Some Players Warming to PGA Tour 1 in 4 Rule

Rex Hoggard has a look at the players' meeting that happened on Tuesday at Torrey Pines.  Lance Barrow of CBS Sports (and former 19th Hole guest) was the keynote speaker.  He emphasized the calls from Tim Finchem to really interact with fans and sponsors more.

Hoggard has a good summary of the meeting:

The Cliff’s Notes version of Tuesday’s meeting were these: forget the long-term contracts with television and many sponsors. Consider 2009 a “contract year” which means that these guys are not only good, as the Tour tag line says, but they are good corporate partners.
 
“(Finchem) just doesn’t want us to do anything stupid,” said one player. “Go the extra yard, make sure the sponsors feel appreciated. Make sure the fans have a good time.”

Considering what happened with Ginn and the subsequent lawsuit, the players have proof positive of this call to action.

Ted Purdy, one of the nicest guys in golf, seems to really get the message.  And he is embracing calls for the LPGA styled 1 in 4 rule.

“I would support a one-in-four rule,” said Purdy, a member of the Tour’s 15-member Players Advisory Council. “We need Tiger and we need Phil and the big names. The sponsors need them, because they are putting up the big bucks. It would be great for the Tour. Any sponsor who is entering into a three or four year deal with the Tour, he knows he’s going to get Tiger at least once. It would help negotiations in the future.”

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson came across pretty poorly after saying this:

“I think there are things we can do to show appreciation to our sponsors and really our partners,” Mickelson said. “I don’t know how (the one-in-four rule) would really affect anything. Pretty much everyone on Tour plays 18 to 20. Even Tiger averages over 18 events a year.”

In 2008, the top 180 players on the money list averaged 25.33 appearances last year.  So, he's off between 5 and 7.  The top 30 players averaged 23 appearances.

Tiger, in a league of his own, averages 18 PGA Tour starts over his last five seasons excluding 2008.

Purdy acknowledged that this rule shouldn't be crafted just to get Tiger to move around the schedule.  He's right.  But, if you take a look at who is doing the best - the top 30 - and everyone else, there is a two event difference.  Spread among 30 players, having each one play two more events per year would boost fields and give the Tour a much better chance of retaining and attracting new sponsors.