Finchem: Sponsors Wanted To See "A closer relationship" Between PGA Tour And Nationwide Tour

At least the Commish was honest about the reason for the convoluted, as-yet-determined PGA Tour playoff system that will replace Q-School in 2013. It was a business decision. I would have been worried if he thought this was a better way to graduate players or to sift through the 126-and-beyond players to form the strongest possible tour each year.

The transcript of Wednesday's Web.com announcement is here, if you have a few hours to read through the introductory remarks of Brown and Finchem.

The central question was asked about the new PGA Tour qualifying process, and out of it we learn that it sounds like Web.com came along only recently. And more impressively, the honest answer that this new fall finish/playoff for livelihoods was driven by the sponsors and is not necessarily what is best for feeding players to the PGA Tour. At least the Commish admitted the sponsors drove him to this.

TIM FINCHEM: I agree. I don't have much to add to that. We were way down the road before these discussions began. I think because of the things that David said, though, that going forward the way the structure will be starting next year is more of an integration with the PGA TOUR, which is kind of what prior sponsors of this TOUR have always talked about. They'd like to see a closer relationship. David saw that given the restructure, and it's something that'll be part of where this TOUR is now.

But these negotiations had little to do with the direction of the restructure. This has been going on for 16 months.

Worse, check out the options for the new PGA Tour-Web.com season ending playoff at this point, as outlined by Doug Ferguson in his story today.

In one model, the top 15 players from the Web.com Tour would start the three-tournament series with whatever money they earned that year. It would be enough money to guarantee their cards. Everyone else would start from scratch, meaning 35 cards would be up for grabs.

Make $800k on the PGA Tour playing against Tiger and Rory, and start from scratch against guys who were playing against weaker fields. Yes, that makes sense.

In the second model, the top 25 players from the Web.com Tour would be guaranteed their cards. They would join the others in the three-tournament series, with everyone starting from scratch, so only 25 cards would be at stake. The only thing the top 25 players from the Web.com Tour could lose, even if they missed every cut, would be their priority ranking for getting into tournaments.

Oh fans can really wrap their arms around that one!

Let's face it, we'll never figure this one out. And that's just the way the algorithm writers like it. Unfortunately, sports fans don't like their competitions decided by beancounters.

Steve DiMeglio includes some eye-opening comments from Web.com CEO David Brown about his business.

"But we believe that mass adoption of the internet by small businesses is happening now, so now we think it's time to strike. We looked through all the different opportunities, and we felt that the PGA Tour was the best opportunity not only to create a voice in the marketplace but to create a positive voice. That professionalism, that integrity, that dedication that is associated with PGA Tour, that's what we are, as well. And we want that to rub off on us as we build our brand in the marketplace."

I'm sorry, is it 2005 again?

And the video:

WWWW: Sell!

At least one analyst just loves the new Nationwide Tour Web.com Tour sponsor's prospects:

Wittenberg Passes On PGA Tour Spot And Wins On Nationwide Tour

Ryan Ballengee explains the terrific move by Casey Wittenberg to pass on the Travelers Championship, even though he was guranteed a spot based on this T-10 at the U.S. Open. He instead stuck to the Nationwide Tour where he is playing in hopes of earning a PGA Tour card and won this weekend's Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open by two.

Earning $108,000 for the win, Wittenberg jumped from 10th to second on the Nationwide Tour money list, all but ensuring a return to the PGA Tour in 2013. The top 25 players on the Nationwide Tour money list earn full PGA Tour status.

I wonder if a player will do that in 2013 when the Nationwide money list may not mean as much, all because of the atrocious playoff system that looms?  Assuming they ever figure it out.

Video: Nick Flanagan's Bank Shot

If you haven't seen Nick Flanagan's bank shot off the BMW chalets en route to winning last week's Nationwide event, it's been woven into last week's best shots from the PGA Tour.

There's also Phil's recovery shot from Friday at the HP Byron Nelson, a must see if you missed it.

Holed Bunker Shot Wins Stadion Classic: "I told you he'd make it."

Hudson Swafford used his local knowledge as a former Georgia golfer to win the Stadion Classic at UGA's home course. Bulldog Russell Henley won last year as an amateur.

Even better, Swafford holed out a bunker shot to win the title, and his caddie claims to have called the winning shot in this video caught by a tournament intern (just a reminder to the PGA Tour Video Police Department who might not have noticed the film is posted on an official account).

Update on 2012-05-07 01:19 by Geoff

**Another view...

“In all honesty, people thought the FedExCup was confusing. Wait until they see this."

Steve Elling sets up the impending disaster that is the PGA Tour's plan to change Q-School and create a FedExCup-lite playoff between players from the PGA and Nationwide Tours.

But for a sport long hailed as one of the most democratic in all sports, Q-school, which dates to 1965 and used to be contested twice annually as the main boulevard to the tour ranks, is about to be sold down the river in an attempt to prop up the value of the satellite Nationwide, a tour property that needs a new title sponsor after the insurance company's contract expires later this year.

The latest details of the plan were pitched to players last night in San Diego and as expected, at least one player made clear it's not going over well. Stephanie Wei quotes a player who attended the mandatory meeting.

“Not to be stagnant and not forward thinking, but things are going really, really well right now, and you just got done saying this is the best season we’ve ever had, but we need to fix it, we need to change it like there’s something wrong? I just don’t understand it.

“Right now when I tee it up on the PGA Tour, I know what I have to do on the PGA Tour to keep my card. Well, there are all these different situations that can be presented (in the new proposed format) — are you going to work hard at the FedExCup or are you going to work hard at the Money List?

There are two or three transitional periods where things are going to overlap, and I just left (the meeting) shaking my head, and I’m sure a lot of other people did, too, to the point of why are we going to do this, instead of, ‘Hey, if I finish outside the top 125, I’ve got to go to Qschool and I get an opportunity to get my card back.’”

"If you mention player meeting to the average tour player you will get eyes rolled and a sigh."

John Maginnes previews this week's PGA Tour player meeting and gives us an insider's take on what these PTA-gone-bad sessions are like.

Most of the time it seems the agenda and the inevitable hypotheticals concerning it become belabored and exhaustive. However, this meeting and the meetings the rest of the year will be as important as any since the inception of the PGA Tour playoffs. The playoffs were an easy sell - and easy to explain in the beginning. The players like it when you throw money at them. When they perceive, rightly or wrongly, that there job is going to be less secure next year than it is this year even those players who have never spoken in a player meeting will stand up and be heard.

The path to the PGA Tour is changing, that seems inevitable. This week will find out just how dramatic those changes will be.

Either way, there will be a lot of resistance.

Q-School Replacement Idea Getting Worse By The Day

Ryan Ballengee talks to Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee, who says players showing up at a Torrey Pines player meeting will get to hear the latest concept for the PGA Tour/Nationwide Tour's three-event fall finish, which is designed to help lure a Nationwide title sponsor and replace PGA Tour Q-School as an annual avenue to the tour.

Check out this:

Beginning in 2013, a total of 50 PGA Tour cards will be awarded through a three-tournament series on the Nationwide Tour schedule. Q-School will only offer status on the Nationwide Tour.

The top 75 players from the Nationwide Tour money list and the first 75 players who fail to qualify for the PGA Tour playoffs will be a part of the series. In addition, Calfee said a number of top amateurs or collegiate players could be invited to take part in the series.

“It’s kind of like our form of the FedEx Cup, in some ways,” he said.

So now they are talking sponsor's invites for college players into the series?

What's next, spots for a few of the Commissioner's favorite players outside the top 125? Former Players Champions who no longer have status?