Wraparound Blues: Matthew Ends Web.com Tour Finals
/With next year's PGA Tour schedule starting next week and hurricane Matthew looking ominously like a slow-moving disaster, there is no hope of finishing off the Web.com Tour playoffs.
While all of our thoughts are with those bracing for the storm, it's also hard not to hear of finals this week and a new season starting next week and thinking, whose idea was that? And how did anyone tout wrapround golf as a good idea? The lack of foresight is appalling.
Anyway, Ryan Herrington at GolfDigest.com with the details.
The decision was disappointing, according to Web.com Tour president Bill Calfee, but essentially was made for the tour when local authorities announced an evacuation of the Atlantic Beach Wednesday morning as the Category 4 storm continues toward Florida’s east coast.
“It is unfortunate that we’ve had to cancel our season-ending event; however, our first priority is the safety of our players, fans, volunteers and staff,” Calfee said. “With Hurricane Matthew on the horizon, it is critical that we make sure everyone involved with the Web.com Tour Championship has ample time to evacuate the Northeast Florida area and return home.”
**Rex Hoggard says the situation was avoidable.
You can’t plan for hurricanes, but luck has a tendency to favor the prepared. In this case, the prepared would have played the finale last week, albeit quietly in the Ryder Cup’s shadow but with the competitive integrity of the qualifying system intact.
Some suggested the Tour should attempt to move the Web.com Tour Championship out of Matthew’s path. “Relocate. It matters,” Olin Browne Tweeted.
But that doesn’t seem very realistic considering the logistical realities of such an event.
In retrospect, the better option was to have played the finale last week. Although that would have meant less exposure for what has turned into a compelling championship, it would have assured all four Finals events were held and every player given a chance to keep their jobs.
Alex Myers on the hard luck case of Rob Oppenheim.
Oppenheim, who sits a mere $392 behind Wilkinson and just $527 behind Percy, figured to have one last crack at breaking into the top 25 and earning a PGA Tour card. Instead of a dream job in 2016-17, though, he'll be working on the Web.com Tour.
