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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 28 august 2024

PGA Tour postseason could use a little variety in its venues:

Analysis

By DOUG FERGUSON But the biggest tweak was weekdays. The start of the and the vibe coming out playing? He chose the
AP Golf Writer reducing the field 70 play- playoffs doesn’t have a lot of the last two weeks was BMW Championship, de-
ATLANTA (AP) — The PGA ers instead of 125 players at of buzz. whether the top players ciding it was the best way
Tour postseason could use to be prepared for East
a change in scenery. Lake. He tied for fifth and
One solution that has no stayed No. 2 in the FedEx
logistical possibility would Cup. No regrets.
be a new perk for the No. Scheffler has reason to feel
1 seed. the same way, especially
Along with starting the Fe- in a year like his and going
dEx Cup finale with a two- from high altitude to Atlan-
shot lead, the top player ta.
would get to choose where The bigger issue is the mar-
to play the Tour Champi- ket. When the playoffs be-
onship. The only caveat is gan in 2007, it was the New
it couldn’t be the player’s York area, Boston, Chicago
home course. and Atlanta. The PGA Tour
“It used to be East Lake,” no longer is in New York or
Xander Schauffele said Boston, two of the biggest
when asked for his choice. markets. McIlroy floated
He probably was more the idea of California for
honest than sarcastic. prime-time golf on TV.
Schauffele has failed to FedEx still gets the recog-
break par only three times nition it deserves because
in 28 rounds at East Lake. “FedEx Cup” is mentioned
And those three rounds throughout the year. If
were all at even-par 70. But an agreement can be
now East Lake has been reached, it would be ideal
changed dramatically, for the postseason to alter-
and Schauffele has reason nate out of the TPC South-
to be leery. Xander Schauffele watches his putt on the 17th green during the final round of the St. Jude wind.
Rory McIlroy picked Quail Championship golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. Associated Press In a perfect world, turn
Hollow, where he has won Memphis into a signature
four times. Scottie Schef- event and search for a
fler leaned toward either the start, down to 50 for the Of course, there’s that even need to be there. Par- title sponsor to move the
the TPC Scottsdale or Bay second event and 30 for small matter of the building ticipation becomes a prob- playoff opener around the
Hill, “something with hard the finale. to the right of the fifth fair- lem, and $20 million purses country. Start with New

greens.” He has won at That’s not the problem. way at the TPC Southwind are no longer enough to York or Boston.
both venues. Hideki Mat- What makes the BMW FedEx headquarters, the compel players to be there. The PGA Tour had contem-
suyama had to be re- Championship stand out is company paying quite a McIlroy was asking himself plated before the CO-
minded Augusta National moving it around. The sec- freight. why he needed to play VID-19 pandemic moving
is closed until October. He ond of three playoff events The TPC Southwind used in Memphis. He had just around the Tour Champi-
nodded, smiled and settled goes from Castle Pines to stage a regular PGA finished in a tie for 68th onship, with East Lake as
on Riviera, where he shot outside Denver this year to Tour event held before the (against a 70-man field) the anchor. Imagine going
62 on the last day to win Caves Valley outside Balti- U.S. Open (it’s hot in June, and dropped all the way Atlanta one year, Whistling
this year. more next year. Bellerive in too, by the way). And then from No. 3 to No. 5. Straits or Shinnecock Hills
Something needs to St. Louis and Liberty Nation- when the tour lost a title Schauffele raised a similar the next year.
change, and it’s not just al across the Hudson River sponsor for Firestone, Mem- question last week in the That thought no longer ex-
the steamy weather. from Manhattan are next in phis took over as a World mile-high air south of Den- ists, and it’s probably just as
The PGA Tour prefers conti- line. Golf Championship. And ver. Outside of winning, he well. This is the 21st consec-
nuity to build familiarity. The The other two don’t move. now it’s a playoff opener. was going to be No. 2 com- utive year in Atlanta, and
format for the postseason Yes, the heat can be un- The course performs well for ing into East Lake even if he with the FedEx Cup and
has changed four times bearable in Memphis, Ten- tournament golf, especially didn’t play. The thought its value, “East Lake” has
since 2007. nessee, in August. But it’s the closing holes. It rarely crossed his mind as he replaced “Tour Champion-
The most obvious change not necessarily any cooler lacks for drama. But it lacks was leaving Paris after the ship” as a destination for
was going to “starting in New Jersey or Missouri the electricity, outside of Olympics. players starting the year. It
strokes,” which is why or most other places. The an afternoon thunderstorm He thought back to some- now has tradition.
Scheffler starts at 10-under crowd is flat at the TPC in the summer. thing his father always told It’s getting there that can
par with a two-shot lead. Southwind, at least on the Throw in the points system him. Would he regret not use a change.q