The FedEx Cup Playoffs have officially begun as the PGA Tour enters its final leg of the 2025 season. Opening the fields on Thursday, 7th August, in Memphis, Tennessee, the playoffs will stretch for 3 weeks, airing on NBC and the Golf Channel. As the 2025 season barrels into its final decisive rounds, the spotlight shifts to the big hitters of the game. 70 players. A historic legacy. And a $10 million paycheck. The stakes are through the roof. Needless to say, the battle won’t be easy either. Marked with leaderboard-shifting shots, electric competition, and a fire to win, the playoffs are shaping up to be legendary. Here, every second matters. Rory McIlroy, standing at No. 2, will be out for the first week due to a long-planned break. Nevertheless, the thrill is on and not taking a back seat any moment soon.
But just beneath the surface lies a surprising subplot that’s hard to ignore. A handful of big-name stars, usually staples on Sunday leaderboards, are heading into golf’s most intense stretch without a single win to their name this season. Despite teeing it up week after week and contending in flashes, these pros have watched others lift the accolades while their title droughts grow longer and more glaring. As the playoffs kick off and the pressure mounts, questions swirl: Can they flip the script when it matters most? Or will 2025 be remembered as the year their games came up short?
Let’s take a look at the five big names that failed to come out on top this season.
#1: Tommy Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood‘s chase for the maiden PGA Tour win remains intact, although the hopes feel fleeting. Despite coming close to sealing the deal five times this season, Fleetwood’s inability to bridge the gap has been evident. When the Englishman finally thought he had the trophy up for grabs at the Travelers Championship, a red-hot Keegan Bradley snatched the moment.
Fleetwood’s fifth runner-up finish spoke volumes about his consistency and the lack under Sunday. Fleetwood missed just one cut across 16 events. However, the victory column has remained stubbornly empty. Currently ranked 9th in the FedExCup standings, Fleetwood remains well-positioned for a deep playoff run, though the pressure to finally secure that elusive first win has intensified.
Would that change now at the playoffs?
#2: Collin Morikawa
Through multiple caddie changes and near-wins, Collin Morikawa has yet to break the streak of his losses. For Morikawa, however, this is not only a winless streak across events; this is a winless streak across years. Following his 2024 season, in which he failed to clinch the trophy, 2025 marks his second year, and the titles don’t seem to be in his favor.
Morikawa finished runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama at The Sentry and looked like the man to beat during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational—until Russell Henley crashed the party. Add in a close call at the Memorial Tournament behind Scheffler again, and Morikawa has been knocking loudly on the winner’s door. His 2025 PGA Tour season has truly been one of heartbreaks and quiet comebacks.
#3: Xander Schauffele
Fans saw Schauffele get toe-to-toe with Scottie Scheffler for the Player of the Year honors last year. Without a doubt, the expectations for him this year were sky high, following his two title wins last year. However, golf has a cruel way of flipping the script. Earlier this season, a rib injury derailed his momentum, while the aftershocks continued far longer than others anticipated. Quite naturally, his spot on the leaderboard has seen a consistent dip. Although he finished Top-10 three times so far this year, he had no real Sunday charges, adding context to his winless season.
Now, as the FedExCup Playoffs tee off, the Olympic gold medalist finds himself in unfamiliar territory. He’s fighting just to make it to East Lake. A spot at the Tour Championship, once a given, is now in serious jeopardy for the first time in his career.
#4: Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm has been a pillar of consistency once again in the LIV Golf League, posting top-10 finishes in nearly every start this season. But unlike 2024, when he grabbed two wins on his way to the Individual Championship, the Spaniard has yet to get over the line in 2025. His steady form hasn’t translated into silverware, and the wait for a first PGA Tour win of the year continues to drag on.
It’s been a similar tale at the Majors. Rahm showed flashes of his best, including a T14 at Augusta, a T28 at the PGA Championship, and a T7 at the U.S. Open. But none of those runs ended with a trophy. Can he end this streak?
#5: Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay hasn’t lifted a trophy since 2022, and that drought is starting to cost him. Known for his steady game and calm under pressure, he’s long been considered a lock for Team USA. But with the 2025 season nearing its final stretch, even his Ryder Cup place is now in serious doubt. What once seemed automatic is suddenly uncertain, and Cantlay is running out of chances to remind the world of his winning pedigree.
His best result this year is a T4 at the Truist Championship. A couple of T5s have kept him barely inside the FedExCup top 30. But he’s hovering near the Tour Championship cut line. A win would change everything—but so far, it just hasn’t come.
As the FedExCup Playoffs get underway, these five stars find themselves at a critical crossroads. Each has shown flashes of brilliance in 2025, but none has managed to break through with a win. With titles, playoff spots, and Ryder Cup berths all hanging in the balance, the pressure is on. For these big names, the time to deliver is now.
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