Has The PGA Fixed The FedEx Cup And Do Golfers Care?

Heading towards the Tour Championship, 5 players are in contention and actually have a legitimate chance to win the Cup with a victory at The Tour Championship.  So unlike last years’ embarrassing runaway, the 2009 version of this playoff actually has a little excitement.  So has Tim Finchem and his crew finally figured it out and are golfers excited about it?

Well, I will be the first one to admit that this year has been the best one so far as far as keeping golfers interested to some degree.  But I’m still not convinced that golfers, that is the majority of all golfers, really care about this playoff format.  I know that for me personally, once the majors were finished, I didn’t start jumping up and down in anticipation of the FedEx playoffs.  Maybe I’m just too old school.

I guess, for me, I would say normally a lot of my opinion on whether the PGA has the right formula would depend on the outcome of The Tour Championship.  But I don’t think that this is a normal year.  Because I don’t think that Tiger is 100% back from his rehab.  If Tiger wins it, which I think that he will, to me it says that the format still isn’t right.   I mean if Tiger can skip the first tournament in Year 1 of this playoff and still win it.  And if he can win it in the only other year he participated and that is an off year for him, then the format is just not working.

Now granted, Tiger is probably the best to have ever played professional golf.  But that is part of my point.  With Tiger at the peak of his career, a format that gives him 4 tournaments of stroke play is, I believe, a gimme for him.

So, while improved, I still don’t think it’s the right approach.  And I am also not convinced that golfers are bought in.  Golfers I play with and talk to are, for the most part, not that interested in what happens with the final outcome.  And that speaks volumes to me.

Maybe I’m wrong.  And I’m looking for reasons to be wrong. Because ultimately, golf needs a spark right now.  But I’m not convinced that the FedEx Cup is that spark.  Your thoughts golf nuts?