MDF stands for...?

[Shindig]

So, there's a new cut rule for the PGA Tour this year, after many weekends last year with much more than 70 players.

The cut is still made at low 70 and ties. However, if more than 78 make the cut, they consider the next one down and see which is closer to 70 professionals making the cut. If the lower number is closer, as it was this week, those who made the cut on the number get credit for a made cut, some money, and some FedEx Cup Points, but don't play the weekend.

They're listed as "MDF" and I can't figure out, or find, what this means. The only thing I can even think of is "Made Da Field," and I don't think that's what this is.


More on the rule: http://www.pgatour.com/2008/tourname...ule/index.html

[DaveLeeNC]

So, there's a new cut rule for the PGA Tour this year, after many weekends last year with much more than 70 players.

It stands for Made Cut - Did Not Finish.

See also http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...801120358.html dave

[Ben]

MuDer F'er

[Shindig]

It stands for Made Cut - Did Not Finish.

That's awesome; thanks for the info. Does anyone know what happens if someone who does play on the weekend withdraws before the end of 72 holes? They used to get unofficial money but no FedEx Cup points, but will that happen now? It would be quite sad to have them say "wait, so if I made a bogey instead of a birdie on Friday, I'd have more FedEx Cup points now?"

[Alex B]

This is a despicable move by the PGA Tour.

Golf has always been unique in that someone who plays poorly makes nothing. We are now closer to the point where, like in most other sports, merely showing up to compete earns a paycheck.

Back in the 1930s (as recounted by golf historian James Dodson), even finishing a tournament did not result in a paycheck: in most tournaments, fewer than ten players made money for the week. Now, we have a system under which professionals who don't play the weekend still earn some money (and FedEx Cup points).

I realize this new method does not give each player a guaranteed paycheck, nor pay a greater number of players than the old system. Nevertheless, the purity of the old system, whereby one fought for each dollar until the bitter end, is gone. Players watching football on Sundays should not earn a cent.

If the PGA Tour wants to narrow the field for the weekend, they should make the cut line top 60 and ties. Or, if at all possible, have a playoff for the final spots, which would introduce the drama of qualifying into the actual season. Nothing is more dramatic than 10 guys (especially if they are local golfers, not millionaire pros) fighting for 5 spots. But even if all the playoff participants were PGA Tour card-holders, the drama would still be palpable.

Yet another example of golf's ruling administrators shifting the game in reverse...

[hawkeye]

was looking forward to seeing Tommy 2 Gloves at the weekend but he got MDF'd! at least he'll get 9k or so.

as did other favourites John Daly and Angel Cabrera.

why not just make the cut this MDF -1 ? if they don't play well enough to make the cut, why should they get cash/fedex? Well at least Tommy gets some cash this week!

[Shindig]

was looking forward to seeing Tommy 2 Gloves at the weekend but he got MDF'd! at least he'll get 9k or so.

Or why not make a Sunday cut if too many people are playing on Saturday? More than 70 make the cut? Make a top-60 cut after 54 holes. You'll see some players make a move. I think one tournament used to have 36 and 54 hole cuts, but I can't say for certain. I think it was the Colorado Stableford one.

[Craig Mac]

I was wondering when this thread would start. It seems that Tour wanted to reduce the fields without upseting players so they figured they would use the MDF system and give them some hush money and a handful of FedEx Cup points. Problem is the money these guys make depends on where they finish and MDF doesn't give them a chance to improve on that. The one thing I love about golf is that the guys make what they earn, unlike many sports where you get paid regardless, and in many cases it's way to much anyway(i.e. punter for the Patriots). But getting back on track, the emphasis in the interview from the tour was the issue of using two tees and causing a backup at the turn. Ok, well, simple solution, start earlier and let everyone tee off on the first hole, you never see the guys in last place during tv coverage anyway. I am not a fan of the new policy and feel the cut should be a definitive number and those guys play the weekend.

[Q.Q.Quillume]

It stands for Made Cut - Did Not Finish.

You are 100% correct; that's exactly what is shown on the leaderboard on

www.pgatour.com website. However, it seems that what it REALLY means is "Made Cut - Was Not Allowed To Finish." I would bet (well, if I were a betting man ) a bazillion dollars each and every pro who finished MDF would be out there playing on the weekend if given the opportunity.

[Shindig]

I would bet (well, if I were a betting man

Even John Daly seemed upset that he was told to go home and not play the rest of the tournament.

[darktone]

I can't believe John Daily did not know about this new rule as it was discussed pretty heavily at the end of last season. Other players said they got letters from the PGA tour about this new rule. I think it sucks for the players that don't get to play because of this. I guess they just want golf to better fit the TV schedule.

