The FedExCup Playoffs, the Top 125 and Fair Play

[Yoda]

Each year, the Top 125 PGA TOUR money winners receive their 'cards', i.e, their Exempt Status, for the following year. Now, most would think that the playing field is level, with everybody competing as equals in the full schedule of events through year-end. For better or for worse, that has always been a rather naive misconception.

Just having your card does not guarantee admittance into all PGA TOUR events. In fact, the 'card' itself is good for no more than a handful. There are some 250 cards out there -- not to mention the sponsor and other special exemptions that exist at every event -- and with fields of 132, 144 and 156, some players are going to be relegated to ‘Alternate’ status.

Even this lowly status is unavailable in the richest tournaments. These admit only a limited field through qualification (e.g., the World Golf Championships) or by qualification and invitation (e.g., the Masters). This Darwinian state of affairs has long been an accepted fact of life on the PGA TOUR, a.k.a. the Land of the Meateaters. For those who complain, the retort has always been, “Play better”.

But now we have the initial qualifying field of 125 (that winnows to 30) in the four FedExCup Playoffs events. This presents a somewhat different state of affairs. Here, we supposedly have a season-ending climax that results in 30 of the field playing in The TOUR Championship to determine the FedExCup Champion. The only problem is that . . .

The season doesn’t end.

Instead, it continues into the Fall Series of five events (and $23.5 million in Official Money) that truly does end the season. It is in these final events that those struggling to remain in (or move into) the sainted Top 125 will compete to retain their cards for the next year. And this is where things get sticky.

If, for example, you’re in the top 125 and qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs, you have the opportunity to compete in up to four events that total $30 million in Official Money. Those who don't qualify get five weeks off (including the week before the TOUR Championship) during which time there is absolutely no chance to improve their ranking. In other words, you get the chance to pile up official money in up to four of the biggest-money events of the season while those outside the Top 125 in the pre-Playoffs standings can do nothing but watch. Is this fair?

Consider, for example, our LBG friend Heath Slocum, who made the Playoffs ranked #123 in Official Money (and #124 in FedExCup points). After his win at The Barclays, he now ranks #29 in Official Money (and #3 in FedExCup points!) and has wrapped up his card for the year. Now, as happy as I am for Heath, I have to wonder, is that fair to the players who barely missed the FedExCup qualifying points criteria and now have been forced to the sidelines until October 1st? Is it fair for, say, some 25 golfers just inside the Magic 125 to have such a monumental advantage (a shot at $30 'extra' million) over those who are just outside it? All for the sake of Playoffs that are truly ‘in season’ rather than ‘post season’?

Now, I’m not making any judgements here . . . just pointing out the facts of the situation. And, surely, there are other considerations and constraints. Let’s hear your opinion! Also, vote your favorite option in the poll accompanying this thread. Should be interesting.

[golfgnome]

I wish the whole "playoff" thing would be like other sports. Use whatever "season" you want to determine the top 125. After the top 125 has been determined start your "playoffs" from scratch. Every player would start at zero and a true playoff would begin. The 4 events would be used to whittle down the field until the final 30 at the Tour Championship.

Last year was a joke! Camillo won the last 2 events of the "playoffs" and did not win the FedEx Cup. The regular season is important for many things but if the Tour wants to have a "playoff" system like the other major sports then it needs to be its own season.

Correct me if I am wrong but didn't the Patriots go undefeated until the Superbowl only to lose to the Giants? Did they get the trophy or did the Giants? Were the Patriots the better team? Probably. Did they win the Superbowl? NO!

The player of the year and the FedEx champion do not need to be the same player. Start creating a real playoff system that capture peoples interest unlike last year.

[Yoda]

Good stuff, Gnome! As usual, top-flight insights from a top-flight golfer.



After four votes, each option has one advocate. No one can say I'm not an equal opportunity pollster!

[EdZ]

Thanks for pointing that out Yoda. It is an odd state by comparison to other sports.

I would vote that the playoffs should really be 'post' season. Now that said, other sports have 'wildcard' options, that this model doesn't quite allow.

Cut it at 125 and let them all play off even from that point.

Perhaps one option would be to have a pre-playoff event determine the wildcard folks. Let those around the 125 cut have an event to get in. Say the last 25 spots. All starting even at that point.

Those that have played well all season (top 100) get in and can skip that 'wildcard' event. As with other sports, those folks get the advantage of a week of rest.

Of course other sports know that whatever teams make it, the ad dollars are there. In golf, we all know that there are those players who lead to a much bigger draw (Tiger, Phil), so it would be a big risk to the TV folks to switch to a more true playoff model.

At least for the first year.

After that, you have the guys who really step up. Who make the 'wildcard' turn into the championship (Heath Slocum for example).

That excitement would be good for golf IMO.

All of that said, I am glad that there is some form of 'post season' for golf.


Now here's a twist - let some of the nationwide, club pros and college players who were top for the year get into the that wildcard event.

[alex_chung]

I think it would be a lot fairer if the Top 125 is sorted out before the 'Play Offs' that way those in the lower fringes know that they are playing the following year.
The 'Play off' money should not really make a difference to the Money List and I agree with Jeff's idea of starting from scratch when the 'Play offs' start.
Alex

[efnef]

The whole Fedex Cup/Playoffs/Fall Series is an acknowledgement that televised golf does not compete with televised football, and is an attempt to please everyone. The networks get more bang for their buck by having (hopefully) Tiger, Phil, and the other big name going head to head for 4 consecutive weeks, thus justifying the price they pay for PGA broadcast rights. The stars get to end their season (if they choose) in Atlanta and take the rest of the year off. The journeymen get 5 more chances to make the 125 and keep their cards. Yes,the big boys are eligible for these tournaments, but by and large the fields are manned by journeymen. They aren't going up against Tiger, Kenny Perry, and the other big boys for those precious top 10's and wins. The fields are much weaker, and present better opportunities for them to cash in than they would have competing against the big boys in the Playoff tournaments. If the playoff earnings were exempted from the pot that determines the top 125 standings, the fields would be a lot stronger in the Fall Finish tournaments. To use your example, let's see how many Fall Finish tournaments Heath Slocum enters now that the pressure is off. Also, of the other guys, that did finish just in the Top 125, how have they fared on the money list? Well... not so hot. They are not burying the 125-150 ranked guys, and they won't (my prediction). Maybe a few will fall between the cracks, but the current setup is probably about as close to being equitable and pleasing everyone as we can get.

[bambam]

The top 125 should be settled before the playoffs - post or in season doesn't matter much to me.

I'm not a big fan of the playoffs as they are today, and I'm not sure they could really be setup to be both fair and interesting. It's definitely better than the past, as the playoff events carry more weight this year, and those playing well now have a shot to win, even if they weren't very high on the list coming into the playoffs. The problem with playoffs in golf IMO, is that there are too many variables that determine a winner each week. Unless you're blowing people out like Brian did this year, the one or two shots that determines the winner could come from 'little' things like tee-times on Thursday and Friday or getting caught in a spot of bad weather on a couple tough holes. Simple things like that can put a guy out of a tournament, much less getting into other variables like course layouts, weather, etc... In other sports you 'earn' those intangibles through the regular season - eg. home court/field advantage.

It would be interesting if the TOUR could find a way to reward good regular season play by giving those at the top of the points list some level of control over tee times, course layouts/selection, and all those other 'little' things that could mean the difference between a top 10 finish and missing the cut.

I also think something that includes match play or team-based, Ryder Cup-style play would be an interesting addition to the tour's annual fall lineup.