Congrats And Enjoy Web.com Tour Grads (For One Week)!

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The worst-conceived sports calendar on the planet wrapped up Sunday with Emiliano Grillo taking the Web.com Tour Championship to earn a PGA Tour card in 2015-16.

Tim Finchem's brainchild of finishing the season in October and starting it again in October, as $upported by his employers (the players), now has a week off. That's before the madness begins at the Frys.com Open, where the newest members of the PGA Tour would be wise to appear, even if they've played something like 11 of the last 13 weeks.

"I've played 11 tournaments in 13 weeks and I'm tired," Tom Gillis said Friday after withdrawing midway through the Web.com Tour Championship. "I want to see my family. I'll be back for the tournament in Jackson (Mississippi)."

Gillis, who lost to Jordan Spieth in the John Deere Classic playoff, did not have to complete the Web.com Tour Championship to ensure his 2015-16 card. Nonetheless, when players are burning out and being asked to turn around and start all over again, or pulling out of the playoff championship, is this really a quality product being put out by the PGA Tour?

Not that emotion was lacking, as John Strege noted, but compared to the annual event that was Q-School, the Web.com Tour Championship is not really coming close to registering.

BTW the 50 who are..."slotted in the Web.com Tour eligibility ranking (1-50)":

Remember, instead of a natural January to October calendar, the PGA Tour went to this calendar-year debac;e to supposedly save the four fall events, none of which will be seen by more people than before when they were off-the-radar tour events. As we head into a cramped 2016 calendar, it's worth remembering that the only reason to have gone to this model is for the enrichment of players and executives. Nothing about it makes sense if making the PGA Tour a better viewing "product" is the goal.

The $10 Million Question: What To Make Of Rory's Honesty

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Judging by your comments, Rory McIlroy's pre-Tour Championship comments didn't do himself any favors, as James Corrigan wrote in his Telegraph item on the eye-opening $10 million remarks.

Bob Harig tried to decipher McIlroy's post-round one statement in light of the comments and examines the modern player's mindset. I'm not sure if he's convinces those of us wondering if this is that strange moment when fans sense there is simply too much wealth at the pro level.

McIlroy's comments after an opening 66 at East Lake.

Q. Yesterday, you were asked that question about playing for the 10 million dollars, all that, and I'm curious, when you turned pro you were so young, did you ever think about the money then when you were playing? And if so, was it important to get past that to be successful?

RORY MCILROY: No, money's never motivated me. It's never been a motivating factor in my life. My dad and mom together probably earned I don't know, 40, 50 grand a year. Combined. That was sort of our household income.

So it was never really a motivating factor to me because we never had that much to begin with. So, I probably don't -- I mean starting off, I started earning money at 18 years old and earning quite a lot, so I probably don't appreciate the value of money like some other people do. It's just never been that important to me. It's nice, it's nice to have it. It's nice to have that security for your future and for your family's future, I guess. But if I wanted to get into golf for the money, I would be in it for the wrong reasons.

Now, you could say this is wildly hilarious, full-fledged LOL talk coming from someone who took his former agent to trial over...money, money and more money. 

Ok I'll say it: he made me laugh very hard.

But once the laughter dies, I'm more fascinated by what kind of moment this could be for the pro game if his claims had gained news traction (they haven't).

Golf's appeal to some, in part, is having athletes who start from scratch every year. They're humble. The game keeps them in touch with some semblance of sanity. While they may have free clubs galore, private jets and courtesy cars, the game still keeps them in line.

Could having a golfer or golfers regularly suggest that $10 million does not mean much to them change that attractiveness?

"Like a Labor Day party guest who lingers a few weeks too long, the playoffs are still here."

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As golf's playoffs re-appear with a thud after a week off, playoff supporter Jason Sobel says at ESPN.com that one last major tweak is needed: a Labor Day ending.

Unfortunately, if Tim Finchem stays on as Commissioner past next year, such a revision seems unlikely merely because unlike his peers at the NFL, Finchem is about what's best for his image and bonuses, not the common sense fan perspective.

Sobel with the backstory:

It all dates back to a rare miscalculation from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who theorized nearly a decade ago that the playoffs would coexist in football's domain without any real issues.

"This is not just an event that's scheduled out there as an island into football," he said at the time. "This is a series of events that starts before football, runs two weeks pre-NFL, runs two weeks into NFL, is all tied together. ... I think it's like a growing tide during the course of the year; it will carry us in and have really solid ratings. We'll get nicked if it's a huge football game, but ... I feel very bullish about it."

The real head-scratcher is there is a fairly simple solution to this problem.

Think about it: With minimal tweaking, the playoffs could finish on Labor Day, perhaps on the West Coast, offering so many fans a primetime finale not just to the season, but the summer. If the hushed hum of golf telecasts resonates as one of the season's traditional sounds, then the last one should signify a conclusion to this time period, a gentle whisper that it's time to go back to school, back to work and, yes, back to the fantasy football draft room.

Pelley's First Move: No Euro Tour Sanctioning Of WGC Bridgestone

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New European Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley is off and running at headquarters in a move somewhat expected but still refreshing to see in the swiftness of the decision/announcement: pulling European Tour sanctioning of the 2016 WGC Bridgestone because the Olympic-year edition conflicts with the Alstom Open de France (the French).

The event is one of the tour's oldest and most important, as it leads into The Open and is played at the 2018 Ryder Cup site, Le Golf National.

Here is the full release. From the text:

“The Alstom Open de France has been a staple on our Tour since 1972 and we are confident that next year’s event, with an increased prize fund alongside the current renovations to the golf course, will properly reflect the importance of the tournament alongside the 100th anniversary celebrations.”

The WGC Bridgestone moves to June 27-July 3rd in 2016 due to the Olympic Games in Rio's schedule-wreaking havoc.