KAPALUA, Hawaii — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan wasn’t kidding when he told PGA Tour staff during his end-of-year remarks that “everything is on the table.” This includes a potentially significant overhaul of the Tour Championship to crown the next FedEx Cup champion.
The timing of these changes and their specific details are still under review, possibly requiring approval from the PGA Tour Board of Directors.
As with most issues in golf, aligning all the players involved could prove to be the biggest challenge ahead.
Patrick Cantlay, PGA Tour board member and 2021 FedEx Cup winner, commented: “I want to see an outcome that players and fans can get behind. There have been discussions, but no concrete plans has not yet emerged.
Sources within the Tower indicated that various proposals are still under review, analyzing potential impacts on broadcasts, corporate hospitality at East Lake, and the best methods to reward top competitors. Due to the confidential nature of the discussions, the officials spoke on condition of anonymity to theAssociated Press. One insider noted that none of these ideas reached the Player Advisory Council, which became more engaged with the ongoing changes regarding player eligibility and field sizes.
“It is crucial to keep an open mind,” Cantlay added. “The format has evolved several times, and finding the right layout for such a prestigious event is essential.”
The current direction within the Tour appears to be leaning towards a knockout ranking format. Although it is often considered the purest competitive format in golf, match play can sometimes be less engaging for viewers as the field narrows. One option discussed is using stroke play to reduce the number of competitors and implementing medal matches—head-to-head stroke play—thus ensuring a full 18-hole course.
Cantlay expressed doubts about the current format, implemented in 2019 and introducing “tee shots”. In this system, the first ranked starts with 10 under par, while the last ranked starts at par. This format was originally designed to alleviate the confusion seen in the past, where one competitor won the Tour Championship while another won the FedEx Cup.
To put this into context, in 2018, Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship after a series of back surgeries, eclipsing Justin Rose’s FedEx Cup title. In 2009, Phil Mickelson took Tour Championship honors while Woods captured the FedEx Cup, leading Mickelson to make the humorous comment, “I shot 65 and he shot 70, yet it is him pocketing a check for $10 million.” His joke highlighted the conflicting narratives that the Tower wanted to avoid.
Currently, the FedEx Cup champion receives an incredible $25 million, a title held last year by Scottie Scheffler, who closed out an incredible season as the world’s best player, even though he wasn’t the best scorer over 72 holes due to his advantageous starting position. Remarkably, it was the fourth time in six years that the FedEx Cup champion had not posted the best score at East Lake.
-Adam Scott, who also sits on the Tour board, has warned against hasty changes, particularly regarding what he calls a “heritage” event, the Tour Championship, which he won in November 2006 – during the first edition of the tournament. He mentioned that the importance of the Tour Championship seemed to diminish amid the many format changes since 2007.
“It is vital for us to re-evaluate not only for player satisfaction but to ensure that this provides a worthy conclusion to the season,” Scott stressed. “Criticism has been common leading up to the event, so exploring a better format is certainly warranted.”
Drawing parallels to tournament formats in college sports, Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley called the current arrangement “clumsy.” The possibility of head-to-head competitions certainly piqued his interest.
“The pressure felt at the Tour Championship is tremendous. Seeing two competitors battle it out for the FedEx Cup under that pressure would be truly captivating,” Bradley noted.
Scott and Collin Morikawa argued that ranking in golf notably differs from other sports like tennis, since results on the golf course can be unpredictable over 18 holes.
“The skill gap isn’t as wide as it might seem, so the top ranked isn’t guaranteed to win easily against the 55th,” Scott argued.
Scott further suggested that a traditional event could be played earlier in the week, culminating with a select group competing for the FedEx Cup on Sunday – a concept the Tour had explored lightly before adopting the current format in 2019 .
On the other hand, Tony Finau expressed concerns about the suitability of head-to-head formats given the high stakes. “Making it a match play storyline would be risky,” he argued, “especially since we don’t regularly hold match play events. While I understand the potential for intrigue, as a player, I question its fairness Whatever the formula, the premium at stake remains monumental.
