USA TODAY International Edition
PGA Tour poised to try its own ‘ chase’ # nish in ’ 07
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — The PGA Tour’s plan to revamp its 2007 schedule includes ending the season in September and creating a NASCAR- style
points chase.
Beyond that, players
say, the changes being
considered as part of the new television contract have yet to be + nalized and perhaps might still include contraction.
Indications are the Tour Championship will be moved from November to September and be the culminating event in a four- tournament playoff system with a big money pool. Tournamentswould continue into October and November, but the season would effectively end in September.
“ It’s going to reward guys that are playing well,” Vijay Singh said Wednesday at the Chrysler Championship. “ The tournaments after the schedule that they’ve planned out, they’re still going to be there, it’s just that theywon’t be in the main money title run. They want some sort of + nale, and this iswhat’s happening.”
Commissioner Tim Finchem might make an announcement at next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta.
“ I think he may be close,” said Davis Love III, one of four players on the PGA Tour Policy Board who’s closely involved with negotiations. “ There are bits and pieces, and everything has to fall together. I suspect that some time in the next month he’ll announce something.”
Love said talk of cutting tournaments has been overstated. “ There will be just as many rounds of golf in ’ 07 as in ’ 06,” Love said. “ A lot of players think tournaments are going to get canceled. We’ll have just as many tournaments, just a different order.”
By creating a season-ending chase, the PGA Tour hopes to avoid competing with football for television ratings while bringing together top players like Woods, Singh and Phil Mickelson, who typically don’t play the same late- season events.
Still, players believe the tour is catering to its superstars.
“ I hear they’ll try to cut back a little more,” Billy Mayfair said. “ With sponsorships being so dif + cult this time of year with football being on, it’s hard to play this many tournaments. I hope the Tour is doing the right thing. It’s probably going to take a lot money out of some guys’ pockets, which is the toughest thing about it, but it’s probably better for the tour overall.”