PGA FedEx Cup Playoffs

[mkirsh]

Not to pile on rsvman , but now that the field is set I wanted to illustrate my point.

I'll just pick on Erik van Rooyen, #27, because I've never heard of him. He's won 1 PGA event in his career, the Barracuda Championship this year. That is one of the weakest fields on tour (only 1 player in the top 50 competed) because it was at the same time as a World Golf Championship. The tour thinks so little of it that the winner only gets 300 FedEx points (vs. 500 for regular tournaments). Heck, it's even scored by that Stableford thing! In addition, Erik did not make the cut in any major this year.

You just can't have him start off the Tour Championship at the same level as a Patrick Cantlay or Jon Rahm. If he plays lights out and others stumble he can still win the season's Tour Championship, so he has a chance. But he does not have the year's body of work of many others. Your comparison to a tennis tournament is only applicable if this weekend was a match play event.

I love the way this 3-event playoff is set up. 2000 points for the winners of the 1st two events. Getting hot at the right time is important. But there is still emphasis on the season-long body of work.

Plus EVR wears joggers on the course - PGA old guard can't have that!

[Tripping William]

Per the Tweeter, PGA Commish Jay Monahan said today that yelling "Brooksy" at a PGA event could now subject a fan to expulsion. I assume one would be allowed to yell that in support of Mr. Koepka, though.

[CameronDuke]

Per the Tweeter, PGA Commish Jay Monahan said today that yelling "Brooksy" at a PGA event could now subject a fan to expulsion. I assume one would be allowed to yell that in support of Mr. Koepka, though.

You can’t write this stuff!

[rsvman]

Golfers get heckled a lot more than I think you may realize. Especially many of the stars. A guy I went to college with, Lanto Griffin, was paired with Rory McIlroy a few years ago at a PGA Tour tournament (the Traveler’s Championship) and said Rory couldn’t have been a nicer guy to him, but much of the vulgar heckling and comments Rory received from the gallery were horrible. Bryson isn’t much different than other golfers in that he gets heckled. You let people in the gallery drink beer all day and watch any sport (including golf) and they’re gonna heckle, jeer, and taunt the sport participants within the game.

Bryson has brought a lot of this on himself. Sunday on the 14th, he even called Cantlay out on camera by saying “Patrick, can you stop walking?” as Bryson was about to hit a shot. Cantlay was several feet away from Bryson walking up the fairway because he said PGA Tour officials had told the group to speed up a bit. Bryson has a history of playing pretty slow and analyzing his shots at a high level before hitting his shot. Do you think Cantlay doesn’t know golf etiquette? He doesn’t need to be told to stop walking there. That’s bush league by Bryson. Cantlay is a professional just like Bryson and knows when to walk and when not to and if he thought his walking was going to interfere with Bryson’s shot, he wouldn’t have done it. Cantlay doesn’t need Bryson policing him letting him know when and where he can walk on the golf course. Bryson was also visibly rolling his eyes on the green as Cantlay was lining up and looking over short putts.

I will admit the level of harassment Bryson catches is at times over the top. As he was walking off the course Sunday, he gave his hat to a young fan. As he was walking away, someone yelled “Way to go Brooksy!” to Bryson and Bryson told him in a rage to get the f—- out of here. I can get his rage in that particular scenario and I think it’s wrong to heckle a man who just suffered a crushing defeat as the man is just trying to get off the course and go be a human being. Some of the heckling is definitely over the top, and unoriginal. I respect Bryson and do feel bad for him at times but his actions at times are worthy of ridicule and thinking that some of his antics won’t attract attention is foolish.

Seems strange to get on somebody for asking a fellow competitor to adhere to common courtesy that I would expect from a 20-handicapper at my local muni. If anything, the blame for the incident belongs to Cantlay. Don't be walking in a fellow competitor's field of vision when he/she is about to hit a shot. Everybody knows that.

I agree that he shouldn't have said that; but I disagree as to WHY. If Cantlay had been doing the right thing, Bryson wouldn't have had to say anything. I love how, in this particular incident, it seems like the entire internet is blaming the person who got wronged, rather than the person who did the wrong thing. Makes no sense to me.

[rsvman]

Not to pile on rsvman , but now that the field is set I wanted to illustrate my point.

