Question of the week [August 31-September 6]: What is your opinion of the PGA Tour's revamped Tour Championship plans, which will feature a two-week, match-play format?
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George Sinner | Fargo, ND
I think the change to a match-play format will be wonderful for the game, adding a fresh and dynamic element of competition.
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Marty O'Donnell | Mt. Prospect, IL
I love it.
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Gerald Smith | Pinehurst, NC
I suspect that it will only last a season or two, particularly if marquee players are eliminated in early rounds. Who will tune into the TV coverage if that happens? Personally, I think match play is a great format for the game of golf, but it can be tough for television ratings.
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Andrew Turnbull | Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
The complaint I've heard most is that it will lead to "boring, unwatchable TV." Well, Sunday at the Tour Championship this year was already boring, unwatchable TV. Give me the match-play format. I'll take the risk of a blowout if it means we get the reward of dramatic, compelling head-to-head action. Nothing is perfect, but this is a worthy change.
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Rodney Maguire | Clifton Park, NY
It can't hurt — change is desperately needed. Once the Masters is over, the golf season gets stale. Move the PGA Championship back to August as well; having all four majors in a 100-day window is not good for the sport.
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Jim Davies | Dousman, WI
I like it. My only question is: why not start it sooner?
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Gary Stauffenberg | Phoenix, AZ
The match-play finale has been spoken of by some as a secondary event or a throwaway, but adding "PGA Tour Match Play Champion" to a resume will become a massive feather in anyone’s cap. Man-on-man against the very best requires a completely different skill set than stroke play — it's what most of us play and love weekly. Elevate it, don't downplay it. And if they play at Cypress Point Golf Club (Pebble Beach, CA), flip the nines to ensure everyone sees that stunning ocean stretch on TV.
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Michael J. Murphy | Portland, ME
It is a waste of time. This is a manufactured event that means nothing except dollar signs. Base the season champion on how players performed all year long, not on a silly two-week sprint.
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Brent Myers | Kidron, OH
Great. Anything different is better than the current snoozefest cash grab.
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Tom Powers | Bradenton, FL
History suggests this won't work from a broadcast or business perspective. The reason? It is highly likely that fan-favorite stars won't consistently reach the finals. Match play is a volatile format, so if a top star has an average day while their opponent putts lights out, the star goes home. Fans and sponsors paying for ad slots want to see the biggest names on Sunday.
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Steve Moore | Birmingham, AL
Years of bashing by pundits and fans over the FedEx Cup and Tour Championship played a key role in this change, but I remember match play in Tucson and how quickly that model ran into issues. If marquee players have a bad round and don't play on the weekend, sponsors and broadcast partners will get burned as audiences tune out.
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Jim Budelman | Morrisville, NC
Do not like it.
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Mike Minella | Batavia, IL
Interesting concept. It will be fun to see how it pans out. I would like to see Chicago Golf Club (Wheaton, IL) included in the rotation of host courses.
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Doug Smith | Westminster, SC
I like the idea of a one-week match-play component as part of the playoffs, but I do not like moving the final championship away from the traditional East Lake Golf Club (Atlanta, GA).
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Keith Howell | Norfolk, VA
Ho-hum.
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Lew Burke | The Villages, FL
Another clear case of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."
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Norman Saulnier | Reno, NV
The PGA Tour should go back to using the final three tournaments for FedEx Cup points, awarding a winner for the individual event as well as the overall points champion. Keep the existing cut structure (70, 50, 30).
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Vinny Mooney | Poughkeepsie, NY
The level of greed on the PGA Tour is stunning. Over the past few years, it has pushed signature events with limited fields, massive purses and no cuts, creating a clear two-tier system. Now they want a 32-player match-play field to ensure the rich keep getting richer. Most casual golf fans only watch the majors and The Players Championship; it doesn't really matter how they rearrange this playoff format.
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Brian T. Cairns | Vero Beach, FL If it's strictly limited to 16 players, then yes. Anything larger just feels like a college football-style cash grab.
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Edmund J. Woronicz | Charleston, SC
Match play can be boring to watch. A matchup like Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy is a winner, but lower-profile head-to-head matches won't pull in casual viewers.
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Gig Berkowitz | The Villages, FL
The end-of-season format should allow the most consistent golfer over the entire year to achieve the top spot.
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Thomas Klabunde | Tempe, AZ
Thankfully, there is finally recognition that the FedEx Cup "championship" in its current configuration is a stale exercise. Showing a player's projected standing change after every single putt is absurd. Match play is golf in its purest form, and we see far too little of it on tour.
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Richard P. Genett | Flossmoor, IL
Change is good. I'm looking forward to watching the pros adapt their strategies to match play, and hopefully, they play on interesting courses across the country.
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Yves Chareton | Paris, France
Very good news.
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T.J. Rafael | Indian Trail, NC
Not expecting much.
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Mel Howsmon | Vancouver, WA
I am glad they are trying something different, as the current format is not working. Part of making this successful will be how golfers earn their way into the top spots — players need to earn their place in the top 32 based on consistent performance and required event participation.
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Dale Richardson | Winston-Salem, NC
I feel like the competition returns to its roots with a match-play format.
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Dave Wilfling | Neenah, WI
I like it.
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Steve Guild | Kernersville, NC
I like the idea. What would be really interesting is having two locations for the first weekend, where the lower seed gets to select their preferred venue. That would add another fun layer of strategy and gamesmanship.
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The First Call invites reader comment. Write to editor Stuart Hall at shall@buffalogroupe.com. If your comment is selected for publication, we will not publish your email address. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and brevity.
Front: Kevin Kisner, left, and Scottie Scheffler shake hands following Scheffler's win at the 2022 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Photo: Kenneth Dennis | Golffile