…when golf is about whispering.
Tiger didn’t play this week because of one very simple reason. The 2007 professional golf season ended last week at Southern Hills. It starts in the “thank God spring, baseball, and The Masters is here ” in early April and thankfully ends in the swelter of mid-August…it’s enough.
The Cups, Presidents and Ryder, are a bonus to the fans…or would be if Old Glory didn’t get stomped most of the time.
It’ about growth and change at the Tour…problem is they don’t need it…His Tigerness has made almost everyone playing a millionaire, or at least living like one which is just as good.
Why the lack of interest in The FedEx Cup? Simple. It’s not football, although that’s part of it.
It’s lack of tradition in a tradition-based sport. You can’t create Independence Hall, The New York Yacht Club, or Pinehurst #2 in a year…no matter how much money you have…just ask Donald Trump…it just can’t be done.
You’ll never convince the best players in the world to do it for the money…they simply have too much of it…here’s what I mean.
If you make a good living, and I mean a comfortable wage, you make roughly .5% of Tiger’s yearly haul…about 1% of Phil’s W-2, and maybe 5% max of the #25 player on the money list.
So, relatively speaking, the $10 million prize somewhat up for grabs this month would be akin to you making a bonus of $1,000 if you’re Tiger, $2,000 if you’re making Phil’s scratch, and $10,000 if you’re #25. Take out roughly 50% for taxes and expenses and it comes quickly into focus.
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So you see the Tour is simply too successful for this thing to matter. They should be happy with it and leave it alone. It would save face and credibility to fans who think a bunch of millionaires playing for more millions not only lacks excitement…it’s downright unseemly.
It’s OK, you’ve got The Player’s Championship which is a great tournament but will never be a Major.
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Shouting doesn’t work in golf…and the Tour is hoarse.
Good thoughts and perspective on the FedEx Cup. The Tour has a willing brand name partner, so what to do with FedEx? Maybe have FedEx sponsor the points race for Ryder Cup or Presidents’ Cup? Or how about taking the first four Jan events and calling it the “Fast Start Cup,” a points event that helps get the Tour’s opening events better fields?