PGA Tour Algorithm Writers Turn Their Attention To Making Fall Finish As Confusing As The FedExCup

"The Finals Series" is apparently the branding VP's stand-in name until a sponsor can be landed to prop up the Q-School replacing year-end battle between PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour players, reports Dave Shedloski in Golf World Monday.

But because this new fall finish will combine players from both tours, money lists can't be used and instead, algorithms will be in play to determine who gets their card for the following year. And we know how well those calculations have worked for the FedExCup; now they actually get to determine livelihoods!

Steve Sands, don't put your whiteboard away after East Lake!

Comments

[E]

I think this is all wrong. What is wrong with the democratic institution of Q-school? Which is a huge money grab by the way. As long as they decide to cut down the number of cards on tour from 125 to 100 or "80" and eliminate all of the other "past champion" status and crap cats (finished top 175, probably will still get 15 starts) etc., I think this all about creating a completely closed shop. Those players who believe "I can get three top tens a year and survive," of current days don't want that, and, oh, I might have to do something else to survive in the real world? I hope they decide not give up that easily on tour school, or, I guess the European Tour, Japanese Tour and the Asian Tour, are just going to get the better young players in the future. World ranking points are just going to go up somewhere else. Who is going to have the best tour then? I'm thinking it isn't going to be in the US. Is that really what Tim wants?

[E]

For a quick clarification for "Those players who believe "I can get three top tens a year and survive," of current days don't want that, and, oh, I might have to do something else to survive in the real world?

I do mean, DON'T WANT TO GIVE THAT UP.

[Wisconsin Reader]

If I understand this issue correctly - which is possible but not guaranteed - the PGA Tour looks at what they do as offering playing opportunities for as many players as possible - while maximizing the prize money and the Tour's bottom line profits. . . Golf fans are interested in watching primarily the best players competing against each other on interesting courses. . . The PGA Tour has gotten into the "developmental tour" business over the past couple of decades - it made money - gave opportunities to young players - older players who still had the dream - down on their luck "veteran" players who had lost big tour status. . . Now, if the money is drying up for the "developmental tour", the Ponte Vedra brass is trying to figure out how to maintain playing opportunities for all these diverse interest groups. . . It seems likely that the "veterans" interest group would have a lot more clout than the "potential future star" interest group. . .

[Walter]

Gravy train derailment may not be far away.

[E]

Dear WR,

Please come to Spain in November this year. Go to Second Stage ET Tour School, and watch the boys grind away at it. (I will get you a bag if you need one. Can you do the job?) This is where the real world of golf starts. All of these "boys" have the dream and think they can do it. I think the "veterans" on the US tour are just to lazy to go somewhere else and get it done. And guess what, they are lazy, and the kids are coming through. If you don't have the game anymore, you are out. Period. No pretenders anymore. And that is what is wrong with changing the qualifications in and for the US tour school. It is what it is, as Eldrick says. I like the lottery ticket chance. Show up, get it done. You get 20 starts next year. Cheers.

[GolfFan]

I feel honored that Geoff deletes me frequently