The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
FedEx Cup turning weird
Holder Thomas looks askance at two-shot ‘head start’ in big event
Defending champion Justin Thomas says the radical changes announced to the season-ending FedEx Cup feel “very weird”, with the points leader given a two-shot “head start” in the Tour Championship.
From 2019, the player who has the most FedEx Cup points after the BMW Championship will start the first round of the Tour Championship on a score of 10 under par.
The second-highest points earner will begin at eight under, the third ranked player at seven under and those who arrive at East Lake in Atlanta in fourth and fifth in the standings will start at six and five under respectively.
The next five players on the list will begin at four under, with scores regressing by one shot for every five players until those ranked between 26th and 30th start the event at level par.
“I think that’s something that’s very weird and going to be hard to get used to,” said Thomas ahead of this week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta.
“You could just be shot out of the tournament, really, because if you start nine or 10 back and shoot a couple over the first day your week is realistically done. That part’s a little bit of a downer but we’re just going to see how it unfolds and hopefully it turns out well.
“It’s never going to be perfect, no system in any sport is ever going to be, but it’s just hard to understand the fact that you could be starting behind someone else and still somehow win a golf tournament. It’s going to be different. I liked the way that it is now but like anything you’re just going to have to get used to it. Hopefully, it will produce a lot of great drama and a very deserving winner.”
Asked if the lack of a level playingfield for the Tour Championship went against the grain of what makes sport special, Thomas added: “I really don’t know what to say. I agree with you, I’ll just say that.”
If the new system had been in place ahead of this week’s Tour Championship, Bryson DeChambeau would begin on 10 under par, with Justin Rose eight under. Tiger Woods, who is 20th in FedEx Cup points, would start in a tie for 16th on two under.
From 2019 the player who finishes the Tour Championship with the lowest score will win the tournament and the FedEx Cup, with the first prize increased by 50% from £7.6million to £11.4m.
The overall bonus pool has increased by £19m to £45m.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “Compared to the current system, the beauty here is in the simplicity.
“Fans are very familiar with golf leaderboards in relation to par, so they will have a clear understanding of the impact every shot makes during the final run for the FedEx Cup, ultimately leading to a singular champion without conflicting story-lines.”
Under the current system, points won throughout the season are reset ahead of the Tour Championship so that all 30 players theoretically can win the FedEx Cup. However, the top five in the standings are guaranteed the overall title, irrespective of other results, by winning the Tour Championship.
Monahan also announced a new incentive program designed to reward the players who have the best regular seasons, the £7.6m Wyndham Rewards Top 10.
After the Wyndham Championship, the last tournament before the start of the FedEx Cup play-offs, the regular-season points leader will receive £1.5m.
Players who finish in the top 10 will also earn prize money, ranging from £1.1m for second place to £380,000 for 10th. The PGA of America has announced that Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland, will host eight of its championships over the next two decades, including the 2036 Ryder Cup.
As well as staging the biennial event between Europe and the United States, Congressional will play host to the 2031 US PGA, the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in 2022 and 2027 and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship in 2025 and 2033.
The PGA Professional Championship (2029) and the Junior PGA Championship (2024) will also be held on Congressional’s Blue Course – the same course on which Rory McIlroy won his first major title in the 2011 US Open.
“This partnership with Congressional Country Club and its membership is monumental in scope and stature and we are excited to showcase the range of championships and events that the PGA of America has to offer,” said PGA of America Interim chief executive John Easterbrook.
“We’re also looking forward to building a lasting relationship with the legions of knowledgeable golf fans from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
“We believe they will enjoy their time with us and marvel at the talents we will bring to Congressional in the coming years.”