The regular season is over.
The private jets are heading for New Jersey today.
That’s the way the world’s top players roll these days. Private aviation takes the hassle out of flying.
No lost luggage, no lost golf bags, no long layovers, no cramped seats.
Now that the strugglers are done, it’s time for the big names to duke it out for some pretty big money.
The powers-that-be at Federal Express have seen fit to fork over a princely $60 million for these guys to go after for the next three weeks.
Things get whittled down quickly. One-hundred twenty-five lucky guys will tee it up this week at Liberty National. Only 70 will move on to the BMW in two weeks at Medinah outside Chicago.
The Tour Championship gets pretty exclusive — only the top 30 need show up.
Which brings us to the world’s No. 1 and your current FedEx points leader — Brooks Koepka. Koepka got a lot of attention this season with his performances in the majors — second at The Masters, second at the U.S. Open, T4 at The Open Championship and yes, repeat winner at the PGA. That would be a pretty good career for most.
Then he hammered Rory McIlroy two weeks at the WGC-St. Jude, just for good measure and comes into this latest version of the playoffs as the best player on tour.
Koepka is good, really good, especially when he wants to be. When he’s motivated, then he gets really, really good, so good that he’s extremely tough to beat.
He’s also very quirky.
He’s been pretty bold with his declaration that majors are easier to win than most tournaments. Bold yes, but he backs it up — and when you back it up — that ain’t braggin’.
He’s steadily building a Hall Of Fame resume. To date — four majors, another three regular PGA Tour wins, including that first WGC gem in Memphis and one regular season European Tour win.
Next step? A FedEx Cup, of course.
Brooks is no doubt aware that this year, the winner’s share is a whopping $15 million — thank-you Federal Express. No doubt that gets Koepka’s attention so maybe, just maybe, he might shift into his “major championship mode.”
Liberty National is an okay site, nothing historic, nothing special, great views of New York City.
Ah, but Medinah, yes historic Medinah, a great major venue where Tiger Woods won two of his PGA championships. Medinah just might be Koepka’s cup of tea.
These playoffs are basically a new season, the PGA Tour has stacked the deck to see to that.
Players get 500 FedEx points for a regular season win. Winner of a playoff event gets 2,000 points. Yes, you read that right — 2,000 points — four times what a regular season win was worth.
And when those final 30 head to East Lake, it gets totally berserk.
The points leader becomes a 10-handicapper. Why? If you’re No. 1 in the points going into East Lake, you start those 72 holes at 10-under par.
Can you imagine the futility for the rest if Brooks Koepka starts a tournament at 10-under par?
Close up the concessions and send everyone home.
That just wouldn’t be fair, would it?
4 Comments
baxter cepeda
If Brooks does not play well, it won’t be because he does not care.
Let’s remember it’s still pretty difficult to win against any pro field, much less these fields. This week will be the toughest but It will get easier as the “playoff” field drops.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some top golfers are more focused on 15$ million bonuses than grand slams these days. I mean these are professionals, amateurs play for trophies.
I’ve always argued the PGA tours points systems and still feel the same way. But if they are still using a points system in the playoffs it should be a lot more points than regular events; so a 4-1 ration works for me. Heck make it 6-1. 10-1. The more the better.
As for the head start at East Lake, has Mr Jones, rolled over yet?
The only silver lining with this latest nonsense is that the commissioner uses the word “evolution” with the “playoffs”.
So maybe we can evolve past this latest nonsense quickly.
Mr Monahan, we want a real playoff already. Most people have been patiently waiting…I have not.
Hopefully after this latest silly conclusion to the season, fans will really start demanding an end to this nonsense.
Play-off already!
Tom Edrington
Amen to all of that, thanks Baxter!
RM
“Can you imagine the futility for the rest if Brooks Koepka starts a tournament at 10-under par?”
I get the rationale for the format but am not a fan for just what you expressed. Sure, it likely won’t play out that way, but I just have a negative gut feel about players starting out ahead of one another when they show up for the weekend. I would rather see Brooks duke it out even steven over whoever, as opposed to having the drama be, “Can so and so hold on to that 3 stroke edge over the rest of the field?”, etc.
Also sort of adds to the current confusion for fans over the who, when, how of qualifying, imho.. .
Guess that mindset is why I am one of those traditionalist guys who isn’t an advocate of the NL getting rid of the DH in baseball.
Tom Edrington
It’s not the club member-guest so the tour shouldn’t be “flighting” this thing, which is basically what they’re doing.