Indisputably His Baby

Alan Shipnuck points out that the FedEx Cup is essentially Tim Finchem's first truly original idea, and he points out a few flaws:

Twelve years into his tenure, Finchem's major achievements have been the exponential growth of purses and the creation of the World Golf Championships, but he can claim neither for himself as an unqualified success. Certainly Finchem's hardball TV negotiations helped jack up the purses, but in the end Woods will get most of the credit for this new era of big money. Finchem did preside over the creation of the WGCs, but it wasn't exactly his idea -- just ask Greg Norman! The WGCs are nice little tournaments that have been good additions to the schedule, but if their reason-for-being is to export the Tour product around the world then they have to be judged as spectacular failures. The vast majority of WGCs have been played in the U.S., and the scheduling in the future is only going to get more insular, much to the mystification of the international golf community. (Ernie Els in particular has been a shrill critic.)

So the FedEx Cup becomes all the more important to Finchem, because it is indisputably his baby. He described the FC as "our version of the playoffs. Like most other sports, playoffs are the most dynamic portion of the season, and we want to take advantage of the opportunity to create some playoffs that we think will drive fan interest, television interest, and carry our audience somewhat further into the year."

"Essentially, the FedEx Cup turned this into a lame-duck year"

Tim Rosaforte reporting from dreary (but oh so blinding white bunkered) East Lake:

...there were player meetings last week in Tampa and high-level discussions this week at East Lake among Tour officials and the FedEx sponsors, which indicate the format for this competition is not yet locked down. "We're still very fluid," said a source involved in the talks. In other words, the 144-man fields that make this anything but a playoff system are still being debated as the middle-class lobbies not to be excluded from the exercise.

What we do know is the rollout date is fast approaching, the tour has appointed a former Washington lobbyist and tournament chairman for the Presidents Cup (George Burger) to oversee the FedEx Cup, and that nobody quite knows how it's going to work.

Now this is absolutely priceless... 

One thing it has done: create buzz. "I think it's going to work out great because when you think about it, we've been talking about it for a year, so that's what we want," said policy shaper Davis Love III.

I guess Davis is going with the all publicity is good publicity thinking there, because everyone else is talking about the lack of sizzle and substance in something that kicks off in, yes just 60 days.

This is beautiful too...

Tying next year in to this week's proceedings, where Woods and Phil Mickelson are noticeably absent, has everybody at Tour headquarters uncomfortable. Even if they had nothing to play for, it doesn't look right that the Nos. 1 and 3 players in the world decided to use this as a bye week. "Essentially, the FedEx Cup turned this into a lame-duck year," said a representative for one of the FedEx sponsors.

Riiiiiiggggggghhhhhhhhttttttt! That's probably coming from the guy who convinced his bosses to pony up $40 million a year. 

The FedEx Cup Picture...

...is finally getting murkier by the day. Why finally? Because we've known since the announcement. But now that writers and players are facing its arrival, questions are being asked, scenarios contemplated and the word "playoffs" scrutinized.

Doug Ferguson reports that players are already talking about changing it because of the silly idea of 144 players qualifying for a playoff, especially when only 125 theoretically get to come back the next year.

Meanwhile in the USA Today, Jerry Potter analyzes how the point system will work and includes this quote from the PGA Tour's Ric Clarson:

"We've run hundreds of computer models," Clarson says, "and no player came from lower than 13th seed to win the Cup. If you're not in the top 15 going into the playoff, your chances of winning aren't great."

But Commissioner Tim Finchem has contradicted with his Yankees analogy several times, including Wednesday's press conference at East Lake:

But the only question I've gotten is the seeding. If a player plays at an exceedingly high level and he basically has to start over again, is that fair? Actually they're not starting over again. They have a bit of an edge because the seeding -- it's kind of like home field advantage maybe in team sports.

But my reaction to that, in every conversation and my reaction back has been the same. If the New York Yankees win 315 games and they win 20 more games than everybody else, they still start over. That's what the playoffs are all about. And in every single conversation the reaction back is, Yeah, I get that. That makes sense to me.

What the players have asked for, Let's make it as much as possible like a real playoff. That's what we've tried to do, and I think there's real enthusiasm. We're just going to have to see how it plays out in '07. I, for one, am pretty confident it's going to be spectacular.

