Tour Championship should be golf's 5th Major

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

To me, because of what's at stake and having navigated the playoffs making the Top 30 players, then winning with that much money on the line is arguably one of the toughest tests in golf. For the good of the game and to draw more attention to golf's equivalent of the Super Bowl or World Series, the Tour Championship FedEx Cup champion should earn a major. You would have earned that prestige given how hard this is to win. I think that would help move the needle for viewership to the game. JMHO.

 

[Roy Munson]

$10M isn't a big enough prize?

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

$10M isn't a big enough prize?

That has nothing to do with what this thread is about. I think deeming it a major moves the needle for the overall good of the game.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

That has nothing to do with what this thread is about. I think deeming it a major moves the needle for the overall good of the game.

In my opinion a tournaments natural evolution of popularity by Players & fans alike is the only thing that can make a true major.

Lets be honest, it was killing the PGA Tour to see Baseball, Football, Basketball etc to have these immense financial windfalls for the playoffs. The Fed Ex Cup was designed to keep viewership from falling off a cliff after the last major.

I believe it has worked to a degree. I myself enjoy it.

But it's popularity, in a big way is manufactured. The players are roped into to thing regardless if they like it or not. So in that respect, The Tour Championship is far from having the right DNA to become the 5th major.

The Players Championship is the perfect model to follow for how a tournament grows up naturally, to some day become a major.



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[ATL96Steeler]

To me, because of what's at stake and having navigated the playoffs making the Top 30 players, then winning with that much money on the line is arguably one of the toughest tests in golf. For the good of the game and to draw more attention to golf's equivalent of the Super Bowl or World Series, the Tour Championship FedEx Cup champion should earn a major. You would have earned that prestige given how hard this is to win. I think that would help move the needle for viewership to the game. JMHO.

No tournament with only 30 players should ever be a major.

I do think the year long FE Cup/TOUR Championship can be raised in prestige...since it's more about the TOUR, maybe extend the TOUR exempt status to 3 or 4 yrs for winning it in addition to the check.

I still think the FECup and playoffs were good ideas, but I'm firmly in the camp of 4 majors and not diluting it.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

No tournament with only 30 players should ever be a major.

I do think the year long FE Cup/TOUR Championship can be raised in prestige...since it's more about the TOUR, maybe extend the TOUR exempt status to 3 or 4 yrs for winning it in addition to the check.

I still think the FECup and playoffs were good ideas, but I'm firmly in the camp of 4 majors and not diluting it.

The way I see though is,yeah, it’s only 30 players. But making that field is an aggregate accomplishment of advancing through the cut of 4 day tournaments 3 weeks in a row through the playoff system. So the accomplishment of advancing then beating out the 30 best players is a major accomplishment up there with winning any of the 4 majors. Just as a branding component and growing interest in the sport I thinking branding this as the ultimate 5th major would be really cool. I’m a traditionalist as well, and we’re headed in the right direction as a sport, but emphasis needs to be on elevating our regular season by awarding the playoff winner with a major tally.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The way I see though is,yeah, it’s only 30 players. But making that field is an aggregate accomplishment of advancing through the cut of 4 day tournaments 3 weeks in a row through the playoff system. So the accomplishment of advancing then beating out the 30 best players is a major accomplishment up there with winning any of the 4 majors. Just as a branding component and growing interest in the sport I thinking branding this as the ultimate 5th major would be really cool. I’m a traditionalist as well, and we’re headed in the right direction as a sport, but emphasis needs to be on elevating our regular season by awarding the playoff winner with a major tally.

Good point...the accomplishment is greater than winning any one event regardless of the one event, but from a historical standpoint I don't like making it a major.

Does Tiger now have 17 majors because he's won it twice? Is it a major effective from this day forward?...just muddying the water imo.

As mentioned earlier...this is largely a PGAT event...the Euro tour has their own version of it...they have the purse right imo and bumping up the exemption a yr or so I see as being enough to reward the winner.

 

[Hang_On_Sloopy08]

Good point...the accomplishment is greater than winning any one event regardless of the one event, but from a historical standpoint I don't like making it a major.

Does Tiger now have 17 majors because he's won it twice? Is it a major effective from this day forward?...just muddying the water imo.

As mentioned earlier...this is largely a PGAT event...the Euro tour has their own version of it...they have the purse right imo and bumping up the exemption a yr or so I see as being enough to reward the winner.

Anything to get Tiger past Jack in majors

 

[Montalban]

No tournament with only 30 players should ever be a major.

I do think the year long FE Cup/TOUR Championship can be raised in prestige...since it's more about the TOUR, maybe extend the TOUR exempt status to 3 or 4 yrs for winning it in addition to the check.

I still think the FECup and playoffs were good ideas, but I'm firmly in the camp of 4 majors and not diluting it.

Agreed.

