The PGA Tour is considering a format change to its Tour Championship, in response to reviews from The Athletic and The Related Press.
The Athletic first reported that Tour officers have been discussing choices for changing the present staggered-start format for its FedExCup playoff finale at East Lake with a “bracket-style occasion.” The AP later added that a number of ideas have been being mentioned, and the Tour was “leaning” towards some form of seeded match-play bracket, with potential concepts together with medal match play; stroke play main into match play; and having matches resolve the highest eight finishers.
The AP added that the Tour’s Participant Advisory Council has but to see any proposals and {that a} swap in time for the 2025 Tour Championship is unlikely.
All sources within the reviews spoke to the shops on situation of anonymity.
The Tour moved the 30-man Tour Championship to a staggered begin in 2019, rewarding the FedExCup No. 1 by letting him start the week at East Lake at 10 underneath, amongst different tiered beginning positions. Nevertheless, participant opinion has by no means been overly optimistic. The truth is, simply this previous season, Scottie Scheffler known as the format “foolish.”
Keegan Bradley was requested in regards to the reviews on Friday at Kapalua. He mentioned he’d solely simply heard in regards to the potential modifications, however he agreed changes in all probability must be made.
“I do know that the format now I believe is somewhat clunky,” Bradley mentioned. “I believe it’s somewhat unusual. There’s no proper or incorrect method. They’re making an attempt to create drama within the final occasion of the yr, and you bought guys like Scottie Scheffler who, you recognize, in the event that they don’t do one thing like that, wouldn’t should even play that week and also you win the FedExCup. So, I’m not ready, fortunately, to make these [changes], however I’m all for making an attempt to make the Tour higher.”
The revealed potential tweaks supply some promise.
Medal match play is a model of the head-to-head format the place opponents play 18 holes, after which the bottom stroke-play rating wins the match. If tied, like regular match play, the match goes to sudden demise. Medal match play is most notably used on the NCAA Division II Championship, and it is also featured within the remaining spherical of the St. Andrews Hyperlinks Collegiate, a university occasion that finishes on the Outdated Course. Think about competing on the Outdated Course, but your match ends on No. 16; medal match play ensures that each match goes to the ultimate gap, certainly an attractive facet for sponsors who buy suites round East Lake’s 18th inexperienced.
High newbie championships such because the U.S. Beginner and Western Beginner use stroke-play qualifying earlier than advancing the highest finishers to match play. This format would be sure that each participant who qualifies for East Lake sticks round for a number of days, as would a match-play format with 4 culminating matches, presumably for first, third, fifth and seventh place – and corresponding prize payouts. Normally, such matches would come on the finish of a bracket that features comfort components.
There are actually loads of choices, with the widespread thread being a head-to-head showdown for large cash on Sunday at East Lake.
“I believe that will be actually fascinating, as a result of the stress that you’d really feel on the Tour Championship, in case you’re going to win the FedExCup and win no matter amount of cash is at stake, that’s actual stress,” Bradley mentioned. “So, to look at two guys exit and play for it might be fairly cool.”
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