So we've got one guy saying only 15 have a chance to win, the other saying that the elite merely have a slight edge going in, but by and large, it's a virtual free market setting once the four weeks of playoff golf commence.  

Okay, so here's the problem. The system that rewards the top point-getters going into the playoffs also emphasizes playing more often. Great.  Except, come playoff time, it locks in top players to positions that will make it hard for anyone outside of a small group to win, making the playoffs less likely to produce wild point swings or Cinderella stories.

An alternative system would not emphasize "seeding" and therefore create no extra incentive to play more often during the season. But that system would leave things wide open going into the "playoffs." Great for an exciting finish, but bad for making stars play more often during the course of the year.

Ultimately, they are going to have to decide what is more important. A system that rewards those who play more often and play well, or a system that sets things up for an exciting finish. I'd go with the latter of the two, since the stars have proven that they will only play where they want to play.

Fun Notes From Babineau

Jeff Babineau shows what happens when curious writers leave the press room and share a few notes, quotes and anecdotes. The entire column is interesting, but these bites caught my eye:

The Tour's Player Advisory Council assembled at Innisbrook this week, and one of the major issues (tabled to a later date, as most important issues are) was whether or not to pare down FedEx Cup fields with each playoff week (from 144, to 120, to 78, to 30 for the Tour Championship).

This is an encouraging development for those of us who would like to see the FedEx Cup work (it will not in the current configuration).

As it stands now, the current PGA Tour "playoffs" are structured to include the Durham Bulls and half the Cape Cod league along with the Tiger and Cardinals. The all inclusive approach might be more tolerable if they were actual playoffs, with eliminations occurring each week. But without eliminating players, they are not playoffs and the 144 number remains ridiculous. (I'd take 100 to the playoffs and go from 100 to 78 to 50 to 20, or something along those lines.)

I know, I know, what if, God forbid, one of the stars is eliminated in week one? Well, considering that they are passing on the Tour Championship like it's the B.C. Open, who says they are even going to play in the playoffs? And wouldn't some upsets along the way make it more fun?

Anyhow, this was also fun from Babineau's column...

Walking past Rory Sabbatini as he belted his new Nike Sumo, flying a few balls into a lake nearly 300 yards away at the end of the range, one veteran stared and mumbled, "Is this what golf has come to?"

Guess so.

Las Vegas On Las Vegas

I watched parts of the rain-delayed Las Vegas final round as it moved yesterday from ESPN on ABC, to ESPN on ABC on and finally, to ESPN on ABC on ESPN2. (International readers...it's a long story. A branding thing.)

Besides the lack of star power, the lack of a fan base was painfully obvious. Ed Graney in the Las Vegas paper notes that it's a problem likely to worsen when the event moves to the "Fall Finish."

Golf is about to undergo a change that will either re-energize an indifferent fan base or continue to keep casual followers at an AccuFLEX shaft distance away from any event that doesn't include Woods, a transformation that could ultimately determine where the Las Vegas tournament fits into the sport's long-term landscape.

The question is not whether the event can improve greatly (if at all) in stature -- Hoffman couldn't be more correct in his assessment that it is what it is -- but whether a newly designed PGA playoff system will lessen its appeal to golfers (and in turn fans) even more.

There always will be a place at the event for the golf purist, for those who truly appreciate the idea of walking alongside the world's No. 2 player (it's Jim Furyk for those who don't know, which means most everyone) and not having to strain their neck glancing over rows of heads to watch him putt.

But when the FedEx Cup portion of the 2007 schedule concludes at the Tour Championship next mid-September and the $10 million payday has been awarded to the first points champion, how much interest will remain for a seven-tournament fall series than includes the Las Vegas stop?

And what can those running the event here do to make it more than just another week for those players merely trying to avoid Q-school or improve their world ranking?

The Brand Has Arrived...

T.J. Auclair has the rivetting details of the Davis Love/HarryDenny Hamlin photo op to plug the PGA Tour's new "FedEx Cup" NASCAR entry.

One of the fastest sports in the world collided with one of the slowest at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on Tuesday to unveil a special FedExCup car, which will be driven here by NASCAR rookie Denny Hamlin in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 on October 29.

So my question to you fans of NASCAR: is this a one-race deal? Or is this going to be a regular Tour sponsorship deal for this car? The article makes it sound as if this is a one-race thing.

But if this is a one-year deal, isn't the price outrageously high?

