Golf FedEx Cup system needs change - Paul Casey in the spotlight
The last quarter of the FedEx Cup will begin today at the East Lake Golf Club, Georgia. Since the play-off at the Barclays from the 26th of August till date, The FedEx Cup has had a lot going on in its wake. From major DQs to Woods leaving the
fields, this championship has been the victim of many distractions.
If the PGA officials are looking for a smooth FedEx Cup finish, then they will have to wake up from the fantasy world. Like always, money has played its toll on the golf-players and the system monitoring his points. The last leg of the FedEx Cup is about
to see a finish that can make any person with common sense question the system’s fairness. Paul Casey, under these wavering circumstances, is directly involved.
The problem isn’t Paul Casey or his focus on winning, the problem is his bonus. The flaw here is that, Paul Casey will win the dollar amount of 10 million without actually winning the tournament itself. If Casey doesn’t win the event, he would still be able
to attain the bonus, which means that with Casey not winning the event, he would have zero wins in his hands on the PGA Tour the entire year, and still, $10million.
The Tour Championship is welcoming Casey with him standing on the fifth place in the FedEx Cup rankings. It would only be justifiable if Paul Casey wins the tournament and claims the FD Cup. However, an award for second place is not a good option and could
lead to critics ranting all over the place.
This basically means that even if Casey comes second in the Tour Championship, he will still be eligible in claiming the cup and chiefly the money. If there is a top-spot in the leader board, then there is a second place as well. Casey finishing on the first
place is a fair game, but if he lands on the 2nd and still gets the prize, then those who favour a just system will all be squealing for justice.
The 33-year-old second prize is, however, subject to the following situation. Casey can claim the prize if he comes second, Matt Kuchar ending no better than the fifth place and Dustin Johnson, Charley Hoffman as well as Steve Stricker arriving at places
no better than four and three. Despite the fact that Paul Casey ends his game at number two and Phil Mickelson ends up at the top, then the FedEx Cup will not be handed to Phil Mickelson. If the previous situation arises, then both of these players would have
to face a tie, and hence would be playing for the overall title.
Many wonder whether the system needs fixing but correcting something of this nature is of no easy task. In order to cater to the real balance that is in need, a careful weighing of all the player’s successes should to be carried out. If successes are on
one side of the scale then on the other side players who know how to get their game going on the fields needs to be looked into.
According to Jim Furyk, this isn’t good for the system. He says that winning a Championship without actually winning the tournament is something that isn’t acceptable. He says that if you need to win a Championship, then it’s only affirmative that you win
something along the way towards the victory. People may be presenting several opinions, but the system is flawed and a change is the need of the hour.
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