The PGA Tour’s three-week-long playoffs, which kicks off Thursday in Memphis on the FedEx St. Jude Championship, continues to impress discussions concerning the format amongst prime gamers.
Some, comparable to Scottie Scheffler, don’t just like the construction of it. Scheffler even referred to as it “foolish,” including that he dislikes the notion that all of it comes all the way down to the season-ending Tour Championship, which makes use of a ‘Beginning Strokes Format.’ Beneath this format, the top-ranked participant—Scheffler in each 2022 and 2023—begins the event at 10-under-par, whereas the second-ranked participant within the FedEx Cup standings begins at 8-under. A participant’s beginning rating then continues to dwindle all the best way to even par based mostly on their rating. Gamers between twenty sixth and thirtieth start the championship at even. Everybody in between begins at numerous ranges based mostly on their standing.
After all, solely the highest 30 gamers after the BMW Championship qualify for the Tour Championship, held at East Lake in Atlanta yearly. The highest 50 make it to the BMW—the penultimate occasion—whereas the highest 70 gamers earn a spot on this week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind. Making the highest 50 carries vital weight, although, as a result of every participant who qualifies for the BMW Championship will get to e-book a ticket to all eight Signature Occasions in 2025—the 72-man tournaments with elevated purses.
However, because it pertains to the format, each Rory McIlroy and Collin Morikawa help it, thus disagreeing with the top-ranked participant on this planet.
“I like this format as a result of if it wasn’t this format, then none of us would have an opportunity in opposition to Scottie as a result of he’s to date forward,” McIlroy mentioned.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25572994/2166764109.jpg)
“So I actually like this format.”
Scheffler leads Xander Schauffele, the second-ranked participant, by almost 2,000 factors. McIlroy, who’s third, is 1,500 behind Schauffele, which exhibits how effectively Scheffler and Schauffele have performed all through 2024. Even then, Scheffler is in a tier of his personal.
In the meantime, Morikawa initially questioned this format, however he has since concluded that that is one of the best ways to finish a season.
“I feel the straightforward reply is sure. I feel with any sport, playoffs are playoffs, and typically the very best groups—a whole lot of the instances, the very best groups don’t win. What’s loopy about our sport is there’s a lot fluctuation and there’s a lot variables that you simply don’t know the way somebody goes to play. The most effective participant on this planet might have a foul week, and it’s like, ‘Man, that week mattered greater than others.’ We’ve 4 majors, you’ve gotten the playoffs, you’ve gotten The Gamers. These weeks matter extra, however typically folks have dangerous weeks. That’s form of what our playoffs are,” Morikawa defined.
“I don’t assume it’s an ideal system. I feel we’ve bought to all the way down to, guys can complain, this, that. If you happen to’re the very best and also you wish to present up, you must present up, particularly on the Tour Championship. That’s simply how issues work. There’s loads on the road, however that’s what’s so robust about our sport. It’s not such as you’re simply higher than each single particular person each single week. Any of those 70 guys this week might come out and win, and that’s what’s nice about our sport, however that’s what makes it robust to crown a title.”
Certainly, the gamers have loads on the road. Like Signature Occasions, the FedEx St. Jude and BMW Championships have $20 million purses, however the winner of the Tour Championship, and thus the FedEx Cup, will get an extra $25 million.
“I feel [the format] makes the Tour Championship extra thrilling from a shopper standpoint. Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the very best participant of the yr? Most likely not. However I feel at this level we’re not in for completely truthful, we’re in for leisure and attempting to placed on the very best product we presumably can,” McIlroy added.
“The primary yr that it was the beginning strokes at Tour Championship in 2019, I used to be capable of win that one, after which in ‘22 once more. I like this format. It kind of feels prefer it’s a little bit of a reset after the common season. Everybody isn’t fairly on a degree taking part in area, nevertheless it feels a bit extra like that.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. You should definitely take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as effectively.