I'll just pick on Erik van Rooyen, #27, because I've never heard of him. He's won 1 PGA event in his career, the Barracuda Championship this year. That is one of the weakest fields on tour (only 1 player in the top 50 competed) because it was at the same time as a World Golf Championship. The tour thinks so little of it that the winner only gets 300 FedEx points (vs. 500 for regular tournaments). Heck, it's even scored by that Stableford thing! In addition, Erik did not make the cut in any major this year.

You just can't have him start off the Tour Championship at the same level as a Patrick Cantlay or Jon Rahm. If he plays lights out and others stumble he can still win the season's Tour Championship, so he has a chance. But he does not have the year's body of work of many others. Your comparison to a tennis tournament is only applicable if this weekend was a match play event.

I love the way this 3-event playoff is set up. 2000 points for the winners of the 1st two events. Getting hot at the right time is important. But there is still emphasis on the season-long body of work.

I'm sticking with my original thought on this. Getting hot at the right time is precisely what playoffs are about. Heck, the NY Giants made it to the Super Bowl one year when they had lost, I dunno, 7 or 8 games? And lost to the Redskins twice? They got hot during the playoffs and made it all the way to the Super Bowl. If they had been really crappy all year they wouldn't have made it at all. Once they are rewarded with a playoff berth, if they beat the teams in front of them, they advance. And if they advance and if they win, they win.

I think it would be exciting if Erik van Rooyen had a chance to win it without having to beat the world's best players by 12 shots, or whatever.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

You just can't have him start off the Tour Championship at the same level as a Patrick Cantlay or Jon Rahm. If he plays lights out and others stumble he can still win the season's Tour Championship, so he has a chance. But he does not have the year's body of work of many others. Your comparison to a tennis tournament is only applicable if this weekend was a match play event.

I find it super strange. It doesn't bother me - I'm not a huge golf purist - but it just seems... weird.

What if all the #1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament were spotted 16 point leads, #2 seeds were spotted 15 point leads, etc for their first round games?

Wait, as Duke fans that would be fantastic. Poor example.

Seriously though, the concept doesn't really make me upset, it's just... wholly unique in all of sports. I don't understand why they don't just lace em up and determine the best player over each long weekend like they do in every other golfing event.

[rsvman]

I find it super strange. It doesn't bother me - I'm not a huge golf purist - but it just seems... weird.

What if all the #1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament were spotted 16 point leads, #2 seeds were spotted 15 point leads, etc for their first round games?

Wait, as Duke fans that would be fantastic. Poor example.

Seriously though, the concept doesn't really make me upset, it's just... wholly unique in all of sports. I don't understand why they don't just lace em up and determine the best player over each long weekend like they do in every other golfing event.

Finally! Another soul that believes what I believe. I'm really surprised it took this long to find one.

I mean, the way they do it now, with people starting the tournament a certain number of shots under far before they have even played a single hole, although nonsensical, at least is preferable to how it was right before that change. Before that the way it worked was that they would play the tournament, somebody would win the tournament, and then they would declare the guy who finished second or third to be the winner.

When they did it that way, it was obvious that it didn't really make that much sense, and it was wholly unsatisfying and anticlimactic, so they changed it to starting the tournament with a lead before you had even played. That way at least they crown the winner the winner. But they are still doing the exact same thing; they are just couching it in another way. It is odd to me that when they did it the other way people were unhappy and complained about it. Rather than actually changing the way they do things, they just dressed the same old hog up in a prom gown. Now everybody is happy with the exact situation they were dissatisfied with before.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Finally! Another soul that believes what I believe. I'm really surprised it took this long to find one.

I mean, the way they do it now, with people starting the tournament a certain number of shots under far before they have even played a single hole, although nonsensical, at least is preferable to how it was right before that change. Before that the way it worked was that they would play the tournament, somebody would win the tournament, and then they would declare the guy who finished second or third to be the winner.

When they did it that way, it was obvious that it didn't really make that much sense, and it was wholly unsatisfying and anticlimactic, so they changed it to starting the tournament with a lead before you had even played. That way at least they crown the winner the winner. But they are still doing the exact same thing; they are just couching it in another way. It is odd to me that when they did it the other way people were unhappy and complained about it. Rather than actually changing the way they do things, they just dressed the same old hog up in a prom gown. Now everybody is happy with the exact situation they were dissatisfied with before.