 

[Rex Racer]

Anything to get Tiger past Jack in majors

It is my opinion that Tiger will not be a threat to win another Major anywhere but at Augusta and even that is sketchy.

 

[Montalban]

what in the hell is that white thing Koepka has stuck through the top of his left shoe? It looks like a big hat pin or something.

 

[Montalban]

It is my opinion that Tiger will not be a threat to win another Major anywhere but at Augusta and even that is sketchy.

Augusta will be his only chance if his health holds up.

 

[Ricky Roma]

The FedEx series is just a trash gimmick IMO. The point system is terrible and obviously flawed....how can Justin Thomas go into a final tournament with a lead after a previously winless season, where Koepka was third after winning the PGA, winning a WGC and finishing in the top 5 in every other major? It's ridiculous that these last three tournaments are deemed more important than the truly giant championships.....where Patrick Reed and Cantlay can win them and vault over 40 or 50 other players.

If any championship is gonna be the 5th major, it's the Players...and I don't want that at all. This cash grab championship? Not even close.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The FedEx series is just a trash gimmick IMO. The point system is terrible and obviously flawed....how can Justin Thomas go into a final tournament with a lead after a previously winless season, where Koepka was third after winning the PGA, winning a WGC and finishing in the top 5 in every other major? It's ridiculous that these last three tournaments are deemed more important than the truly giant championships.....where Patrick Reed and Cantlay can win them and vault over 40 or 50 other players.

If any championship is gonna be the 5th major, it's the Players...and I don't want that at all. This cash grab championship? Not even close.

I'm not quite as critical as you, but in a sport so steeped with history...the FedExCup has almost no history to speak of so it IS about the cash and that's all that it's about....I actually like having this season long race, but how it ends is still a work in progress.

Much like they haven't, I haven't thought it all the way through, but one thing stands out...imo if you win a major or have multiple wins during the year, that should automatically put you in the top 30.

TOUR Championship in the same location every year....as much as like it here (I've been several times, but now I'm not that excited to go down there)...I would move it around.

 

[Ricky Roma]

I'm not quite as critical as you, but in a sport so steeped with history...the FedExCup has almost no history to speak of so it IS about the cash and that's all that it's about....I actually like having this season long race, but how it ends is still a work in progress.

Much like they haven't, I haven't thought it all the way through, but one thing stands out...imo if you win a major or have multiple wins during the year, that should automatically put you in the top 30.

TOUR Championship in the same location every year....as much as like it here (I've been several times, but now I'm not that excited to go down there)...I would move it around.

It would be at least a bit more interesting if they fixed what is obviously an idiotic point system. I agree that they have to put far more emphasis on points for the Majors, and completely revamp the points totals for the last three tournaments. As it stands right now....and basically since it's inception, I have little to no interest whatsover in the FedEx race whereas I am looking forward to next years Players, and beyond.

 

[Rex Racer]

Augusta will be his only chance if his health holds up.

Augusta does not punish a wayward driver as much as the other major venues usually do and when his putter is working for him he is deadly at that course.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

It would be at least a bit more interesting if they fixed what is obviously an idiotic point system. I agree that they have to put far more emphasis on points for the Majors, and completely revamp the points totals for the last three tournaments. As it stands right now....and basically since it's inception, I have little to no interest whatsover in the FedEx race whereas I am looking forward to next years Players, and beyond.

Not to speak for you, but it's contrived, maybe that's why to don't care for it.

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the Players...it's a good test, doesn't favor any one player or style of player, but it's a golf tourney on the schedule as far as I'm concerned...nothing really special about it, should not be the 5th major...imo there should not be a 5th major.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Not to speak for you, but it's contrived, maybe that's why to don't care for it.

Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the Players...it's a good test, doesn't favor any one player or style of player, but it's a golf tourney on the schedule as far as I'm concerned...nothing really special about it, should not be the 5th major...imo there should not be a 5th major.

Reputations take so long to build ...and only a moment to shatter.
It's truly a sad day on the golf board.

I'm ordering all the flags on pins to be lowered to half mast.


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[Montalban]

The FedEx series is just a trash gimmick IMO. The point system is terrible and obviously flawed....how can Justin Thomas go into a final tournament with a lead after a previously winless season, where Koepka was third after winning the PGA, winning a WGC and finishing in the top 5 in every other major? It's ridiculous that these last three tournaments are deemed more important than the truly giant championships.....where Patrick Reed and Cantlay can win them and vault over 40 or 50 other players.

If any championship is gonna be the 5th major, it's the Players...and I don't want that at all. This cash grab championship? Not even close.

Agreed 100%. That was my question. Seemed absurd.

 

[Montalban]

Augusta does not punish a wayward driver as much as the other major venues usually do and when his putter is working for him he is deadly at that course.

And he knows that course as well as any player in the world. He just out-lasted everyone last year,. he waited for everyone to make a rookie mistake and they all did and he didn't.