A Brief Thank You For The FedEx Cup

Yesterday, I dug into the FedEx Cup 3.0 format - basically trying to say it still fails to meet the Rorschach Test.  In other words, if you blot the word playoff onto a piece of paper, the patient on the couch wouldn't identify FedEx Cup as the phrase that comes to mind.

For as much as players, fans, and media feel negatively - loathe, confusion, or apathy - about the format, the nine tournaments that have been played under this Playoff monker have been excellent.  Not one has been a true letdown.

Steve Stricker's win in the 1st playoff event ever was his first in six years, officially completing his comeback.  Phil Mickelson won at Deutsche Bank, then called out the Commissioner on national TV afterward.  Then Tiger got mad and won the BMW Championship and blew out the field at a weakened East Lake.

Last year was pretty interesting, too.  Vijay Singh began the assault on Sergio Garcia's confidence with a playoff win at Ridgewood.  Then, he did it again at TPC Boston by a handful over Mike Weir.  Camilo Villegas showed us a sign that he was more than just a guy in tight pants by winning in back-to-back weeks.  Even if Vijay's FedEx Cup had been decided, the tournaments were still interesting.

And this year, we were all wondering about the potential for an epic five way playoff at Liberty National.  Instead, Heath Slocum continued the running theme in '09 of guys coming out of nowhere to sneak a win.

And the reason for the great fields and events is simple.  Money.  Lots of it.  If a player makes it all the way to the Tour Championship, they have a shot at some $63 million in prize money.  That's nothing to scoff at, and the players certainly do not.

Steph Wei piggybacked on this notion yesterday and included the point about the FedEx Cup money.

Basically, the guys are playing not because they see much value in the playoffs; rather it’s just another golf tournament and there’s a bigger purse at each. And, if somehow you manage to win the FedEx Cup, then there’s a hefty prize — $10 million. 

FedEx's enormous investment in the concept has extended the life of deep field golf through September.  It practically saved three tournaments from losing some of their credibility.  The Barclays was going nowhere at Westchester, but hopefully will find a lasting home at Ridgewood.  (PLEASE!)  The former Western Open - having come off of a run being sponsored by penis pills and Golf Digest (which has ads for penis pills in it) - needed a boost.  And the Tour Championship was getting lamer and lamer in November.  Phil Mickelson was willing to skip it in order to "spend time with his family" only to go to Asia just a month later to take a seven figure appearance fee.

For as much I moan and groan about the non-playoff Playoffs, the golf they have compelled due to money, some sense of allegiance to the Tour, or another reason has been excellent.