Fedex Cup playoff system

[SubPar]

First off, as has been indicated, this is just a marketing ploy to hype the last few events of the season. Secondly, it can hardly be a playoff in the way they work in other sports because there are MANY individuals all playing in the same game each time. In tennis it is one player against another and a loser goes home ( or in doubles, one team). In football it is one team against another and the loser goes home. But golf isn;t played like that.

I'm sure the reason they don't do it as a series of heads up match play events is that few people would watch it if Tiger and most of the top players were knocked out early. Also, match play events can be over after ten holes. So it comes back to the revenue stream.

They change the rules each year trying to make sense of it so I'm not sure what is different this year, but last year Vijay was able to win it by finishing dead last in the final event. At a glance it looks like a string of second place finishes could win it given poor perfornace by the right players in the last event. If they have jiggered it so everyone get "restet" for the tour championship then how could only the top 5 have a chance to win it? And if they did that, does htat mean one could now win the first three and lose on the Tour Championship and lose the cup?

It's just about making money for FedEx, the tour and the networks which carry the coverage. I don't think the players care all that much about it, frankly.

SubPar

[mso1982]

If you don't like single elimination then there isn't anything I can say to change that. I think however that the NCAA tournament and NFL Playoffs are the highest rated sporting events of the year however. People like single elimination because it is frantic, exciting and everything comes down to that 1 game.

I'm not doubting that it will be exciting, I'm just saying it's not exactly fair for the leader going into the final tourney.

The leader still has a healthy advantage on those further and further behind him in the pack.

Not exactly, that was the whole point of the reset. 250 points, or even 2000 points isn't a healthy lead when the winner gets 2500.

And you do have to have a great season to make it to this round and give yourself a chance at it, don't you?

Nope. Marc Leishman, Verplank, Dufner, Na Els, Mahan Marino, Furyk(#3 seed no less).... none of these guys have won this year and even by their standards I don't think they would consider their season "great", yet they are in and guys like Wilson, Sabbatini, Moore, and Paul Casey who have all had wins and top 10's are out.

I like a good upset just as much as the next guy, but your right, there is a lot of money involved. The purse is worth more than 8 or 9 tournaments combined. Shouldn't that go to the best overall performer each season? All I'm saying is if your going to market this as a season long accomplishment, then don't undermine it with a reset.

[MX 876]

All I'm saying is if your going to market this as a season long accomplishment, then don't undermine it with a reset.

Exactly. The current system works in the PGA's best interest of making money and getting ratings, not as advertised in determining the player who had the best year. It seems like everyone agrees on the concept of a playoff being a good idea, but the point the OP was trying to make is that it's not marketed accurately, which I would agree.

[enduro]

Some kind of creative match play system would be awesome. I'd even be happy with these playoffs existing and cutting down the field for 3 week until we arrive at the top 16 players and do a 4 day match play event, single-elimination. Won't happen. I wish the PGA would bring back more match play.

[Three Putt]

They are just another normal tournament in my book. Take a top 16 or top 8 match play for the final event then you might have something.

Still....who cares? Majors is all that matters. Period.

[chicagogolf]

here's the biggest problem with this playoff; the top guy can't get knocked out...and that pretty much takes away all the excitement. in fact, there's very little risk for all the top guys. second problem, the points are too difficult to follow. 3rd problem, the PGA Tour and TV need to stop showing these playoff events as golf tournaments. if a playoff is the main focus, don't constantly show us the tournament leader board, show us the playoff leader board. 4th, a first place finish shouldn't have that much more value than a 2nd place finish, same with 2nd to third and so on. 5th, reset the points at the beginning of the playoffs (not at the tour championship) starting the top guy with the most points and the bottom guy with the least points. The points need to be set up so the top guy can mathematically get knocked out in the 2nd event. last thing, players need to be paired by their playoff standing, not their individual tournament standing, even in the final round. again, we need to look at each tournament as one part of a playoff.

i also don't agree with using a match play format. stroke play will give you a more deserving champion.

and to answer your original question, the winner of the fedex cup will likely have the most money for the year, so by that standard, he had the best season.