There was drama on Monday at Royal Birkdale as Joe Dean earned his way into The Open Championship field through the Last Chance Qualifier.
Dean was one of the 12 players who had the chance to earn the final spot in the field for the last major of the year, with the likes of Aldrich Potgieter and Wesley Bryan also involved.
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Tom Kim, Johnny Keefer, and Michael Thorbjornsen all finished inside the top 10 at the Scottish Open
It is arguably a flawed idea, but there is something that the PGA Tour can take from the concept to increase the excitement ahead of the Tour Championship – for the next couple of years at least.
The PGA Tour should take inspiration from the Last Chance Qualifier ahead of The Open Championship
The Tour Championship has been a problematic event for the PGA Tour for a number of years. Those at Ponte Vedra have struggled to stumble upon the perfect format, meaning that the season finale has often proven to be a damp squib.
It does appear that brighter times lie ahead with Brian Rolapp teasing the idea of introducing matchplay and taking the Tour Championship away from East Lake.
But for now, the PGA Tour should perhaps take inspiration from the Last Chance Qualifier and enable one player to earn their way into the field for the Tour Championship.
A Monday round involving those who finished between 31st and 36th in the FedEx Cup after the BMW Championship could add an interesting storyline to the Tour Championship, with the winner getting added to the field for East Lake.
As things stand, that would involve Bud Cauley, Tom Kim, Ben Griffin, Sepp Straka, Adam Scott, and Hideki Matsuyama.
Fans would be invested in seeing whether the player who earned a reprieve could then contend in the Tour Championship itself.
The big problem with the Last Chance Qualifier
Despite suggesting that the PGA Tour should use a similar concept for the Tour Championship, it is difficult to get on board with the idea of the Last Chance Qualifier ahead of The Open.
Unlike the Tour Championship, The Open Championship already boasts one of the deepest fields of the season. And there are so many avenues for a player to earn their ticket.
So it does not seem exactly right that Wesley Bryan, for example, could fall short at Final Qualifying and receive another opportunity.
Perhaps Dean will grasp his chance with both hands and prove the doubters wrong. This criticism will look completely ridiculous if the Englishman produces a superb performance.
But if the 12 names involved do not attract attention from casual golf fans, and the event is not even going to be broadcast, then it is hard to make the case that it is a positive addition to the week at The Open.
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