PGA Tour postseason could use a little variety in its venues: Analysis
FedEx Cup finale with a two-shot lead, the top player would get to choose where to play the Tour Championship. The only caveat is it couldn't be the player's home course.
«It used to be East Lake,» Xander Schauffele said when asked for his choice.
He probably was more honest than sarcastic. Schauffele has failed to break par only three times in 28 rounds at East Lake. And those three rounds were all at even-par 70. But now East Lake has been changed dramatically, and Schauffele has reason to be leery.
Rory McIlroy picked Quail Hollow, where he has won four times. Scottie Scheffler leaned toward either the TPC Scottsdale or Bay Hill, «something with hard greens.» He has won at both venues. Hideki Matsuyama had to be reminded Augusta National is closed until October. He nodded, smiled and settled on Riviera, where he shot 62 on the last day to win this year.
Something needs to change, and it's not just the steamy weather.
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The PGA Tour prefers continuity to build familiarity. The format for the postseason has changed four times since 2007. The most obvious change was going to «starting strokes,» which is why Scheffler starts at 10-under par with a two-shot lead. But the biggest tweak was reducing the field — 70 players instead of 125 players at the start, down to 50 for the second event and 30 for the finale.
That's not the problem.
What makes the BMW Championship stand out is moving
