The 2012 PGA Tour marked the 97th season of the main U.S. professional golf tour and the sixth edition of the FedEx Cup. The season was structured into four phases, beginning with a 37-event regular season that ran from January 5 to August 19, followed by the four-tournament FedEx Cup Playoffs (August 23–September 23). After the Tour Championship, a Fall Series of four events gave players a final chance to secure their tour cards for the following year. The schedule also included three unofficial events, most notably the 2012 Ryder Cup held in Illinois, along with the CIMB Classic in Malaysia and the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. The regular season featured all four major championships and three World Golf Championships events, all of which were also sanctioned by the European Tour. The season concluded with the final FedEx Cup standings and a money list based on prize money, with awards given to the top performers.