Please, help me resolve this vital branding matter.

"Stay tuned - this thing is a long way from over."

John Huggan is in fine curmudgeonly form while looking at the havoc the FedEx Cup schedule is creating on the European Tour.

As America's PGA Tour embarks on a lucratively-reshaped season that will "climax" with something called the Fed-Ex Cup - oh, the history, the mystique - and very likely pull many of Europe's leading players across the Atlantic even more than has already been the case, the European Tour's money-list is destined to be won by someone who picks up the vast majority of his cash in so-called co-sanctioned events - where prize- money is eligible on more than one circuit - rather than by a man ranked outside the world's top-50, and thus "relegated" to playing most of his golf outside of the United States.

So it is that the just-released European Tour International Schedule is all about filling dates. Next season, as the blaring press release was quick to trumpet, the European Tour will consist of at least 50 events - a "momentous milestone" - as it winds its often mediocre way across the globe.

Also, Golfweek's Rex Hoggard fires a few shots at the FedEx Cup as he looks at issues with the Champions Tour schedule. And he notes this about another major change in the Valiant Competitors Tour:

Starting with next month's Q-School, players will no longer play for a Champions Tour card. Instead, the hopeful will vie for a chance to qualify for events. The top-30 finishers from Q-School will earn a seat at the Monday qualifying table each week and play for nine spots in that week's tournament.

With the move, golf's most closed club just went private.

"There are some positives and some negatives," George said of the new qualifying system. "How will it impact the international players on the tour? I want to make sure the tournaments aren't impacted by the qualifying. We're going into it very cautiously."

But back to Huggan and Hoggard's pithy FedEx Cup remarks.

Isn't it interesting that time has not helped the Tour's concept age like fine wine, but instead has some of golf's finest inkslingers realizing just how flawed the schedule and points concepts are?

FedEx Cup Fiction?

The ESPN.com "Fact or Fiction" debaters had a hard time taking the stance that stars will turn out more when the FedEx Cup "playoffs" commence. (The two "Fact" presenters threw out the "for at least one year" caveat...quite the endorsement of the concept!)

They did however agree on the concept of a September finish working because golf can't compete with football and the baseball playoffs.

Why is it that no one wants to endorse that idea that golf, like all other sports, simply needs to go away for a month or two so the, uh, product and the uh, consumers can be refreshed?

Canadian Open's Uncertain Future

Why is it that you have to call them Canada geese, but you can call the Canadian Open, Canadian? Eh, sorry.

Lorne Rubenstein writes about the RGCA hiring IMG to solve their sponsorship and lousy 2007 date issues.

Canadian Open director Bill Paul said at Hamilton that potential sponsors have a number of questions, including future sites, and the big one: the quality of the field.

“Sponsors ask what we can do about the field,” Paul said. “I tell them about what we can control, the course, for example.”

The trouble with matters concerning the field is that sponsors seem interested only in whether Tiger Woods will play.

“Tiger in the field is huge,” said Garry West, who will assume the RCGA presidency on Jan. 20.

Leverage, Leverage, Leverage

In this Robert Bell story about Greensboro's hunt for a 2007 sponsor, he talks to Greensboro Jaycees Charitable Foundation chairman Bobby Long, who is in Boston this weekend meeting with potential sponsors.
Long spent Wednesday and Thursday in Boston meeting with officials from companies interested in sponsoring Greensboro's tournament.

"We're pretty far along" with negotiations, Long said. "We've gotten some strong indications from companies that they are interested."

Long declined to name the companies. He said a deal could be reached this year, but not before next month's Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.

Tournament officials have been looking for a new title sponsor since January, when DaimlerChrysler informed them it was ending its 11-year affiliation with Greensboro's PGA tour stop after next month's event.

A year ago, civic and private groups pledged a $25 million line of credit to the PGA Tour to sponsor Greensboro's tournament from 2007-10 if a new title sponsor could not be found. Long said it is imperative that a title sponsor be found sooner rather than later.

"When you're on the hook for ($25 million), you start to lose your leverage as time goes by," he said. "Any time you go into a business deal, you want to make sure you have all the leverage you can get your hands on. Time is certainly a leverage in our favor right now, but it could start to work against us."

Do really have much leverage when you're actually talking about how it works, and on the record to a reporter?

