BMW Championship 2026: Schedule, Field & Course Preview

The BMW Championship 2026 takes place from 20 to 23 August at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri. As the second event of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, it will feature the top 50 players in the FedEx Cup standings competing over four rounds for a $20 million purse. 

The tournament has no 36-hole cut, so all 50 golfers play the full 72 holes. The week’s results will determine which players (the top 30) advance to the season-ending Tour Championship. 

With a strong field, a demanding course, and only 30 places available at the TOUR Championship, the week in St. Louis should bring plenty of pressure from the opening round. 

BMW Championship 2026 Schedule and Key Details

The BMW Championship schedule runs from Thursday 20 August through Sunday 23 August, with all four competitive rounds taking place at Bellerive Country Club. 

The field was reduced from 70 to 50 after the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind. Those 50 players now move on to Bellerive, where the next target is a place inside the top 30 and qualification for the TOUR Championship at East Lake from 27 to 30 August.

There is no traditional 36-hole cut at the BMW Championship. All qualified players can compete across four rounds, with the final leaderboard deciding the tournament winner and the FedExCup standings determining which 30 players advance to East Lake.

The points system has also changed for 2026. The winner of the BMW Championship receives 750 FedExCup points, down from the 2,000 points previously available at the first two playoff events. This places more importance on performance across the full season rather than allowing one playoff result to create such a large swing in the standings.

BMW Championship Field: Who Will Play? 

The BMW Championship field is now confirmed following the FedEx St. Jude Championship, with the top 50 players in the FedExCup standings moving on to Bellerive.

Scottie Scheffler enters the week at the top of the standings after winning the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The field also includes Matt Fitzpatrick, Cameron Young, Wyndham Clark, Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose and several other leading players.

One of the biggest moves in Memphis came from Sungjae Im. He entered the week 53rd in the standings but finished tied for fifth, moving up to 40th and earning a place at Bellerive.

At the other end of the qualification line, Matt McCarty held onto the 50th and final position. Keith Mitchell dropped from 49th to 51st, while Jordan Spieth finished 52nd in the standings, leaving both players outside the BMW Championship field.

Scheffler also arrives as the defending BMW Championship winner. He finished at 15 under par at Caves Valley in 2025 to win by two shots.

Confirmed BMW Championship 2026 Field

The next cut comes after four rounds at Bellerive, when only the top 30 in the FedExCup standings will qualify for the TOUR Championship.

BMW Championship Leaderboard and FedExCup Race

The BMW Championship leaderboard will decide more than who wins the tournament. It will also help determine which 30 players continue their season at the TOUR Championship.

Players safely inside the top 30 can focus more on challenging for the title and strengthening their position, while those around the qualification line have less room for error. A strong finish at Bellerive could move a player into the final 30, while a difficult week could bring their FedExCup run to an end.

The format at East Lake has also changed. All 30 players who qualify for the TOUR Championship will begin the tournament at even par rather than receiving a starting-strokes advantage based on their FedExCup position.

The FedExCup champion will therefore be decided by a standard 72-hole stroke-play tournament, with the lowest score over four rounds winning the season-long title.

Bellerive Country Club St. Louis: Course Preview

The biggest change for the BMW Championship 2026 is the return to Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri.

Bellerive is a par 70 layout measuring 7,448 yards for the tournament. Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the course, with Rees Jones later overseeing significant renovation work. The venue last hosted the BMW Championship in 2008, when Camilo Villegas won the tournament.

Bellerive also has a strong championship history. It hosted the PGA Championship in 1992 and 2018, as well as the 2004 U.S. Senior Open and the 2013 Senior PGA Championship.

Length will matter at Bellerive, but players will also need to control where they leave the ball. Fairway bunkers can affect the preferred landing areas, while water comes into play on several holes and can punish poor positioning.

The second hole is a good example. Renovation work opened up the hole and expanded the lake along the left side, bringing more risk into play from the tee and around the green. Water also creates another challenge around the putting surface on the third.

The renovation work reshaped fairways, rebuilt bunkers and created more defined targets around the course while keeping the main character of the original design.

That combination should reward players who can find good positions from the tee and control their approach shots into the greens. At 7,448 yards and par 70, the longer par fours could also become an important part of the test.

BMW Championship Purse and Prize Money

The BMW Championship purse is $20 million in 2026, with the winner set to receive $3.6 million. Prize money is distributed across the field, while the champion also earns 750 FedExCup points.

The points are particularly important at this stage of the season. With only 30 places available at the TOUR Championship, a strong result at Bellerive could make the difference between reaching East Lake and ending a player's FedExCup run.

How to Watch BMW Championship 2026

Fans asking how to watch BMW Championship 2026 will have several options across PGA TOUR coverage during tournament week.

ESPN has expanded its coverage of the FedExCup Playoffs for 2026. Live coverage is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern Time during the opening two rounds on Thursday and Friday, with additional coverage available through PGA TOUR LIVE.

Broadcast schedules can be updated closer to the start of the tournament, so viewers should check the PGA TOUR schedule and their local listings before each round for the latest television and streaming times.

Players and Storylines to Watch

The BMW Championship arrives just days after Scottie Scheffler strengthened his position at the top of the FedExCup standings with victory in Memphis. He now heads to Bellerive as both the FedExCup leader and the defending BMW Championship winner.

The battle around 30th place could be just as important. Rickie Fowler enters Bellerive in 30th position, meaning players immediately above and below that line will know that every place gained or lost on the leaderboard could affect qualification for East Lake.

Sungjae Im is another player worth watching after making one of the biggest moves at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He climbed from outside the top 50 to 40th, keeping his playoff run alive with a tied-fifth finish in Memphis.

There are also plenty of leading names chasing Scheffler, including Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Ludvig Åberg, Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland.

With only 30 of the 50 players advancing, the tournament should create two battles at the same time: one for the BMW Championship title and another around the TOUR Championship qualification line.

FAQs

Can fans attend the BMW Championship 2026 at Bellerive?

Yes. Fans can attend the BMW Championship at Bellerive Country Club. Spectators should check the official tournament information for ticket options, entry rules and any restrictions before travelling to the venue.

How many players are in the BMW Championship 2026?

The BMW Championship field includes 50 players. They qualified by finishing inside the top 50 of the FedExCup standings following the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

Is there a cut at the BMW Championship?

No. The BMW Championship does not have a traditional 36-hole cut. The qualified field can compete across all four rounds from Thursday through Sunday.

How many players advance from the BMW Championship to the TOUR Championship?

The top 30 players in the FedExCup standings after the BMW Championship qualify for the TOUR Championship at East Lake.

Does FedExCup position give players a starting advantage at the 2026 TOUR Championship?

No. The Starting Strokes system is no longer used. All 30 players who qualify for the 2026 TOUR Championship begin the tournament at even par, and the lowest 72-hole score determines the FedExCup champion.

Conclusion

The BMW Championship 2026 brings together the top 50 remaining players in the FedExCup Playoffs for four rounds at Bellerive Country Club.

Scheffler arrives in St. Louis as the defending champion and FedExCup leader, but the pressure will extend throughout the field. With only 30 players advancing to East Lake, every position could matter when the final round ends on Sunday.

Bellerive's length, bunkering and water hazards should provide a different challenge from Memphis as the race for the TOUR Championship reaches its final stage.