Charles Schwab Cup Championship field is set, headlined by Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington

Ernie Els heads to Phoenix Country Club at No. 1 in the points.

The 36-man field for the 2024 Charles Schwab Cup Championship was made official Friday afternoon.

Ernie Els, who tied for the most wins on the circuit this season with three, comes into the PGA Tour Champions season finale No. 1 in the points. He’s been No. 1 for the last three months.

Steven Alker is second. Stephen Ames and Padraig Harrington, each with three wins, are third and fourth, with Y.E. Yang checking in at No. 5. Alker and Yang each have one win.

Charles Schwab Cup rankings

Rank Golfer Events Wins
1 Ernie Els 22 3
2 Steven Alker 21 1
3 Stephen Ames 23 3
4 Padraig Harrington 14 3
5 Y.E. Yang 26 1
6 Richard Green 25 0
7 K.J. Choi 24 1
8 Steve Stricker 12 1
9 Ricardo Gonzalez 24 1
10 Paul Broadhurst 23 2
11 Jerry Kelly 19 1
12 Stewart Cink 10 1
13 Doug Barron 18 1
14 Tim O’Neal 25 1
15 Retief Goosen 20 1
16 Thomas Bjorn 19 0
17 Darren Clarke 23 0
18 Ken Tanigawa 27 1
19 Alex Cejka 19 0
20 Rocco Mediate 18 1
21 Bob Estes 23 0
22 Bernhard Langer 15 0
23 Miguel Angel Jimenez 23 0
24 Ken Duke 26 0
25 Joe Durant 25 1
26 Tim Petrovic 25 0
27 Thongchai Jaidee 21 0
28 Greg Chalmers 19 0
29 Mark Hensby 23 0
30 Vijay Singh 21 0
31 Shane Bertsch 25 0
32 Hiroyuki Fujita 5 0
33 Rod Pampling 26 0
34 Stuart Appleby 24 0
35 Jason Caron 9 0
36 Cameron Percy 15 0

Richard Green is sixth, the highest ranking for anyone who has yet to win in 2024.

Other notables in the field include Miguel Angel Jimenez, Jerry Kelly, Bernhard Langer, Retief Goosen and Darren Clarke as well as three first-time winners making their Charles Schwab Cup Championship debut: Ricardo Gonzalez, Stewart Cink and Tim O’Neal.

Jason Caron, No. 35th in the points, is a full-time club pro in New York who has earned his card for the 2025 PGA Tour Champions season. He last had status on the PGA Tour in 2009.

How it works

Unlike the PGA Tour’s post-season – where the Tour Championship winner is declared the FedEx Cup champion – it’s possible to have someone win this event while someone else captures the Schwab season title.

The winner of the tournament wins the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The winner of the season-long race is the Charles Schwab Cup champion.

Only three golfers have won both in the same season:

  • Bernhard Langer: 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
  • Tom Lehman: 2012
  • Kevin Sutherland: 2017

Charles Schwab Cup Championship winners

Year Winner
2023 Steven Alker
2022
Padraig Harrington
2021 Phil Mickelson
2020
Kevin Sutherland
2019 Jeff Maggert
2018 Vijay Singh
2017
Kevin Sutherland
2016 Paul Goydos
2015 Billy Andrade
2014 Tom Pernice Jr.
2013 Fred Couples
2012 Tom Lehman
2011 Jay Don Blake
2010 John Cook
2009 John Cook
2008 Andy Bean
2007 Jim Thorpe
2006 Jim Thorpe
2005 Tom Watson
2004 Mark McNulty
2003 Jim Thorpe
2002 Tom Watson
2001 Bob Gilder
2000 Tom Watson
1999 Gary McCord
1998 Hale Irwin
1997 Gil Morgan
1996 Jay Sigel
1995 Jim Colbert
1994 Raymond Floyd
1993 Simon Hobday
1992 Raymond Floyd
1991 Mike Hill
1990 Mike Hill

Charles Schwab Cup champions

Year Name
2023 Steve Stricker
2022 Steven Alker
2020-21 Bernhard Langer
2019 Scott McCarron
2018 Bernhard Langer
2017 Kevin Sutherland
2016 Bernhard Langer
2015 Bernhard Langer
2014 Bernhard Langer
2013 Kenny Perry
2012 Tom Lehman
2011 Tom Lehman
2010 Bernhard Langer
2009 Loren Roberts
2008 Jay Haas
2007 Loren Roberts
2006 Jay Haas
2005 Tom Watson
2004 Hale Irwin
2003 Tom Watson
2002 Hale Irwin
2001 Allen Doyle

Because of his regular-season dominance a year ago, Stricker won the season-long title without having to enter any of the three postseason events.