The PGA Tour has a particularly difficult task when it comes to coming up with a Tour Championship format which ticks as many boxes as possible.
Ideally, the Tour Championship would both reward the best players throughout the season while also setting the stage for a dramatic finale for the playoffs. Unfortunately, the balance has been off in recent years.
Scottie Scheffler‘s year in 2024 arguably highlighted the big problem with the current format. No-one could argue that he should have started just two shots clear at East Lake after a year in which he had already won seven times worldwide.
However, the fact that he did have an advantage over the field also led to a disappointing finish on Sunday, with Collin Morikawa the only player who ever looked like getting close to catching him. And his hopes were dashed around the turn.
Smylie Kaufman questions Tour Championship format being considered
Unsurprisingly, changes are now being considered. It was recently reported by Golfweek that the staggered starting scores are set to be removed. And one of the options being considered would see the field cut down each day until just four players remain in the hunt to win for the final round.
It would be a dramatic overhaul, and it is not entirely clear what the finer details would be just yet. And speaking on The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman admitted that he is not in favour of the season coming down to four players playing stroke play on the final day.
“Listen, I think if you get the eight guys playing on Sunday, or if they cut it to four, I’m not sure exactly how many it was, I think it could be really interesting. But it just kind of feels like a Monday qualifier to me, it’s just like a shootout, it’s just like a member, guest type of one day shootout for however much money they’re playing for. I know they’re not going to start at even, if they all qualify for that Sunday, is it a one day takes all type of deal, that kind of seems stupid,” he said.
“If you’re basing an entire year off of stroke play, why would you just change your entire way you judge the format? If you cut it down to a certain number, you have to assume it’s based off of how they played Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and then you get to Sunday, and instead of having eight guys having an opportunity – it doesn’t make sense, none of it does really makes sense to me.”
Kaufman suggests his preferred Tour Championship format
Kaufman’s comments highlight the challenge the PGA Tour has. Ultimately, they need to keep the players, sponsors, fans and media as happy as possible.
It is hard to imagine that they are going to find the perfect formula, particularly after so many years of using a divisive format. But Kaufman went on to explain how he would like to see the Tour Championship look.
“I thought that the other format that they presented with the matchplay, this is what TV presented, and then of course, the players didn’t like the matchplay idea, but I really liked the idea of 32 guys making it to the Tour Championship and then they cut it down to 16 or something like that, but matchplay on the weekend,” he added.
“I just felt like how cool would that have been, because you know when these guys would step up on the tee, how often do you see Scottie Scheffler going up against Xander Schauffele in a match, who cares if it’s the quarters, I would watch that. I would be very intrigued by that and I would like to see how they handle themselves right from the get-go. Are they fist-bumping? These guys have been teammates. I want to see Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry go at each other, that would be fun to watch.”
Perhaps the best way for the tour to keep everyone happy is to reward the season’s best player with the race ending before the FedEx Cup playoffs, with the playoffs played for a smaller prize where everyone who qualifies starts from the same point.
That may be the only way to ensure that the year’s best player is sufficiently rewarded while also ensuring that there is scope for some late season drama.
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