[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.