Why the FedEx Cup isn’t a playoff and how to improve it
The FedEx Cup was launched in 2007 to create a culmination to the PGA Tour season. The best players from that season would compete in a short series of ‘playoff’ events in order to work out the Tour champion (and hand out a boat load of cash).
The format has been fraught with issues since its inception.
The Cup’s inaugural year saw Tiger miss the first event and go on to win the end of season title. Vijay Singh in 2008 won the first two playoff events meaning that as long as he continued to breathe, he was assured of the title. Billy Horschel in 2014, won the whole thing when starting 69th on the points list.
Surely by now, in its 15th edition, the courier cup has delivered a better package (… I’m so sorry) of end of season delights..?
Unfortunately not. As recently as last year, Jon Rahm said “I don’t think it’s fair”, citing that if you don’t perform in the final ‘playoff’ event, then you won’t go home with the big prize.
What are the issues with the regular season
As a hardcore golf fan, I cannot make the connection between performance in the regular season and playoff standing. Each tournament distributes 500 FedEx Cup points – with the majors and a couple of elevated status events earning more and some opposite field tournaments earning less – which instantly confuses the fan as to what is “must watch” golf.
What the PGA Tour struggles with is that they have, quite impressively, sold $10+ million title sponsorship deals to 47 tournaments on their schedule. All of which they promise that some of the top guys will play, resulting in higher media ratings and happy Chief Marketing Officers.
However, the issue is that for a pro there is more incentive to play in weaker fields than the elevated status events. More competition equals a reduced likelihood of a strong performance, and therefore are events to be avoided. To summarise, playing the 3M Open and Rocket Mortgage classic will do you better than Riviera and Bay Hill.
The pros and the tour are therefore at loggerheads with their intentions for the FedEx Cup. Maximum points vs. the top guys at the top events.
Why the FedEx Cup it isn’t a playoff
In other season-long leagues that have playoffs, e.g. premiership rugby, NFL, NBA, MLB, the end of season battle is the zenith of the entire season.
Harlequins run in the 2021 playoffs will be remembered for ever, rather than the season itself.
In baseball there are far too many games, but the World Series is unmissable entertainment.
“Football season starts after thanksgiving” is Bill Belichick’s mantra regarding the regular and post-season.
NBA regular season games often lack the presence of superstars if they need to be rested for the playoffs.
In golf, the playoffs look like normal tournaments albeit with smaller fields and with no cut. There are 125 players for the FedEx St. Jude Classic, 70 for the BMW and 30 for the Tour Champs (in 2023 this is becoming 70, 50 and then 30 respectively).
If I turn on the PGA Tour in August I don’t know if it is a playoff event by look and feel. There is no jeopardy or finality, just convoluted hype through the commentary team. That’s before you get me started on the gross/net leaderboard at the Tour Championship…
How to improve it
In an era of long term broadcast and sponsorship deals it isn’t possible to do much of the below (cue the “do you not understand contracts bro?” guy on twitter), but from the comfort of my armchair this is what I would like to see.
1. Make the regular season count
Strip back the tournaments that count to the playoffs to 11: Riviera, Bay Hill, The Players, WGC match play, Memorial, the four majors and the first two playoff events.
Only these tournaments count towards the end of season order of merit. When a fan watches these, they know that they are getting the best of the best. The pros must play in them to earn FedEx Cup points.
2. Other tournaments become all about keeping their card
For the other tournaments, they still have a place in the schedule, but jack up the narrative around golfers keeping their card. The current system is so convoluted, that I have no idea who is actually going to be on the tour next year even if they are outside the coveted ‘125’.
This is primarily due to a suite of ridiculous exemption categories: major medicals, 400 starts on tour, partial status etc. etc.
Simplify this to be if you don’t play well enough, see you on the Korn Ferry Tour. A more fluid system would have seen Cameron Young and Will Zalatoris (today’s world beaters) on the scene much, much earlier.
3. Make the final playoff event match play
For the final twelve players that make it to our last playoff event, make them duel it out in knockout match play format (bottom four to have a wildcard round before QF, SF and Final).
Match play is made for television, creates rivalries and, crucially, is actually a playoff.
Whoever beats three guys is the champion. Simple.