I mean, I don't see it as unfair or disingenuous. It's just... a weird choice.

Why not have baseball games start off 2-0 in favor of the team with the better record? Or have the higher ranked football team begin the game at midfield? #1 ranked soccer team? Cool, you get two goalies.

Or whatever.

Why change the rules for one event?

Though, one could argue the exact opposite - it's one event, they can write their own rules.

[tbyers11]

I'm sticking with my original thought on this. Getting hot at the right time is precisely what playoffs are about. Heck, the NY Giants made it to the Super Bowl one year when they had lost, I dunno, 7 or 8 games? And lost to the Redskins twice? They got hot during the playoffs and made it all the way to the Super Bowl. If they had been really crappy all year they wouldn't have made it at all. Once they are rewarded with a playoff berth, if they beat the teams in front of them, they advance. And if they advance and if they win, they win.

I think it would be exciting if Erik van Rooyen had a chance to win it without having to beat the world's best players by 12 shots, or whatever.

But in the NFL playoffs, or Wimbledon, or the NCAA tourney the last team in doesn't have an equal chance compared to the best regular season team because of seeding. I know it is not a perfect comparison because golf (apart from match play) doesn't exactly line up with a single elimination tournament. But I think giving the best year long players a leg up over the last players in the door via a few strokes in hand is comparable.

[Tripping William]

I'm sticking with my original thought on this. Getting hot at the right time is precisely what playoffs are about. Heck, the NY Giants made it to the Super Bowl one year when they had lost, I dunno, 7 or 8 games? And lost to the Redskins twice? They got hot during the playoffs and made it all the way to the Super Bowl. If they had been really crappy all year they wouldn't have made it at all. Once they are rewarded with a playoff berth, if they beat the teams in front of them, they advance. And if they advance and if they win, they win.

I think it would be exciting if Erik van Rooyen had a chance to win it without having to beat the world's best players by 12 shots, or whatever.

How many road games did they play?

[-jk]

I mean, I don't see it as unfair or disingenuous. It's just... a weird choice.

Why not have baseball games start off 2-0 in favor of the team with the better record? Or have the higher ranked football team begin the game at midfield? #1 ranked soccer team? Cool, you get two goalies.

Or whatever.

Why change the rules for one event?

Though, one could argue the exact opposite - it's one event, they can write their own rules.

It's part of an extended completion/points system. It's not just a single event. More like the director's cup for us college fans.

-jk

[jv001]

I mean, I don't see it as unfair or disingenuous. It's just... a weird choice.

Why not have baseball games start off 2-0 in favor of the team with the better record? Or have the higher ranked football team begin the game at midfield? #1 ranked soccer team? Cool, you get two goalies.

Or whatever.

Why change the rules for one event?

Though, one could argue the exact opposite - it's one event, they can write their own rules.

Or put a runner on 2nd base to lead off extra inning games. Oh, wait. I'm with you on this discussion.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Or put a runner on 2nd base to lead off extra inning games. Oh, wait. I'm with you on this discussion.

And that's totally weird too.

[CameronDuke]

Seems strange to get on somebody for asking a fellow competitor to adhere to common courtesy that I would expect from a 20-handicapper at my local muni. If anything, the blame for the incident belongs to Cantlay. Don't be walking in a fellow competitor's field of vision when he/she is about to hit a shot. Everybody knows that.

I agree that he shouldn't have said that; but I disagree as to WHY. If Cantlay had been doing the right thing, Bryson wouldn't have had to say anything. I love how, in this particular incident, it seems like the entire internet is blaming the person who got wronged, rather than the person who did the wrong thing. Makes no sense to me.

Well, to be fair, I didn’t see what Cantlay did that drew Bryson’s ire. I read that Cantlay said he was walking up the fairway after hitting his shot because he was told by the PGA Tour rules officials to speed their group’s play up. Pace of play has become a hot topic lately and I do know Bryson has been criticized by fellow Tour players for his slow play in the past. The way Bryson turned around to address Cantlay on camera makes it hard for me to believe he was in his direct line of sight or even his peripheral vision. Maybe he heard Cantlay walking. Who knows. Regardless, he has every right to demand stillness and silence on his golf shots as does every golfer whether professional or amateur. I respect his right to want that. But going about it the way he did was uncalled for and very stuffy to me. Just stepping off his shot, staring over in Cantlay’s direction for a quick second before refocusing on his golf shot would have done the trick in my opinion.

