We all know it.
The season-long race ends in a whimper with a handicapped start that is supposed to create a tension-filled finale - but never really has.
Be honest - your favorite (and only) memory from the Tour Championship was in 2018 when fans swarmed Tiger who didn't actually win the FEDEX Cup that year. Go figure.
It will never compete with the Majors and it needs to stop trying.
Why end with ANOTHER (though modified) 72-hole stroke play championship?
Here is my idea for a complete overhaul - which includes a long overdue integration of the LPGA:
PGA players accrue points during the season but ranking is calculated on average points per event (min 20 events) - the points allocation needs to be relative to strength of field (as opposed to current system). ie Designated events have much bigger weighting.
LPGA players accrue points as per their system.
The first two playoff events continue as normal - top 70 in first event and top 50 in second event.
After the second event - the top 20 PGA players proceed to the final playoff event. They are joined by the top 20 players from the LPGA list.
The final playoff event occurs over 3 days and is broken into 6 sessions of 9-hole strokeplay playoffs:
Players ranking on the final list will determine where they enter the draw. This ensures that highest ranked players are more likely to make it through to finals - but it is not guaranteed.
a 9 hole stroke play playoff is better than matchplay - TV producers prefer it as matches will always go the full distance and there is always that question of "will he pull a Van De Velde" even with a 2/3 shot lead.
The choice of course and routing is important here - the last 2/3 holes should have lots of swing potential.
Stroke play rewards and penalizes aggressive play in equal measure.
The format still allows a hot player to come through the field and win even if they qualified "at the back of the grid".
The inclusion of the LPGA players makes a ton of sense - infrastructure is already built out and more matches on TV means more chance for drama (even if one side is a dud). Tennis does this all year.
Day 1
Seeds 12 - 20 duking it out for a place in Day 2.
Session 1 - 9 holes (both LPGA and PGA - so 8 matches on prime time TV)
M1 13 vs 20
M2 14 vs 19
M3 15 vs 18
M4 16 vs 17
Session 2 - 9 holes
M5 9 vs Winner of M1
M6 10 vs Winner of M2
M7 11 vs Winner of M3
M8 12 vs Winner of M4
Day 2
The top seeds are slowly introduced and competition for the Semifinals commences.
Session 3 - 9 holes
M9 5 vs Winner of M8
M10 6 vs Winner of M7
M11 7 vs Winner of M6
M12 8 vs Winner of M5
Session 4 - 9 holes
M13 1 vs Winner of M12
M14 2 vs Winner of M11
M15 3 vs Winner of M10
M16 4 vs Winner of M9
Day 3
Session 5 - 9 holes
Semi-finals - PGA and LPGA
Session 6 - 9 holes
3/4 places - PGA and LPGA
FINALS - PGA and LPGA
Notes
2nd and 3rd places should be substantially rewarded (prize money) but also recognized with a podium & medal. We need to create some value and pride in being on the podium.
If we play this out over this year's FEDEX CUP - using points per event - guaranteed Quarter Finalists would have been:
and the other 12 players fighting out to play them in the quarters would have been:
Doesn't that look pretty good? Of course, the points are still skewed by weak events receiving the same points as strong fields. If this wasn't the case then its likely that Spieth and Morikawa would also qualify for the Top 20.
Ultimately a playoff is a playoff.
This format rewards season-long performance by moving up the draw and 9 holes feels like enough time to find the right winner. Of course, there is the chance that none of the top players make it to Sunday - but how different is that to them making it with nothing on the line like we've had the last few years?
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