PGA Tour Wraparound Blues Files: Early 2014-15 Edition

I’m keeping a nice scrapbook of quotes, moanings and general whining about the wraparound schedule’s start last weekend just weeks after the previous PGA Tour season ended. I’ll be matching up with those who’ve branded Tim Finchem a genius for seeking more and more with this "calendar year" nonsense, while shooting down the possibility that product over-saturation could possibly lead to fan revolt, player injuries, lousy ratings or general golf apathy. Honestly, I thought it would take a few years for the rejection to kick in, but based on social media grumbling, the over-saturation hostility may have already arrived.

And I’ll stick with my view that Finchem will ultimately be viewed as a short-sighted commissioner who put maximization of playing opportunities--for which he's incentivized to generate--at the expense of the health of the PGA Tour. So when the world questions why Commissioner Monahan isn't able to figure out how to get back the west coast and Florida swing audiences back, there will be documented reminders of what Finchem pushed as he undoubtedly is ushered into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

In the meantime, I couldn’t help but question the normally spot-on analysis from some in golf.com roundtable’s discussion of calendar year golf. They were responding to a column by Peter Kostis, who lamented the wraparound as a terrible thing because of the lack of downtime and the potential for more injuries.

VAN SICKLE: Disagree. Nobody is forcing these guys to play the old fall events and most of the top names aren't. Was it better before when Disney was the last official Tour event in early November? No. The difference is the forced late-season play of the FedEx Cup. Hey, the guys who didn't make the FedEx Cup playoffs have had two months off. They're ready to go. If the Tour gives up these seven events in six weeks, it's leaving the last three months of the calendar open -- a ripe opportunity for someone to create a rival product. Deane Beman made sure that never happened.

The guys who missed the FedExCup playoffs were in the Web.com Tour playoffs, so they've arguably had more stress the last six weeks than the stars. And then they were asked to start all over again after a couple of weeks off. That's not even enough time to do a ShotLink analysis of the season.

As Johnny Miller reminded us, the biggest stars playing last week at Silverado appeared because they were forced to be there. Ron Kroichick reports on the Turkey Eight and who has and who hasn’t fulfilled their obligation to appear at the Frys.com. Good news, Rory and Tiger have to mail in an appearance next year when the event is likely to return to Napa.

Woods and McIlroy are part of the “Turkey Eight,” players who skipped the Frys in 2012 for a cash-grab exhibition event in Turkey. PGA Tour officials granted those eight players a release, on the condition they play in the Frys once by 2015.

Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan and Lee Westwood showed up this year. Woods, McIlroy, Justin Rose, Webb Simpson and Charl Schwartzel are obligated to make an appearance next year.

“Yeah, it changes the vibe,” Miller said of Woods and McIlroy joining the field. “We’ll actually be able to advertise it, too.”

Take that...people-golfers who showed up this year!