Have Date, Need Sponsor

Mick Elliott reports in the Tampa Tribune that the Tour's decision to make Doral a WGC event is looking worse by the day that the Tampa Chrysler event played this fall (and then appearing again next March), has no sponsor for '07. And apparently, isn't very close to getting one.

"We're working hard trying to find a title sponsor and feel we're making progress," tournament director Gerald Goodman said. "But I haven't been holding back any announcements, I'll tell you that."

 "It's a combination of factors, and frankly I think one of them is it's hard to convey to prospects how good the golf tournament can be in March," said Tim Crosby, PGA Tour director of business affairs. "It's a great sports and golf market in the right time of year. It's a golf course that players rank in their top five.

"We know how good it can be, but to somebody who has not been there before, it's hard to completely get that message across."

Though Crosby insists he believes differently, the feeling in some circles is that playing at Innisbrook, with no elevators, aging decor and design, and an absence of a central public party location, would be like giving the Bucs one of football's best playing fields but leaving it inside old Tampa Stadium.

Potential title sponsors are being courted for a financial commitment between $6 million and $7 million for each of a three- to six-year contract. Putting a company's name on a golf tournament typically turns the week into a time for entertaining major clients. It also can become the face of a company's advertising.

For such a financial commitment, companies may be looking for bells and whistles that more modern five-star facilities may provide for invited clients.

I'd say they are within their rights to want a hotel with elevators!

"I can't say I disagree," Crosby said, "But you can fix those things with a little makeup, because the foundation is strong. What's so compelling is the golf course.

"I see the point, but I think once we get people there, it's a non-factor. But getting people there to experience it instead of just looking at pictures is very important."

In the meantime, this year's final Chrysler Championship draws closer to its Oct. 26-29 date, and 19 weeks later it will be time for tournament organizers to do it all over again.

 Although Crosby and Goodman agree it is not mandatory to have next year's title sponsor in place before Chrysler bows out, both are hoping for a signed contract as quickly as possible.

"If you ever wanted a PGA Tour event that has averaged very good ratings in its time slot, attracts a great field and will be played in Florida sunshine while it's still snowing in the Northeast, we have got a deal for you," Goodman said.

Gee, they don't sound desperate. And Elliott quietly slips this in toward the end:

In theory, the lack of a title sponsor could cost Tampa Bay the date it worked so hard to obtain. With a number of established tour events relegated to the less-glamorous fall schedule, at least one current sponsor would be willing to write the check for a better place on the schedule. However, Crosby said,, at least for now, Tampa is not in a danger zone.

"We have not sat down and said if we do not get a sponsor by such-and-such date, we're going to have to cut them loose," he said. "I don't know if we are going to get to that point. At this point, no, it's not in jeopardy."

Would a worthy challenger please step up?

Steve Elling pens an entertaining look at the possibility of anyone challenging Tiger, highlighted by this exchange:

Players talked openly about the vexing drought of younger players capable of cracking Woods' dominance because there is no successor in sight. Is anybody going to punch Woods in the beak and give him a run for his money?

"I'd love to," said Aussie Adam Scott, 26, who has frequently struggled at the majors. "That's what I'm out here for. If I could control the anxiety and nerves - somebody has to step up and do it."

Rule out the older guard. It looks as if Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and several other veterans have taken their best shot and mostly missed. Woods, 30, seems poised to rule the sport yet again, having won four of the past eight majors.

"We need guys in their mid-20s and early 30s to step up," said Chris DiMarco, 37, laughing. "I'm too old. I have three kids. I'll keep trying, but somebody else needs to try."

Scott theorized that some young American players are more infatuated with earning paychecks than with becoming the best, a theory that was not universally endorsed.

"How many has he won lately?" DiMarco said tersely.

MacDuff's Final FedEx Cup Points List

Thanks to reader MacDuff for keeping this tally on the 2006 season of a mythical FedEx Cup points race, which he is ending now that the PGA Championship has been played (and the close to when the 144 "playoff" contestants will be determined next year.

As you know, MacDuff awarded the same points at each event, as opposed to the Tour's system of adding extra points at majors, WGC's and of course, the fifth of four majors, The Players Championship THE PLAYERS. And sadly, David Duval did not make it in either the MacDuff or Tour systems.

Thanks MacDuff for giving up so much food for thought!

