Minimize Line: Chopping playing cards could possibly be within the PGA Tour’s future

On this week’s version, we rejoice the return of Fort Pines to the PGA Tour panorama, Max Homa’s return to social media and a voice of purpose to the player-of-the-year dialog.

Made Minimize

One thing new. To be correct, Fort Pines was a staple on the PGA Tour from 1986 to 2006 because the host venue of The Worldwide, however for a technology of gamers and followers, this week’s BMW Championship is a mile-high present.

At 8,130 yards, Fort Pines is the longest course to host a Tour occasion and the rolling structure simply south of Denver is a magical mixture of mountain views and monstrous drives.

The responsible pleasure that’s golf at altitude produced a 395-yard drive on the first gap for Rory McIlroy on Day 1 — which wasn’t even near the day’s longest on the par-4 opener (Taylor Pendrith’s 418-yard drive led the day) — and maddening “altitude” math that produced loads of superb player-caddie content material.

Past the compelling mixture of skinny air and elite athletes, there’s additionally the good thing about a significant match being held in a significant market with most of the sport’s finest gamers, one thing the present Tour schedule is essentially missing.

Transparency. Whereas the golf media (together with your scribe) has spent the previous few weeks debating potential PGA Tour participant of the yr candidates, Xander Schauffele put a bow on the dialog in a really Xander-like approach this week.

“I’ve received two instances and [Scottie Scheffler has] received seven. We each have plenty of top-10s. That’s sort of how I’m drawing it up. I do know that’s the way you guys draw it up,” Schauffele stated. “He’s been enjoying unbelievable golf. I really feel like we’re all simply chasing him. I’ve achieved in all probability one of the best job of getting the closest to him, nevertheless it’s nonetheless very far-off.”

It was an excessive sports-radio option to body the narrative and ignores how the membership, who vote on participant of the yr, would possibly view Schauffele profitable the FedExCup with a victory subsequent week at East Lake.

However even that situation possible wouldn’t change many minds with regards to who deserves the Jack Nicklaus Award. It definitely doesn’t appear related to Schauffele.

Made Minimize-Did Not End (MDF)

Contraction. Change pushed by an irrational pressure appears inevitable with the Tour’s coverage board set to evaluate a plan that might considerably cut back the whole variety of exempt gamers.

The PAC met on Tuesday at Fort Pines Golf Membership, web site of this week’s BMW Championship.

The plan, which was offered to the circuit’s Participant Advisory Council this week in Colorado and could possibly be carried out as early as 2026, would scale back area sizes for full-field occasions to 120 gamers and, in the end, reduce the variety of exempt gamers to the highest 100 (down from the highest 125) from the earlier season’s FedExCup factors checklist and the highest 20 (down from the highest 30) from the earlier season’s Korn Ferry Tour factors checklist.

Some gamers have argued that the proposed plan would, in principle, create a extra aggressive product however provided that the signature occasions, which have been capped between 72 and 80 gamers, have been expanded. Bigger signature occasions would give the gamers off the Korn Ferry and DP World excursions a greater likelihood to compete in opposition to the sport’s finest, however in accordance with one member of the PAC, the Tour isn’t prone to increase signature occasion area sizes as a tradeoff for smaller tee sheets at full-field occasions.

Of all the teachings discovered during the last three years it’s odd that the Tour continues to wrestle with the notion that typically much less isn’t at all times extra.

Tweet (now X) of the week:

We jumped again on social media this week and have been welcomed by the “sovereign of social media’s” return to the platform he stepped away from in June.

It seems Homa hoped his time away would assist flip his sport round however that wasn’t the case together with his finest end a tie for 43^rd at The Open. We’re unsure the poisonous pool of social media is the reply to the six-time Tour winner’s woes however at the least the remainder of us might be entertained.

Missed Minimize

One thing new. New-ish venues, like this week’s playoff cease south of Denver, intensify fan curiosity and produce elite golf to a market that’s been with out for practically twenty years.

It additionally focuses a highlight on what’s lacking from the postseason — selection. Whereas East Lake and final week’s host, TPC Southwind, have confirmed to be stable venues with loads of company and fan help, there’s no ignoring the actual fact the Tour has no common stops in New York Metropolis, Boston or Chicago (three of the highest 7 media markets in the US, in accordance with the 2023-24 Nielsen rankings).

The BMW Championship makes common stops within the Chicago market and in 2027 the match is scheduled to be performed at Liberty Nationwide in New Jersey, however the lack of selection is noteworthy for a circuit that’s grow to be more and more targeted on a star-driven product.

Atlanta and Memphis are a part of the Tour’s material, however because the sports activities world discovered throughout final month’s Olympics in Paris, incorporating an iconic location right into a high-level competitors makes for a extra compelling product.