Fedex Cup May Lead To Bigger Things

We all know that the Fedex Cup is going to get a lot of tweaking before it achieves its potential. But an article in USA Today hints that rather than incremental change, the Fedex Cup may just be the first step in a radical overhaul:

Arnold Palmer, the man largely responsible for the Tour’s growth in the 1960s, has long believed that the Tour would have to become a worldwide circuit of the best players, playing about 20 tournaments a year. The rest of the events would have to fold into what is now the Nationwide Tour. Perhaps the FedExCup is another step in that direction

That certainly would please Tiger, Phil, and the other “haves” on the tour. But I can’t imagine that the much larger number of “have nots” would be too happy. A book I read a couple of years ago called Rookie on Tour detailed the struggle of lower tier players to fill up their schedule. The system as it is is very much stacked against new blood breaking in. Reducing the number of “Big League” events would only exacerbate the problem. Further, as many current Tour players tumbled back into the “Nationwide” (or whatever it would be called at that point), it would start a domino effect that in the end will toss a good many out of tournament golf.

And THAT, I think ultimately hurts the sport. Golf needs new blood—in fact, it desperately needs new blood. Tiger, Phil, and the current big names aren’t going to play forever. The PGA can’t afford to become their private playground.

Another change that the article hints at is a changing lineup of tournaments. No problem there that I can see.

And finally, there’s the suggestion that the Fedex Cup might actually lead to MORE events in the future.

Good heavens. Isn’t the season long enough as it is? Golf has no chance after the pro and college football seasons begin. The “Chase For the Cup” needs to come to a close by the end of August.