FedEx Cup Playoffs Format Remains Faulty - Understanding Its Purpose and Shortcomings
The world of golf is abuzz with discussions about the upcoming changes to the FedEx Cup Playoffs format. The new rules, set to be implemented in 2025, aim to create a more level playing field and enhance the overall excitement of the tournament.
Last year, the individual $18m title on the LIV Golf could only be won by Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann. This year, it seems that the FedEx Cup Playoffs is taking a leaf from LIV Golf's book, with the proposed move to an equal start for all finalists at the Tour Championship. This change means that the Tour Championship will be decided purely by strokes over four rounds, similar to a standard PGA Tour event.
In the current FedEx Cup Playoffs format, players' positions in the standings are converted into starting stroke advantages, a system that heavily favoured players with the highest points entering the event. However, the new 2025 format drops this staggered stroke start, making the competition more straightforward for spectators and arguably fairer for players starting further behind.
The top 30 players will make it to East Lake for the Tour Championship, and the man in 30th position could potentially go on to win the 72-hole tournament and become the FedEx Cup champion. This change aligns the event more with the LIV Golf principles of fairness by allowing a direct competition without preassigned advantages derived from season points.
The FedEx Cup Playoffs feature three main events: the St. Jude Championship (70 players), the BMW Championship (50 players), and the Tour Championship (30 players). The first two events quadruple the usual FedEx Cup points available to intensify competition. Players accumulate points in the regular season and playoffs, with top players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy traditionally leading.
Scottie Scheffler, currently with a significant lead in the FedEx Cup standings, has already been awarded $18m from the FedEx Cup standings and Comcast Business Tour Top 10. Rory McIlroy, on the other hand, is currently 2nd in the standings and only needs to finish inside the top 30 prior to the Tour Championship to secure his spot. However, he is skipping the FedEx St Jude Championship, causing concern among some, such as Peter Malnati.
The writer has also suggested increasing the points awarded to the winner of regular tournaments from 500 to 750 points. This change would further intensify competition in the regular season, making every tournament more significant.
However, there are questions about the purpose of the FedEx Cup. Some suggest it may be more of an end-of-year silly season rather than crowning the PGA Tour's best player of the year. The writer questions the need for a system that rewards players based on points accumulated throughout the season, rather than a straightforward competition like the LIV Golf or the proposed new Tour Championship format.
In conclusion, the proposed changes to the FedEx Cup Playoffs are a step towards fairness and excitement. By removing the previous staggered starting strokes at the Tour Championship, the event becomes more transparent and open, aligning it more with models like LIV Golf that avoid starting advantages based on prior standings. This change, along with potential adjustments to regular tournament points and the structure of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, could revolutionise the world of golf.
- The changes to the FedEx Cup Playoffs format in 2025, including an equal start for all finalists at the Tour Championship, seems to be influenced by the equal competition structure found in the LIV Golf league, such as in golf events where winning is solely dependent on strokes over four rounds.
- The proposal to increase the points awarded to the winner of regular tournaments from 500 to 750 points and the removal of the staggered stroke start at the Tour Championship closely resembles the fairness principles and straightforward competition found not only in the LIV Golf but also in the potential new Tour Championship format.