[Tripping William]

You can’t write this stuff!

Lee Westwood & Shane Lowry with the best takes thus far:

https://twitter.com/shanelowrygolf/s...521597964?s=21

[dudog84]

Bryson just needs to go out and win this weekend if he wants to shut people up.

And I'm sorry, but comparing an individual season championship to individual competitions or team championships/tiebreakers in other sports is quite ridiculous.

[Rich]

Finally! Another soul that believes what I believe. I'm really surprised it took this long to find one.

I mean, the way they do it now, with people starting the tournament a certain number of shots under far before they have even played a single hole, although nonsensical, at least is preferable to how it was right before that change. Before that the way it worked was that they would play the tournament, somebody would win the tournament, and then they would declare the guy who finished second or third to be the winner.

When they did it that way, it was obvious that it didn't really make that much sense, and it was wholly unsatisfying and anticlimactic, so they changed it to starting the tournament with a lead before you had even played. That way at least they crown the winner the winner. But they are still doing the exact same thing; they are just couching it in another way. It is odd to me that when they did it the other way people were unhappy and complained about it. Rather than actually changing the way they do things, they just dressed the same old hog up in a prom gown. Now everybody is happy with the exact situation they were dissatisfied with before.

Based on your previous comments I would think you'd be in favor of the prior system, although I agree that system was confusing and anti-climactic. However, the prior system allowed anyone in the field to win the tournament (what you're advocating for) and also allowed for the FedEx points winner for the season to win the FedEx cup (what the rest of us are advocating for). The new system only allows for one, winner take all, making it harder for those starting at East Lake with a stroke disadvantage to even win just the tournament.

[mkirsh]

Based on your previous comments I would think you'd be in favor of the prior system, although I agree that system was confusing and anti-climactic. However, the prior system allowed anyone in the field to win the tournament (what you're advocating for) and also allowed for the FedEx points winner for the season to win the FedEx cup (what the rest of us are advocating for). The new system only allows for one, winner take all, making it harder for those starting at East Lake with a stroke disadvantage to even win just the tournament.

The alternative could be a 3 week cumulative event, with the cuts after the first 2 tournaments based on FedEx points. So instead of Cantlay starting this week at -10, he would be starting -37 (-27 at BMW plus -12 at Northern Trust); Finau would be -36 (-16 at BMW plus -20 at Northern Trust); Bryson would be -35 (-27 at BMW plus -8 at Northern Trust); Rahm -36 (-18 at each event). Would maybe give Finau and Cantlay an extra stroke off for winning in a playoff, but this could work.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

The alternative could be a 3 week cumulative event, with the cuts after the first 2 tournaments based on FedEx points. So instead of Cantlay starting this week at -10, he would be starting -37 (-27 at BMW plus -12 at Northern Trust); Finau would be -36 (-16 at BMW plus -20 at Northern Trust); Bryson would be -35 (-27 at BMW plus -8 at Northern Trust); Rahm -36 (-18 at each event). Would maybe give Finau and Cantlay an extra stroke off for winning in a playoff, but this could work.

Somehow, that would make more sense? At least, to me it feel more reasonable.

[elvis14]

The alternative could be a 3 week cumulative event, with the cuts after the first 2 tournaments based on FedEx points. So instead of Cantlay starting this week at -10, he would be starting -37 (-27 at BMW plus -12 at Northern Trust); Finau would be -36 (-16 at BMW plus -20 at Northern Trust); Bryson would be -35 (-27 at BMW plus -8 at Northern Trust); Rahm -36 (-18 at each event). Would maybe give Finau and Cantlay an extra stroke off for winning in a playoff, but this could work.

The problem with that approach is that the courses score differently. At a course that's harder to score at you'll have less of a difference in scores (winner could be -6 and tenth place could be -2). I think the winning scores last week were -27 and there were 4 guys tied for 9th at -18. That's a 9 stroke swing. So if you played great the first week (won the tournament) but finished in the top 10 the second week you'd have to pray that the course for the third week was setup for scoring or you could win again and still lose by a few strokes!