SOUTH SIMONS ISLAND (Ga.) – The PGA Tour is thrilled by some of this year’s winners. SahithTheegala won his debut in Napa, Tom Kim repeated in Las Vegas, Collin Morikawa ended his winless streak in Japan, where he has ancestors, Erik van Rooyen had an emotional back-nine win and won in Cabo, Camilo Villegas enjoyed a feel-good weekend in Bermuda, and LudvigAberg The Sunday drama did not disappoint.
There was not much happiness under the surface. Jimmy Walker, for example, complained that he would have to fight three more months to retain his card. He dropped out of top 125, and now has conditional status to play out of Nos. The 126-150 group will be his new category for next season.
The top 50 players were not required to start a new season at the beginning of the regular one, but instead locked their cards up at the end. They no longer needed to worry about being behind on the full schedule of tournaments. Instead, those who did not qualify for exempt status were required to compete in a seven-event point chase to maintain their status for the 2024 regular season which starts in January. The Fall lost two other events, the CJ Cup and Houston Open. Both of these joined the FedEx Cup Regular Season. CJ took over title sponsorship of Byron Nelson in Dallas while the Houston Open was promoted to a spring date.
The top players got the off-season that they had been asking for, and the rest of us got to play with prizes worth at least $8,000,000 and full FedEx Cup Points on the line. We also got a chance for the ‘Next 10’ who finished in the final standings to qualify for early-season Signature Events. Peter Malnati said that the FedEx Cup Fall had been “fun and thrilling, unless you are one of those trying to keep your position and then it is a strain.”
Peter Malnati sets up a putt at the Port Royal Golf Course, Southampton, Bermuda during the second round 2023 Butterfield Bermuda Championship. (Photo: Marianna Massey/Getty Images)
Theoretically, players of all levels could compete for something – the top 50 even had the chance to earn extra years on their exempt status if they won – but did it also benefit fans and sponsors? This is a sale that only a used-car salesman can make. It begs the questions: Will the Tour continue to find sponsors who will pay for tournaments in which the biggest names rarely, if ever, play?
Many professionals expressed concern about the future of the Fall Schedule, which will be increasingly important to players who are fighting for their status in the upcoming Season.
Mark Hubbard was one of the six players who competed in all seven tournaments. “For me, there was a noticeable change in the tournaments, and I thought that the course rolled out the carpet for us, and other things, like the courtesy cars, hotel rooms, or food. It felt as if they were trying to cut costs because they weren’t getting the same turnout or big names.
“I feel sorry for many of these tournaments, like Jackson (Mississippi), which have worked so hard on becoming a great event. And, now, they’re never going to get any of the top players to come to their event.” It’s hard for me to imagine how these [$8million] purses will stay high, and that those tournaments would want to remain big events, but there is no one there.
Ryan Armour, a veteran pro, said: “We have a number of great events at this time of the year. If they want to host a PGA Tour tournament they should be allowed. The membership should also support them.” “A lot top guys wanted time off, and they got it.”
Las Vegas was the most notable absence of big names. Several local pros chose to skip the event this year. A sponsor exemption granted to LPGA Tour member Lexi Thompson attracted much needed attention.
Doug Ghim said, “More men would have shown up for Vegas and Napa. It’s unfortunate for events, fans, and local, it sort of stinks.”
“Vegas has changed a lot.” Kramer Hickok said, “Last year I would not have gotten into and this year I got in by about 20 or so.”
Davis Love III has been hosting the RSM Classic for the past 14 years. He’s had the opportunity to see several different iterations of fall in his 30+ year career, which earned him a place in the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Love stated last week that the show hasn’t been the same for five years, or maybe even my entire career. “I hope it continues to improve. They come up with fresh ideas. I think it will continue to improve. But I’m not sure what it is.”
The Tour can only dream of a next year that will produce a collection as rich in stories and as many winners as this one.