^{1    Furyk    26112.5        17
2    Mickelson    25071.5        17
3    Singh    23321.87        17
4    Gf. Ogilvy    21562.5        15
5    Cink    21171.33        17
6    T.Woods    20084.37        10
7    Pettersson    19983.33        17
8    Weir    19959.37        17
9    Glover    19604.16        16
10    Pernice    19312.5        15
11    A.Scott    19175        13
12    B. Quigley    19133.33        15
13    Donald    19026.87        13
14    Toms    18771.87        13
15    Z.Johnson    18537.5        16
16    Appleby    18025        15
17    Immelman    18012.5        13
18    Bohn    17938.33        17
19    Pampling    17905.83        17
20    Funk    17875        19
21    D.Wilson    17731.25        17
22    Verplank    17425        15
23    C.Campbell    16862.5        15
24    Senden    16375        15
25    Van Pelt    16340        18
26    Choi    16318.75        15
27    Jerry Kelly    16200        14
28    Mayfair    16141.66        17
29    Goosen    16125        13
30    Els    15885.83        14
31    N.Green    15858.75        18
32    Gay    15675        16
33    Austin    15525        18
34    T.Clark    15460        15
35    Flesch    15243.21        19
36    Allenby    15162.5        13
37    Vn Taylor    15075        14
38    Sabbatini    14829.16        13
39    Oberholser    14712.5        14
40    Sluman    14650        18
41    Olazabal    14537.5        12
42    J.Ogilvie    14509.28        15
43    Chopra    14458.07        17
44    Ames    14387.5        12
45    Sean O'Hair    14212        15
46    Hoffman    13800        15
47    JJ Henry    13787.5        13
48    Garcia    13762.5        11
49    Love III    13662.5        14
50    Imada    13542.5        16
51    Villegas    13500        14
52    Warren    13454.16        17
53    Slocum    13325        15
54    Crane    13322.5        14
55    Stricker    13037.5        11
56    Lehman    13025        12
57    Micheel    13025        13
58    Pavin    12962.5        12
59    Kenny Perry    12700        14
60    Herron    12660        13
61    Harrington    12450        10
T62    S. Maruyama    12450        12
T62    Rollins    12450        12
64    Palmer    12441.66        15
65    Branshaw    12433.33        14
66    Rose    12416.66        15
67    Purdy    12375        12
68    Barlow    12200        14
69    Watney    11935.71        14
70    JB Holmes    11883.33        12
71    Andrade    11807.5        13
72    Bertsch    11731.25        16
73    Poulter    11612.5        11
74    Leonard    11533.33        13
75    Wetterich    11525        10
76    DiMarco    11371.87        11
77    RS Johnson    11230        11
78    Gove    10987.5        11
79    Waldorf    10975        14
80    Bryant    10944.5        12
81    Hart    10830        12
82    Parnevik    10767.5        12
83    Baird    10642.5        11
84    D. Maruyama    10641.07        12
85    Lonard    10610.71        13
86    Sutherland    10550        14
87    Bub Watson    10400        10
88    Frazar    10350        12
89    Leaney    10300        11
90    D. Howell    10250        10
91    Lickliter II    10150        12
92    Jobe    10067.5        12
93    Curtis    10025        13
94    Dickerson    9991.07        14
95    Lowery    9987.5        13
96    Sindelar    9975        14
97    Maggert    9900        11
98    Olin Browne    9875        16
99    G. Owen    9850        10
