Monday Finish

As the pre-eminent tour in the world, the PGA TOUR is continually evolving to better serve its players, fans, sponsors and media partners. That was illustrated again Wednesday at the TOUR Championship as PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan announced further enhancements to the TOUR and its schedule. Four key items highlighted Wednesday’s announcement, which built upon the innovations introduced earlier this year to bring the game’s top players together more often. Additional Elevated Events for 2023, and a commitment from top players to compete in at least 20 PGA TOUR events per year, were announced, as were an expansion to the Player Impact Program and guaranteed league-minimum earnings for full TOUR members. The addition of four Elevated Events brings the total to 12 for next season. Top players have made an unprecedented commitment to play all 12 events, in addition to the four majors and THE PLAYERS Championship, and add three PGA TOUR events of their choosing to their schedules, Commissioner Monahan announced. “Our top players are firmly behind the TOUR, helping us deliver an unmatched product to our fans, who will be all but guaranteed to see the best players competing against each other in 20 events or more throughout the season,” he said. The additional Elevated Events – which will join the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and the three FedExCup Playoffs events (FedEx St. Jude Championship, BMW Championship and TOUR Championship) — will be announced in the coming weeks and have purses of at least $20 million. An expanded Player Impact Program and the introduction of the Earnings Assurance Program were also part of the announcement. Effective this year, the Player Impact Program will double to award $100 million to 20 players who resonate the most with fans and media. New metrics also will be implemented to better capture awareness from both casual and core fans. The Earnings Assurance Program replaces the previously-announced “Play15” program. All Korn Ferry Tour graduates and above in the TOUR’s priority ranking who compete in at least 15 events will earn no less than $500,000 per year, as the TOUR will fill the gap for players who fail to meet that benchmark. A travel stipend program also will be implemented for non-exempt members (players in the 126-150 category and below). Those players will receive $5,000 for travel and tournament-related expenses when they miss the cut. The stipends will not impact tournament purses. Other changes include added benefits for TOUR Championship qualifiers and enhancements to the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Beginning this year, qualifying for the TOUR Championship will bring a two-year exemption and qualify players for the following year’s Sentry Tournament of Champions. The Sentry will also award 550 FedExCup points to the winner, aligning it with the player-hosted invitationals (Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and Memorial Tournament presented by Workday) and World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. Finally, players will earn life membership immediately upon reaching 20 wins (eliminating the requirement for 15 years of membership). “Today is a culmination of a strengthened partnership between the TOUR and the players, and amongst the players themselves,” Commissioner Monahan said. “It’s unprecedented for our TOUR and a testament to who these guys are and what they believe in.” Here is a closer look at Wednesday’s announcements: 1. Top players will commit to at least a 20-event PGA TOUR schedule (assuming they qualify), which includes: A. 12 Elevated Events 1. FedExCup Playoffs A. FedEx St. Jude Championship – $20 million B. BMW Championship – $20 million C. TOUR Championship/FedExCup Bonus Pool – $75 million 2. The Genesis Invitational – $20 million 3. Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard – $20 million 4. the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday – $20 million 5. WGC-Dell Match Play Championship – $20 million 6. Sentry Tournament of Champions – $15 million 7. To be announced: four additional Elevated Events – purses of at least $20 million each B. THE PLAYERS Championship – $25 million C. The Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, The Open Championship D. 3 Additional FedExCup events (of the player’s choosing) 2. For the 2022-23 season, a “top player” will be defined as: A. Players who finish in the top 20 under the current Player Impact Program AND players who finish in the top 20 under the revised PIP criteria 3. Expansion of the Player Impact Program A. Reward 20 players a total (up from 10) for 2022 and 2023 B. Total bonus pool of $100 million (previously announced as $50 million) in 2022 and 2023 C. For 2022, any player on the revised criteria list who is not on the current criteria list will receive a payout equal to 20th position (most likely two or three players) D. Players will receive their PIP bonus at the end of the season after competing in the 12 Elevated Events and three non-elevated events, as outlined above 4. Launch of “Earnings Assurance Program” A. For fully exempt members (Korn Ferry Tour category and above) B. Guaranteed league minimum of $500,000 per player (TOUR funds any gaps in earnings) C. Rookies and returning members will receive money up front D. Must participate in 15 events E. Replaces “Play15” Program 5. Travel Stipend Program A. For non-exempt members (126-150 category and below) B. Receive $5,000 for every missed cut C. Subsidizes travel and tournament-related expenses D. Does not impact tournament purses

