ATLANTA – It’s been a decade and a half since the PGA Tour broke mold with their version of playoff golf, but if a cursory survey of players over the past few days is any indication that there is still much to be done .
« Honestly, it’s not a good format, » said Patrick Cantlay, who added that it was « criminal » that Xander Schauffele failed to win the 2020 Tour Championship despite scoring the lowest score of the week .
Even Justin Thomas – who, depending on the question, was inadvertently the trigger for the latest revision of the playoff format – has his problems.
« I could have the best season of all time on the PGA Tour. I could win 15 times in one season and I could come here and something bad could happen to me if either I can’t play or if I have an injury and don’t play, I’ll be 30th in the FedExCup. said Thomas. « I think that’s not fair. I think this is something that could be tweaked or fixed somehow. ”
Historians will recall that it was Thomas at the 2017 Tour Championship who tipped the scales in favor of the current system. Thomas, who had a career season with five wins and a big championship, finished second behind Schauffele in East Lake, but won the FedExCup, just to call it a « nice consolation prize ». Kudos to Thomas’ honesty, but neither the tour nor their sponsors wanted to hear this, so it was time for more sips Player on the points list after the season with no. 1 from the week at 10 under, no. 2 at 8 under, no. 3 at 7 under all hinders the way down to numbers 26 to 30 on an even level. It’s a balance, say Tour proponents, that recognizes the seasonal aspect of the race as well as the need for some post-season volatility.
Cantlay wants better format for FedExCup playoffs
The new system also ended the always uncomfortable Sunday ceremony with two winners – a Tour Championship winner and a FedExCup champion. Instead, the current format is winner-take-all, which is the best part of the latest creation.
“I like it a lot better than the last one in the sense that you know where you are and what to do “Said Rahm on Tuesday at East Lake. « What I like is the fact that you understand what is going on and what is going to happen and who is in the lead and what to do to win, but I don’t agree with every part of the format. » p> It also created a much clearer picture for fans who have struggled for years to understand the endless parade of projections and point assignments.
Rahm has been particularly open on the subject. At his point, a player could have a historic year – multiple wins, a big championship, and unrivaled achievement – but he’s always a bad week away from relative obscurity in East Lake.
« Like me, one of the PGA Tour officials said I’m a Patriots fan and the Patriots win everything [in the regular season] and they come to the Super Bowl and they don’t win the Super Bowl, you don’t win the Lombardi Trophy, right? « said Rahm. « My answer was, they still came in second. »
Jon Rahm reiterated at the season finale that he is not a big fan of the current FedExCup playoffs.
In the two years since hit-based scoring has been used, Thomas is the best example of this, after he started week 19 as the first on the points list and only ended up in third place with 10 under par and five strokes behind the eventual champion McIlroy.
Schauffele’s misery at last year’s final is also unsuccessful contributes to the credibility of the format. He started the week at 3 under (# 14 on the scoreboard), delivered four rounds in the 60s for an adjusted total of 18 under, and lost to Dustin Johnson by three punches. Without the punch-based rating, Schauffele would have won with four strokes, which is recognized by the world rankings, which Schauffele awarded points one, but not the tour.
It is easy to recognize that the current system is anything but perfect, but the most would also admit that there is no easy answer.
« There has to be a better solution, » said Cantlay, who starts this week from pole position and 10 under. “I’m not a thought leader in golf formats and there are a lot of moving parts so I’m not saying I have the answer, there are a lot of smart people and I guarantee you that there must be an option out there for a better format than the current one we play. ”
The best and brightest on the tour have spent most of the 15 years looking for that solution, and if we’re fair it has nothing to do with a lack of effort, but with that obvious contradiction of golf as a playoff sport.
BY Rex Hoggard
FROM Golf Channel Digital
FROM Golf Channel Digital
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