A new formula for the Tour Championship?
The source is authoritative.
The New York Times first reported the news, relaunched by the specialized media, of “advanced discussions” at the top levels of the PGA Tour regarding the modification of the playing formula of the Tour Championship.
Golf, news
The current system of “starting strokes”, introduced in 2019, provides for the attribution of advantage strokes to the thirty finalists based on the ranking (10 strokes to the leader, 8 to the second and so on).
This formula was imagined by the leaders of the Tour as a “corrective” to the fact that from 2007 to 2018 there was often a double coronation, when the winner of the Championship did not also win the FedEx Cup.
The corrective worked, given that since it was introduced the winner of the Tour Championship has also prevailed in the ranking (this year it was, it goes without saying, Scottie “catch-all” Scheffler, Editor’s note).
Over time, however, this innovation has also attracted criticism from both enthusiasts and some insiders, all of whom agree that giving so many advantage shots essentially cuts the legs off players who start from the back.
But what would this new formula consist of?
The source who spoke to the NYT, who obviously asked to remain anonymous, reported these hypotheses under analysis.
The starting point, which would seem to be shared, is the introduction of a draw with head-to-head matches.
The topics under discussion are the formula of the matches (stroke play or match play?) and the possibility of skipping draw rounds for players based on their position in the FedEx ranking.
If the discussion were to end with an agreement from all parties (the final say is up to the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council and the Tour Policy Board, Editor’s note), the new Tour Championship could already see the light of day this year, always with the best thirty in contention (but from subsequent years the field would be expanded).
It is clear that this change will also have to be well accepted by sponsors (a delicate subject) and by partners who deal with broadcasting (historically allergic to this type of format).
The rules of golf are relatively complicated compared to other sports because they are played outdoors, close to nature and animals. Respecting the rules is a basic element in the game of golf, which, almost always based on self-control and the free conscience of the players, often sees distorted results, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously or through carelessness, due to the non-observance by many players of the rules of the game. In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct, known as etiquette, which generally means playing the game with due respect for the golf course and other players. Etiquette is an essential component of this sport.
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