100    Mahan    9837.5        14
101    Beem    9806.25        12
102    Gronberg    9762.5        12
103    F.Jacobson    9675        10
104    Estes    9650        12
105    Azinger    9450        12
106    Br.Davis    9342.5        11
107    Howell III    9187.5        14
108    Gore    8703.57        9
109    Goggin    8600.25        7
110    Kent Jones    8600        11
111    Cook    8575        10
112    Couples    8437.5        10
113    B. Haas    8437.5        12
114    J.Smith    8425        12
115    M.Wilson    8415        11
116    Durant    8368.75        15
117    Calcavecchia    8321.66        16
118    Kaye    8225        12
119    O'Hern    8200        6
120    Faxon    8150        11
121    Fischer    8137.5        12
122    Franco    8112.5        9
123    J.Byrd    8100        6
124    Overton    8003.57        13
125    Kendall    7873.21        10
126    Cabrera    7862.5        7
127    Bjornstad    7742.5        11
128    Riley    7725        12
129    Armour III    7687.5        9
130    Langer    7641.66        10
T131    Moore    7575        9
T131    Atwal    7575        9
133    Geiberger    7506.25        12
134    Trahan    7400        8
135    Baddeley    7312.5        9
136    Triplett    7208.33        9
137    Westwood    7150        7
138    Brehaut    7150        11
139    JL Lewis    6937.5        11
140    Sheehan    6850        12
141    Barron    6606.25        9
142    Gamez    6537.5        11
143    Petrovic    6525        9
144    K. Cox    6466.66        8
T145    Tway    6412.5        12
T145    Ridings    6412.5        12
147    Pat Perez    6350        8
148    Stankowski    6315.5        11
149    S.Jones    6280        11
150    Bob May    6250        8
151    Celka    6082.5        10
152    Allen    6075        10
153    H.Stenson    5975        6
154    Matteson    5925        10
155    David Duval    5875        9
156    Gutschewski    5843.75        6
157    Jimenez    5525        6
158    WMacKenzie    5525        10
159    Garrigus    5505        9
160    Ws Short Jr    5462.5        11
161    Huston    5431.25        7
162    C. Beckman    5427.5        6
163    M. Brooks    5337.5        6
164    Uresti    5325        5
165    D.Clarke    5275        5
166    McDowell    5237.5        7
167    Couch    5212.5        6
168    Danny Ellis    5175        8
169    Dawson    5050        9
170    BJ Staten    4800        7
171    Goydos    4687.5        7
172    Greg Kraft    4642.5        8
173    Hjerstedt    4527.5        4
174    Spiky Elk'ton    4517.75        6
175    Bateman    4362.5        8
176    Nick Price    4300        4
177    Axley    4262.5        7
178    Veazey    4225        6
179    Hansen    4187.5        8
180    Damron    4179.16        8
181    McCarron    4112.5        7
182    D. McKenzie    4077.37        8
183    Dn. Stiles    4075        5
184    Chris Smith    3956.25        8
185    Craig Parry    3887.5        4
186    Mize    3812.5        6
187    Chalmers    3787.5        6
188    Walker    3750        7
189    Riegger     3650        4
190    Driscoll    3650        8
T191    JP Hayes    3600        5
T191    Casey    3600        5
193    Coceres    3587.5        4
194    Daly    3575        7
195    Delsing    3537.5        4
196    Levet    3537.5        8
197    Whittaker    3525        6
198    Points    3487.5        5
199    Janzen    3350        6
200    Jay Haas    3312.5        5}

