoffs gears up, he's looking for win number two. The top players coming out of St. Jude will join him at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado (with the exception of Cameron Smith who withdrew due to a hip injury).
Matsuyama had a wild ride to get to the top of the leaderboard. Shortly after earning a bronze medal in Paris two weeks ago, he, his caddie and his coach were all robbed at a London airport while en route to the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Matsuyama's caddie and coach were both forced back to Japan after their passports were stolen and were unable to make the trip to the FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Despite the chaos, Matsuyama didn't let it faze him, winning the tournament for his first victory since the Genesis this year. He went into the final hole leading by just a stroke, needing a par or better for the victory; a bogey would have put him in a three-way playoff with Xander Schauffele and Viktor Hovland.
But after finding the fairway on 18, he drilled his fairway shot just roughly 6 feet from the hole and birdied it for good measure, winning the tournament by two. He had also birdied 17 to break his tie with Schauffele and Hovland, last year's FedEx Cup winner.
With the win, Matsuyama moved from eighth to third in the FedEx Cup standings. He's looking to climb the rankings and make a run at the title at the BMW Championship.
How to Watch the BMW Championship
The BMW Championship is the second event in the FedEx Cup Playoffs and will be held at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado. It runs from August 22-25.
The tournament will be broadcast on NBC, Golf Channel, ESPN+ and Peacock.
Broadcast Schedule
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Thursday, August 22
- 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- 3-7 p.m. (Golf Channel, Peacock)
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Friday, August 23
- 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- 3-7 p.m. (Golf Channel, Peacock)
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Saturday, August 24
- 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- 1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel, Peacock), 3-6 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
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Sunday, August 25
- 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
- 12-2 p.m. (Golf Channel, Peacock), 2-6 p.m. (NBC, Peacock)
While most of the tournament's biggest moments will be broadcast on NBC and Golf Channel, to watch most of the action live, you'll need ESPN+. If you've cut the cord but don't have a Peacock subscription, NBC and Golf Channel are both also available with subscriptions to Hulu with Live TV, Fubo, and DirecTV.
The FedEx Cup Playoffs
The FedEx Cup is a season-long event. Golfers accumulate points based on their finish at every major tournament, and at the end of the season, the 70 players with the most points qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs, which consist of three tournaments:
- The FedEx St. Jude Championship, TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee (August 15 – 18)
- The BMW Championship, Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, Colorado (August 22 – 25)
- The TOUR Championship, East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Georgia (August 29 – September 1)
The top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings after the St. Jude Championship move on to the BMW Championship. Then the top 30 after that move on to the Tour Championship.
The Importance of the BMW Championship
The BMW Championship is crucial for golfers hoping to make a run at the FedEx Cup. The winner of the BMW Championship receives 2,000 FedEx Cup points, which is a significant boost to their total.
It's also a great opportunity for golfers to improve their position in the standings and secure a spot in the Tour Championship, where the top prize is $25 million.
Who to Watch at the BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, and Hideki Matsuyama are all in contention to win the FedEx Cup. They are the top three in the FedEx Cup standings, and they're all playing at a very high level.
Here are a few other golfers to watch:
- Rory McIlroy: McIlroy is a four-time major champion and is always a threat to win. He's currently fifth in the FedEx Cup standings.
- Collin Morikawa: Morikawa is a two-time major champion and is one of the best young golfers in the world. He's currently fourth in the FedEx Cup standings.
- Wyndham Clark: Clark is having a breakout season and is currently sixth in the FedEx Cup standings.
Matsuyama's Chick-Fil-A Obsession
He doesn't let his guard down for much and certainly doesn't speak to the media in his second language. But for Chick-Fil-A chicken, even the coolest customer on tour lost his head.
Hideki will be headed to the Mile High City on Monday for the BMW Championship, sitting third in the FedEx Cup standings following Sunday's big win. He still has a lot of ground to make up on Xander Schauffele and leader Scottie Scheffler, but with the power of that legendary Chick-Fil-A sauce coursing through his veins, anything is possible.
The Road to the Tour Championship
The BMW Championship is the last chance for golfers to make a big move in the FedEx Cup standings. After the BMW Championship, the top 30 golfers in the standings will advance to the Tour Championship, where the FedEx Cup champion will be crowned.
The Tour Championship is a unique event in that the scoring is adjusted based on the players' positions in the FedEx Cup standings. The golfer who is first in the standings after the BMW Championship will start the Tour Championship at 10 under par. The second-place golfer will start at 8 under par, and so on.
This format makes it even more important for golfers to finish high in the FedEx Cup standings before the Tour Championship begins.
A Big Finish
The FedEx Cup Playoffs are a thrilling event, and the BMW Championship is sure to be a dramatic one. Be sure to tune in to see who will emerge as the champion.
