The conclusion to another fantastic season on the PGA Tour goes down this week in Atlanta as the 2026 FedEx Cup Playoffs wrap with the final leg held at East Lake Golf Club. A massive $10 million winner’s share is on the line for whoever finishes atop the leaderboard at the 2026 Tour Championship, though, unlike last year when Scottie Scheffler was a heavy favorite, no individual enters the Tour Championship as the expected victor.Scheffler will be looking to become the third multi-time FedEx Cup champion, joining Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, while picking up his third win of the season and potentially clinching another PGA Tour Player of the Year award. McIlroy’s up-and-down season has continued in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and he could claim a record fourth crown this week in Atlanta.Meanwhile, Matt Fitzpatrick, Chris Gotterup and Wyndham Clark will continue competing with Scheffler for the year-end honor. Each has won three times on the PGA Tour this season, and any of the three has an opportunity to break the tie to stand atop the circuit as the most successful player of 2026.Even if one does not lift the FedEx Cup at the end of the Tour Championship, there are still eight other seven-figure paydays available. Second place will earn $5 million while eighth will bring in a shade over $1 million for playing the final 72 holes of the season. Golfers will be able to add to their massive totals from the season even if they don’t come out on top.
Will the Tour Championship ultimately come down to Scheffler, McIlroy or the field? Could Tommy Fleetwood bounce back from another winless regular season and become the first to go back-to-back at the Tour Championship? Our CBS Sports experts debate exactly that below. Let’s take a look at a full set of Tour Championship picks and predictions as we attempt to project who will win — and what will happen — at the final PGA Tour event of 2026. 2026 Tour Championship picksOdds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Patrick McDonald
Winner — Patrick Cantlay (16-1): With all the fanfare around Fleetwood, most forget that Cantlay was right by his side in last year’s final round. The 2021 FedEx Cup champion has not won a tournament in over four years, but this is the time of year that grabs his attention with his game peaking at precisely the right moment. Over the last three months, he ranks third in this field in strokes gained tee to green and second in iron play. The question is whether he can make enough putts.
Sleeper — Adam Scott (44-1): One of those players to miss the postseason in 2025 and make his way to the Tour Championship this year. The Australian has shown consistent output throughout the season with both of his top-five finishes coming in signature events. Scott arrives with three straight top-16 finishes, buoyed by elite ball-striking numbers. The broomstick has been brushing them consistently for the last month or so, too.
Favorite who definitely won’t win — Cameron Young (16-1): He seemed as if he could not miss in the middle stretch of the season, and now it appears as if he cannot make anything of substance. The Players Championship winner has grown frustrated on the greens, and that frustration appears to have bled into the rest of his game. Young has not had the best postseason up to this point, and that won’t change at the Tour Championship.
Surprise prediction — Both Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler play well: It may not seem that surprising when reported aloud, but when was the last time both of them had late tee times over the weekend at the same golf tournament? The Masters? For being the top two players in the world, the two rarely have their A-games at the same time. They’ll both finish the season in stride, given Scheffler’s form and McIlroy’s affinity for East Lake.
Robby Kalland
Winner — Sam Burns (16-1): Sticking with my pre-playoffs pick here and rolling with Burns to get his first win of the year in Atlanta. He had an off week at the BMW Championship but looked great in Memphis, and given the way he’s hitting it this year, combined with his putting, it would feel wrong for him not to get into the winner’s circle by season’s end.
Sleeper — Russell Henley (30-1): Last year’s runner-up to Fleetwood, Henley has had a fairly quiet 2026 while still putting together a quality season. He’s comfortable back in Georgia and knows how to get it around East Lake and score well. Look for him to be on that first page of the leaderboard on the weekend with some of the other top stars.
Favorite who definitely won’t win — Xander Schauffele (12-1): Schauffele’s record at the Tour Championship is spectacular, and he’s had a really solid season but has just not been quite sharp enough to get a win. He’s been too prone to mistakes that have cost him the chance to win all season, and while he might contend, that trend will continue in Atlanta.
Surprise prediction — Scheffler or McIlroy will finish outside the top 10: It’s seemingly a rule that one of the top two players in the world must struggle when they’re in the same field. That’s been especially true in the playoffs with McIlroy spraying it around Memphis while Scheffler won, and then last week, it was Scheffler having a rough go early as he dealt with hand, foot and mouth disease, while McIlroy finished second. Fans desperately want a proper duel between these two at some point, but that won’t happen in 2026.
Who will win the 2026 Tour Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out.