MacDuff's Post International FedEx Cup Points

Pat Perez is going to need some help from David Duval this week if he hopes to make the mythical "playoffs." Can you imagine how thrilling this will be next year, when we follow the plight of spots 140-150, wondering if they make the playoffs?

^{1    Furyk    25112.5        16
2    Mickelson    23734        16
3    Singh    23321.87        17
4    Cink    20046.33        16
5    Gf. Ogilvy    20012.5        14
6    Pettersson    19983.33        17
7    Pernice    19312.5        15
8    B. Quigley    19133.33        15
9    Glover    18991.66        15
10    Z.Johnson    18537.5        16
11    Weir    18209.37        16
12    Bohn    17938.33        17
13    Pampling    17905.83        17
14    Appleby    17675        14
15    T.Woods    17584.37        9
16    Toms    17434.37        12
17    Verplank    17425        15
18    A.Scott    17325        12
19    Donald    17176.87        12
20    Immelman    17112.5        12
21    D.Wilson    16731.25        16
22    Funk    16637.5        18
23    Senden    16375        15
24    Van Pelt    16340        18
25    C.Campbell    15737.5        14
26    Gay    15675        16
27    Jerry Kelly    15625        13
28    N.Green    15371.25        17
29    Mayfair    15329.16        16
30    Goosen    15225        12
31    Vn Taylor    15075        14
32    Sabbatini    14829.16        13
33    Oberholser    14712.5        14
34    Choi    14656.25        14
35    Sluman    14650        18
36    Els    14548.33        13
37    J.Ogilvie    14509.28        15
38    T.Clark    14335        14
39    Olazabal    14187.5        11
40    Austin    14187.5        17
41    Flesch    14118.21        18
42    Ames    14037.5        11
43    Allenby    13925        12
44    Hoffman    13800        15
45    Chopra    13758.07        16
46    Imada    13542.5        16
47    Crane    13322.5        14
48    Warren    13254.16        16
49    Villegas    13500        14
50    JJ Henry    13087.5        12
51    Lehman    13025        12
52    Love III    12762.5        13
53    Sean O'Hair    12749.5        14
54    Pavin    12475        11
55    Harrington    12450        10
T56    S. Maruyama    12450        12
T56    Rollins    12450        12
58    Branshaw    12433.33        14
59    Purdy    12375        12
60    Slocum    12325        14
61    Kenny Perry    12212.5        13
62    Barlow    12200        14
63    Palmer    11954.16        14
64    Watney    11935.71        14
65    Garcia    11912.5        10
66    Bertsch    11731.25        16
67    Rose    11716.66        14
68    Leonard    11533.33        13
69    Wetterich    11525        10
70    Stricker    11375        10
71    Herron    11247.5        12
72    RS Johnson    11230        11
73    Andrade    11107.5        12
74    Micheel    11075        12
75    JB Holmes    11070.83        11
76    Gove    10987.5        11
77    Waldorf    10975        14
78    Bryant    10944.5        12
79    Hart    10830        12
80    Parnevik    10767.5        12
81    Baird    10642.5        11
82    D. Maruyama    10641.07        12
83    Lonard    10610.71        13
84    Sutherland    10550        14
85    Bub Watson    10400        10
86    Leaney    10300        11
87    D. Howell    10150        9
88    Lickliter II    10150        12
89    Jobe    10067.5        12
90    Poulter    10062.5        10
91    Dickerson    9991.07        14
92    DiMarco    9909.37        10
93    G. Owen    9850        10
94    Mahan    9837.5        14
T95    Curtis    9762.5        12
T95    Gronberg    9762.5        12
97    Lowery    9725        12
98    Maggert    9700        10
99    F.Jacobson    9675        10
100    Estes    9650        12
101    Sindelar    9487.5        13
102    Azinger    9450        12
103    Br.Davis    9342.5        11
104    Beem    9318.75        11
105    Olin Browne    9262.5        15
106    Howell III    9187.5        14
107    Frazar    9112.5        11
108    Goggin    8600.25        7
109    Kent Jones    8600        11
110    Cook    8575        10
111    Gore    8503.57        8
112    Couples    8437.5        10
113    B. Haas    8437.5        12
114    J.Smith    8425        12
115    M.Wilson    8415        11
116    Durant    8368.75        15
117    Calcavecchia    8321.66        16
118    Kaye    8225        12
119    O'Hern    8200        6
120    Faxon    8150        11
121    Fischer    8137.5        12
122    Franco    8112.5        9
123    Overton    8003.57        13
124    Kendall    7873.21        10
125    Cabrera    7862.5        7
126    Bjornstad    7742.5        11
127    Armour III    7687.5        9
128    Langer    7641.66        10
129    Atwal    7575        9
130    Geiberger    7506.25        12
131    Trahan    7400        8
132    Triplett    7208.33        9
133    Brehaut    7150        11
134    Riley    7025        11
135    Baddeley    6962.5        8
136    JL Lewis    6937.5        11
137    J.Byrd    6862.5        5
138    Sheehan    6850        12
139    Barron    6606.25        9
140    Gamez    6537.5        11
141    Petrovic    6525        9
142    K. Cox    6466.66        8
143    Pat Perez    6350        8
144    Ridings    6412.5        12}

MacDuff's Post Buick FedEx Cup Points

Well Tiger is starting to make MacDuff wonder about awarding points equally from week to week, and wonders if an average points per event system my work better? Frankly, I doubt a system that leaves David Duval out of the top 144 despite his all around great play and contributions to humanity.

