Scott’s Fedex quandary
WITH a bizarre new format, Adam Scott feels his chances of winning the $US15 million Fedex Cup are higher but believes the “big old exhibition” is not a true measure of consistency.
Scott’s winless yet solid season has been rewarded with a first Tour Championship berth in three years, as well as a decent Fedex Cup rank of 13th for the finale.
He will start the Tour Championship with an adjusted score of three-under-par, seven shots behind Fedex Cup leader Justin Thomas.
Last week’s BMW winner Thomas will take a two-stroke lead into the start of the Tour Championship.
He will tee off on Thursday with a 10-under-par total.
The next four players on the points list will start at eightunder through five-under, respectively, while Nos. 6-10 will start at four-under.
The total will regress by one stroke every five players until those ranked 26th through 30th start at even par.
From there, the winner claims the Tour Championship and the $US15 million bonus for the Fedex Cup title.
Under the previous format, the top five points leaders could automatically win the Fedex with a Tour Championship victory.
“It is probably better for someone running mid-pack,” Scott said.
Scott boasts two runners-up among an impressive eight top-10 results from 17 events this season. He contended at the Masters, US Open and US PGA Championship, although he missed the cut at the British Open.
It is why the former world No.1 Scott is regarding his Fedex Cup result with a grain of salt.
“I think it’s taken me a long time to realise you have to take the Fedex Cup for what it is,” Scott said.
“It is a big old exhibition at the end of the year with a pot of gold at the end.
“You can play great all year and not win (the Fedex) and you can play average all year and win it.
“And you can play somewhere in between … it’s hard to know exactly what it is.”
The major criticism of the new format is that a player can shoot the lowest 72-hole score this week but not win the tournament.
However, official world ranking points will be awarded based on where a player’s scratch score would have finished.
“It’s now going to be interesting to see how the format shakes out,” Scott said.
“I’m sure someone is going to be very happy with it and I’m sure someone is going to be very disappointed with it.”
I’M SURE SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE VERY HAPPY WITH IT AND I’M SURE SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH IT ADAM SCOTT