New FedEx Cup changes were made to ensure no repeat of 2008.

Under the new formula, points that previously had been reset at the start of the four-tournament playoffs will not be changed until the Tour Championship, meaning all 30 players who qualify for the finale will have a mathematical chance to win.


Finchem said the top five in the standings at East Lake would win the FedEx Cup with a victory, while the next five in the standings also would have a reasonable chance by winning.

The Tour Championship at East Lake will be played Sept. 24-27, providing a one-week break after the first three playoff events. The break was created this year because of the Ryder Cup, and Finchem said players liked it so much that it will stay that way through the end of the television contract in 2012.


The playoff events – The Barclays, Deutsche Bank Championship and BMW Championship – take on additional meaning because the points are worth five times more than a regular-season event. The majors and World Golf Championships are worth slightly more than regular tournaments.

Meanwhile, the points system was reduced dramatically to simplify and make it easier for fans to keep track. This year, for example, the winner of a regular PGA Tour event earned 4,500 points, and Tiger Woods finished the regular season atop the standings with 22,695 points (even though he didn't play after the U.S. Open). With the new formula, he would have had 3,592 points.

Finchem also decided to trim the field – starting with 125 players at The Barclays, reduced to 100 players at the Deutsche Bank, 70 players at the BMW Championship and 30 at the Tour Championship. Previously, the playoffs started with 144 players and the field was reduced to 125 players, then 70 and 30.


The full Golf Channel website article
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?pa...mp;select=27906

The PGA Tour website article http://www.pgatour.com/2008/fedexcup/11/25...ease/index.html

Thoughts?

Sounds a bit simpler, easier to follow, making it more fun to keep up with.
The effort to do that means they are continually working on it. It will be interesting
to watch and see if the players step it up or just ride along. Hopefully they'll get
at least 10 or 12 contenders down to the end.

It does seem a lot simpler. I heard an analyst on Golf Central say that the Majors are only worth 100 more points than regular season events, which really isn't a large benefit for the winner (in terms of the FedEx Cup).

just knowing the top 5 have a good chance and the top 10 have an outside chance makes it so much better! Well done Timmy

This new system should definitely eliminate the possibility of knowing the winner before the Tour Championship.

Seems easier to follow.

But now, what will we argue about?

That was a no-brainer - amazing that nobody thought of it in the first place, that the way Vijay won was stupidly unexciting.

I like it, should make for a much more exciting competition next year.
It was awfully frustrating knowing vijay had won it before the tour championship even started

I like the changes set. I even forgot who won last year, I remembered Camilo winning though at East Lake. I guess that goes to show you how stupid the Fedex Cup is.

They make the no name tourneys worth just about as much as the big ones in hopes that this will influence palyers to play at the little tourney's

So you have four tournaments with all the big name players making an appearance.... what's not to like?

They're called "little" tournaments, but with all the big guns playing, how are they "little?"

I still don't see what's not to like- the format's been changed, the money is there, and all the big guys are playing.