^{1    Furyk    25112.5        16
2    Mickelson    23734        16
3    Singh    23321.87        17
4    Gf. Ogilvy    20012.5        14
5    Pettersson    19983.33        17
6    Glover    18591.66        14
7    Cink    18246.33        15
8    Weir    18209.37        16
9    Pernice    18075        14
10    Bohn    17938.33        17
11    B. Quigley    17625        14
12    T.Woods    17584.37        9
13    Verplank    17425        15
14    A.Scott    17325        12
15    Donald    17176.87        12
16    Z.Johnson    17125        15
17    Immelman    17112.5        12
18    Funk    16637.5        18
19    Appleby    16437.5        13
20    Pampling    16397.5        16
21    Van Pelt    16340        18
22    Toms    16196.87        11
23    Senden    15900        14
24    C.Campbell    15737.5        14
25    Gay    15675        16
26    Jerry Kelly    15625        13
27    Mayfair    15329.16        16
28    Vn Taylor    15075        14
29    Sabbatini    14829.16        13
30    Oberholser    14712.5        14
31    Choi    14656.25        14
32    Sluman    14650        18
33    Goosen    14350        11
34    T.Clark    14335        14
35    D.Wilson    14231.25        15
36    Olazabal    14187.5        11
37    Austin    14187.5        17
38    Ames    14037.5        11
39    Allenby    13925        12
40    Hoffman    13800        15
41    N.Green    13771.25        16
42    Chopra    13633.07        15
43    Villegas    13500        14
44    J.Ogilvie    13396.78        14
45    Imada    13142.5        15
46    Crane    13060        13
47    Els    13040        12
48    Sean O'Hair    12749.5        14
49    JJ Henry    12687.5        11
50    Warren    12541.66        15
51    Harrington    12450        10
T52    S. Maruyama    12450        12
T52    Rollins    12450        12
54    Branshaw    12433.33        14
55    Purdy    12375        12
56    Flesch    12243.21        18
57    Kenny Perry    12212.5        13
58    Slocum    12062.5        13
59    Love III    12050        12
60    Palmer    11954.16        14
61    Watney    11935.71        14
62    Bertsch    11731.25        16
63    Wetterich    11525        10
64    Stricker    11375        10
65    Pavin    11362.5        10
66    Herron    11247.5        12
67    RS Johnson    11230        11
68    Lehman    11075        11
69    Bryant    10944.5        12
70    Rose    10891.66        13
71    Garcia    10887.5        9
72    Hart    10830        12
73    Leonard    10820.83        12
74    Barlow    10787.5        13
75    Parnevik    10767.5        12
76    Lonard    10610.71        13
77    Micheel    10512.5        11
78    Leaney    10300        11
79    Andrade    10182.5        11
80    Lickliter II    10150        12
81    Jobe    10067.5        12
82    Poulter    10062.5        10
83    Dickerson    9991.07        14
84    DiMarco    9909.37        10
85    Waldorf    9862.5        13
86    G. Owen    9850        10
87    Mahan    9837.5        14
88    Curtis    9762.5        12
89    Gove    9750        10
90    Lowery    9725        12
91    Maggert    9700        10
92    F.Jacobson    9675        10
93    JB Holmes    9658.33        10
94    Estes    9650        12
95    D. Howell    9587.5        8
96    Sindelar    9487.5        13
97    Azinger    9450        12
98    Br.Davis    9342.5        11
99    Beem    9318.75        11
100    Baird    9305        10
101    Gronberg    9200        11
102    Howell III    9187.5        14
103    Sutherland    9137.5        13
104    D.Maruyama    8766.07        11
105    Bub Watson    8700        9
106    Goggin    8600.25        7
107    Kent Jones    8600        11
108    Cook    8575        10
109    Gore    8503.57        8
110    Couples    8437.5        10
111    J.Smith    8425        12
112    Durant    8368.75        15
113    Calcavecchia    8321.66        16
114    B. Haas    8262.5        11
115    O'Hern    8200        6
116    Faxon    8150        11
117    Fischer    8137.5        12
118    Franco    8112.5        9
119    Frazar    8087.5        10
120    Olin Browne    8025        14
121    Overton    8003.57        13
122    Kaye    7900        11
123    Kendall    7873.21        10
124    Cabrera    7862.5        7
125    M.Wilson    7852.5        10
126    Bjornstad    7742.5        11
127    Armour III    7687.5        9
128    Atwal    7575        9
129    Geiberger    7506.25        12
130    Trahan    7400        8
131    Triplett    7208.33        9
132    Langer    7079.16        9
133    Baddeley    6962.5        8
134    JL Lewis    6937.5        11
135    J.Byrd    6862.5        5
136    Barron    6606.25        9
137    Gamez    6537.5        11
138    K. Cox    6466.66        8
139    Pat Perez    6350        8
140    Stankowski    6315.5        11
141    Ridings    6312.5        11
142    S.Jones    6280        11
143    Bob May    6187.5        7
144    Westwood    6150        6}