The FedEx Cup Playoff Series. Does it generate the excitement and posses the prestige that the hype would suggest?

In years gone by, the conclusion of the PGA Championship in August signalled the end of the golfing season for many players and fans. With only the Ryder Cup generating some real interest biennially, for all practical purposes, the mainstream golfing audiences went into hibernation during the early fall. Was there a solution to that problem? Well, by November 2005 PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem believed he had discovered it.

Have Tim Finchem's hopes been met?

Finchem announced the future implementation of a season long points system, based on that from NASCAR, which would determine the Champion of that particular year. The Commissioner boldly declared that "the FedExCup and first-ever playoff system on the PGA TOUR will truly usher in an exciting new era in golf, and establish a new measurement of success and will be fair, meaningful and provide excitement throughout the year." The hypothesis was fairly simple. Throughout the regular season Tour players would earn points, in addition to earnings, during 'regular season' tournaments, and would have to achieve a particular ranking in order to qualify for the season ending Playoff events. During these Playoff events the number of players qualifiying to the next week would decrease as players would effectively be eliminated depending on their Points ranking. A greater number of points would be made available during the Playoffs to generate as much excitement and volatility as possible. Finally, after three Playoff events, the surviving top 30 in the points would progress onto East Lake for the traditional season ending Tour Championship, after which the leader of the Points list would be crowned the FedEx Cup Champion, going along with it the accolade as that season's champion, a 5 year Tour exemption, and not to mention, a rather hefty $10Million bonus.

Tiger Woods Fed Ex Cup Champion 2007

There was incredible hype in the lead up to the first FedEx Cup season, and that hype continues to this day. With the PGA Tour website constantly referencing the latest points standings, and including a number of commercials and interviews mostly containing Tour players discussing how important the FedEx Cup is "to them" from the very first week of the season in Hawaii. The question for Tim Finchem, the Tour, its affiliated TV partners and most importantly the fans is, does the Fed Ex Cup, in its 5th season, have the Commissioners original hopes been met? Is the FedEx Cup fair, meaningful and does it provide excitement throughout the year?

The simple answer is, no. Most mainstream golf fans in America will tell you that the 'meaningful' golf season ends after the PGA Championship, and attention is diverted to the major fall sports in America. Especially the NFL and College Football. But to offer such a simple conclusion to the question would be unfair to the FedEx Cup, which is undoubtedly a very interesting and creative initiative, if flawed it may be in some areas. Why doesn't it create that excitement which Finchem desired, or the prestige that the Tour wishes to present it as having?

The irregularities in the points system have certainly not helped the FedEx Cup cement itself as a meaningful addition to the professional golf calender. After the first season changes were made to add more volatility and potential movement during the playoff events themselves. Points were reset tigher together and more points were made available during the playoff events. These changes didn't create the desired effect that the Tour wanted, as Vijay Singh's runaway victory during the 2008 playoffs turned the FedEx Cup into an anti-climax. To combat a player ever being able to win the FedEx Cup before the Tour Championship even gets underway, the Tour made another set of changes to the points system. The changes made for the 2009 season, which remain to this day, ensured that any of the 30 players in the Tour Championship had a chance to win the FedEx Cup, but with all of the top five players assured of winning the FedEx Cup by winning the final event. The constant changes to the system certainly didn't help endear the FedEx Cup to the golfing public, who are generally keeping at least a slim interest in the World Rankings and Ryder Cup points. But the PGA Tour seems to have finally settled on this system, which is a good thing, and has certainly kept the race going until the final putt is sunk at East Lake. However, some still question the merits of a points system that supposedly crowns the 'season' champion, when effectively a player can become Champion based just on his performances during those four Playoff events. The Tour still has not found a balance in the points system. Yes, they have generated maximum volatility during the Playoffs, however, until the balance is tilted more in the favour of those who play well during the regular season and the Major Championships, which it isn't currently, then the FedEx Cup will not ever find itself as being a credible judge of the season long Champion. It's prestige will never grow and ultimately the interest and excitement generated by the series throughout the season won't increase either.

Vijay's runaway win in 2008 caused the PGA Tour a few headaches

 However, the FedEx Cup system was an innovative notion, and it continues to have great potential as being both a ratings winner, and becoming a very prestigious title. Unlike the Race to Dubai on the European Tour, which is nothing more than a hopeless commercial rebranding, the FedEx Cup has a chance of becoming truly relevant. Yes, as the series developes longevitity then its position in the golfing calender will become more noteworthy as the history and prestige of the event will naturally develop. The Series will also grow in stature  if the points system is amended (I will offer detailed proposals in my next blog), as at present the points system isn't as important or prominent as it should be during the regular season and for the Major Championships. The balance between generating volatility and excitement during the Playoffs and offering a bigger advantage to those who have played well throughout the season and won tournaments, hasn't quite been found yet. When that balance is finally implemented and with the natural passing of time, the FedEx Cup will generate more excitement and prestige in the future.

But at the moment, for a great many people, the season still ends in August.