[iacas]

Golf has always been unique in that someone who plays poorly makes nothing. We are now closer to the point where, like in most other sports, merely showing up to compete earns a paycheck.

It's still a member tour and they still have to please the members. This rule will try to eliminate the congestion that we sometimes had on Saturdays and Sundays where a small bit of weather could throw off the entire schedule and push some rounds back to Sunday.

If the PGA Tour wants to narrow the field for the weekend, they should make the cut line top 60 and ties. Or, if at all possible, have a playoff for the final spots, which would introduce the drama of qualifying into the actual season.

I think top 60 makes sense (with playoffs!). That's 30 twosomes or about 300 minutes (five hours) of staggered tee times, or about 10 hours of golf in total on the weekend.

Yet another example of golf's ruling administrators shifting the game in reverse...

This isn't golf's ruling anything. It's the PGA Tour. Let's not confuse the USGA and the PGA Tour, both of which serve very different purposes.

I'm not saying you have confused the two, but your statement implies it. The PGA Tour sets the rules for its membership and how the tournaments behave. The USGA still sets the actual rules of the game.

Or why not make a Sunday cut if too many people are playing on Saturday? More than 70 make the cut? Make a top-60 cut after 54 holes. You'll see some players make a move. I think one tournament used to have 36 and 54 hole cuts, but I can't say for certain. I think it was the Colorado Stableford one.

That wouldn't help much at all. They'd still have to wait until Sunday sometimes for players to finish their rounds, and the Saturday round would still be large, causing the potential spill-over into Sunday.

We had a lot of rounds last year where players finished up on Sunday morning. They're trying to avoid that. Your solution wouldn't - it'd just ease the Sunday rounds a little.

Ok, well, simple solution, start earlier and let everyone tee off on the first hole, you never see the guys in last place during tv coverage anyway.

That wouldn't work. They do start just about as early as possible. If there's any bad weather, sometimes those guys you do want to see don't get to finish on Saturday.

[Bluenoser67]

Its really just a case of dealing with the symptom instead of the disease. The whole idea here is to allow play to fit into Saturday and Sunday. But the real issue is PACE OF PLAY It is painfully slow on the tour these days. Luckily for the TV fans we are not subject to the 1 to 2 minute preshot routines of the players in the fairways or the 3 to 4 minute routines on the putting green. Every once in awhile they will show the full meal deal on a player like Villegas, Furyk, Baddley, Holmes or Crane (to name only a very few) and it is painful. No wonder Sabby goes postal.

[Alex B]

It's still a member tour and they still have to please the members. This rule will try to eliminate the congestion that we sometimes had on Saturdays and Sundays where a small bit of weather could throw off the entire schedule and push some rounds back to Sunday.

Certainly true, but I don't think it pleased the 18 who got MDF'ed this week! You are correct, however, in that rounds pushed to Sunday were bad for both players and fans.

As for the USGA / PGA Tour thing, I wasn't clear enough. Apologies.

[bca42]

Like most things in life, this decision won't please everyone. There will always be someone who doesn't like the impact to them.

I'd advocate for the lower fields (60 and T), but let's see how this approach works over the whole year. It might be impacting enough.

[bca42]

I can't believe Finchem is making this move ,

It's so unlike him (and PGA) to even consider a midway change after barely 2 months.
If he continues to revert from his typical Gestapo-like ways, the guys will think he's getting soft or something.

[iacas]

I can't believe Finchem is making this

You do realize that the players on the board voted for it, right? It's not like Finchem has the final say in any of this.

Were it me - as I said on the podcast just recently - I'd just cut the guys. Nearest number to 70, period. The rest of them go home. No FedExCup points, no official or unofficial money. Want to make the cut? Play better. Who cares about the guy who ties for 70th with 19 other people?

[Guest]

Were it me - as I said on the podcast just recently - I'd just cut the guys. Nearest number to 70, period. The rest of them go home. No FedExCup points, no official or unofficial money.

That is what I thought the first time I saw it.....making the cut and not getting to play the weekend doesn't make sense to me. If they want to keep the new formula for who plays on the weekend, fine....just send the rest home and tell them they didn't make the cut.

I also agree with one of the previous posts about some sort of playoff type system to get it to the exact number of players to make the cut...but I just can't seem to figure out how they could do that. You would end up carrying that over into Saturday morning sometimes and that would just cause more problems. But, I would love to see 13 (or whoever many) out there fighting for that last couple spots to make the cut.