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It’s a star-studded field this week at the Charles Schwab Challenge, but one of the most interesting players to watch will be a player whose recent struggles stand in stark contrast to his past performances at Colonial Country Club. It can be argued that no one has had more success at Colonial over the past few years than Jordan Spieth. In seven starts, he has a win (2016), two runner-up finishes and a pair of other top-10s. Twenty-one of his 28 rounds at Colonial have been in the 60s. Of players with at least a dozen rounds in the Charles Schwab Challenge over the last 30 years, Spieth’s scoring average leads all players (67.8). RELATED LINKS: 15th Club But before competition halted in March, Spieth’s ball-striking numbers were far from his peak. Spieth is 195th on the TOUR this season in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green and 198th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. For the fourth consecutive season, his greens in regulation rank has dropped – from fourth in 2017, all the way down to 221st so far in 2019-20. Spieth has hit less than 48% of his fairways this season – only four of 231 qualified players on the PGA TOUR currently have a lower percentage. Comparing Spieth’s career Strokes Gained statistics at Colonial with what he’s done the last two seasons on TOUR provides an even starker contrast. Spieth is 195th on the TOUR this season in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green and 198th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee. For the fourth consecutive season, his greens in regulation rank has dropped – from fourth in 2017, all the way down to 221st so far in 2019-2020. Spieth has hit less than 48% of his fairways this season – only four of 231 qualified players on the PGA TOUR currently have a lower percentage. Comparing Spieth’s career Strokes Gained statistics at Colonial with what he’s done the last two seasons on TOUR provides an even starker contrast. Over the last 15 years, no player has averaged more Strokes Gained: Total (+2.41) and Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (+1.83) per round at Colonial than Spieth. Spieth is ranked 82nd and 166th (of 205 players) in those two statistics since the beginning of last season. He has gained 1.28 strokes per round at Colonial in ‘long game’ – a statistic that combines Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and Strokes Gained: Approach. That’s fifth-best among players with 12 or more rounds at Colonial since 2005. Over the last two seasons, he’s losing -0.69 strokes per round in that stat, ranking 187th. Colonial could provide a great opportunity for Spieth to rediscover his best self on the golf course. Statistically speaking, the venue plays to Spieth’s strengths and masks the less glittering aspects of his performance. For one, missing fairways at Colonial is not as penalizing at other PGA TOUR events. ‘Missed fairway penalty’ is the difference in the field’s average when hitting the fairway versus missing it. Last year at Colonial, only one hole (the fifth) had a penalty of a half-stroke or more. Spieth is the all-time leader in scoring average at this tournament despite hitting just over 50% of his fairways at Colonial. Driving distance does not reap huge rewards at Colonial, either. Not that Spieth has ever been a short hitter off the tee – he’s always ranked among the top half of PGA TOUR players in driving distance – but the typical benefits reaped by the longest players just aren’t present at Colonial. A player outdriving the field average by 25 yards will gain one stroke less throughout the course of a tournament compared to the average PGA TOUR event. Throughout his career, Spieth has struck his approach shots better at Colonial than anywhere else on TOUR. Jordan’s average proximity to the hole in 28 career rounds at Colonial is 31 feet, 10 inches. To put that into perspective, that is about two feet closer, on average, than his proximity for the entirety of his FedExCup-winning 2015 season. Spieth has averaged +0.88 strokes gained approach per round at Colonial – fifth-best among all players over the last 15 years. Fans seemingly remember Spieth making every putt he looked at when he played his best – from the famous ‘Go Get That’ at The Open Championship, to the putts he made all over East Lake in his 2015 TOUR Championship win. But narratives, often punctuated by highlights, can mask the statistical reality behind performance. Such has often been the case with Spieth in his career. When Spieth was playing his best golf, it wasn’t because he was making every putt in sight. It was because he was outperforming the field with his irons. Consider his aforementioned halcyon season of 2015. That year, Spieth actually ranked better on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (fourth) than he did in Strokes Gained: Putting (ninth). Colonial, a place where Spieth has had immense success, reflects that, too. Spieth is ranked 20th among all players at Colonial since 2005 in Strokes Gained: Putting per round – a worse ranking than any of his ball striking metrics in that span. Spieth has been putting better in regular PGA TOUR events the last two seasons (+0.73 strokes gained per round) than he has at Colonial in his career (+0.58 per round). It’s been Spieth’s exceptional performance tee-to-green at Colonial that has set him apart. Over the last decade, no player has averaged more strokes gained tee-to-green per round than the Texan has (1.83). If there’s one place best suited for Spieth’s on-course revival, Colonial just might be it.

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The Ryder Cup starts Friday at Le Golf National outside Paris. The U.S. is seeking its first win on foreign soil in 25 years. Will it happen, or will the European team bounce back from its loss two years ago in Hazeltine? Our staff writers weigh in with their predictions. SEAN MARTIN Senior Editor Winning team: USA (14.5 to 13.5) USA MVP: Tony Finau. The rookie may not go undefeated, but a winning record from the last man picked will be crucial in such a close match. European MVP: Sergio Garcia. Yes, he had a lackluster season, but the Ryder Cup will re-ignite his flame. Comment: The United States will win on foreign soil eventually. May as well be this year. This strong U.S. contingent has won its past three team competitions by a combined 51.5 – 36.5 margin. It won’t be easy, but they will get the job done. The U.S. is too strong from top to bottom. MIKE McALLISTER Managing Editor Winning team: USA (16 to 12) USA MVP: Tiger Woods. Fresh off his first PGA TOUR win in five years, he’ll carry the momentum into this week with a dominant performance. European MVP: Ian Poulter. His form fell off a bit in his last few TOUR starts, but he’ll deliver the usual passion and spunk that we expect from him against the U.S. Comment: Honestly, I’m not sure it’ll be all that close. U.S. has more guys in form and too many young players without scar tissue. Don’t expect them to be fazed in the least on foreign soil. CAMERON MORFIT Staff Writer Winning team: USA (14.5 to 13.5) USA MVP: Brooks Koepka. No one is on a better run of excelling on really hard courses. European MVP: Francesco Molinari. He’s had the best season of any European and is tough to beat right now. Comment: The U.S. will run out to an early lead, but outmanned Europe will keep it close with the home crowd urging them on. In the end, the score will reflect which side has the better players, and the U.S. will win a road game for the first time in a quarter century. JONATHAN WALL Equipment Insider Winning team: USA (15 to 13) USA MVP: Patrick Reed. Always finds a way to raise his game to another level during the biennial matches. He’ll do it again on foreign soil.  European MVP: Tommy Fleetwood. Has the game and confidence to make a major statement as a rookie. Comment: The U.S. team is stacked. It’s easy to see Europe keeping it close, but there are too many questions at the bottom of the roster, namely a lack of consistency from some key captain’s picks. Going with experience over a couple of hot hands winds up being the difference for Thomas Bjorn. BEN EVERILL Staff Writer Winning team: Europe (15 to 13) USA MVP: Justin Thomas. He will prove he’s the next “liferâ€� for the U.S. team. European MVP: Justin Rose. He’s killing it right now and accuracy is going to be a key factor. Comment: The home team will set up conditions to negate the U.S. firepower and the crowds will put the visitors off their usual swagger. HELEN ROSS Contributor Winning team: USA (14.5 to 13.5) USA MVP: Patrick Reed. Captain American loves this stage, and he’ll especially enjoy taking his curtain calls before the partisan European crown. European MVP: Justin Rose. Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia immediately come to mind – and I expect both to rise to the occasion — but you can’t ignore the way the new FedExCup champ has been playing. Comment: It’s time for the Americans to win the Ryder Cup in Europe. It won’t be a runaway but the U.S. has been building to this ever since the task force was formed.  ROB BOLTON Fantasy Insider WINNER: USA (15.5 to 12.5) USA MVP: Patrick Reed EUROPE MVP: Thorbjorn Olesen COMMENT: Both teams have moxie, so this will be a terrific battle. Europe has the experience on the course and we should expect captain Thomas Bjorn to have an impact in what sets up as a transitional edition for the hosts. However, the Americans are as deep as they’ve ever been and the evolution of the new team philosophy is still fresh and fun. MIKE GLASSCOTT Fantasy Contributor Winning team: Europe (15 to 13) USA MVP: Brooks Koepka continues his ascendancy with another big performance but it’s not enough to push the Stars and Stripes over the finish line.  European MVP: Ian Poulter lives up to the expectations and cements his place as one of the greatest of all time in this format. Comment: The European rookies are buoyed on by the partisan crowd and play with freedom as Bjorn’s “old guard” holds up their part of the bargain. The USA struggles to find enough fairways and continues their struggles away from home in this event.

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