Greetings ...
Recently, CNN-SI's Gary Van Sickle posted an article called
"If I were PGA Tour Commissioner for a Day".
I will refrain from offering comment on Mr. Van Sickle's suggestions, although all of you out there are welcome to offer your own opinions.
As for me, here's a list of things that I would do as PGA Tour Commish ---
1 -- The Mercedes Championships is replaced with the Sony Winners Challenge at Kapalua (bye-bye Hawaiian Open). The field is expanded to include all winners of the event (including Mercedes Championships winners) within the last five years, as well as winners of events carrying 5-yr, 3-yr and 2-yr exemptions. Winning more than one event (regular and WGC only in any combination) within a single year will not earn you extra trips to Kapulua. The tournament winner gets 3-yr exemption.
2 -- The Western Open stays "as is". It gets late June/early July dates, and winner gets 3-yr exemption.
3 -- The Canadian Open gets late June/early July dates, and winner gets 3-yr exemption.
4 -- WGC events are no longer contested. Match Play moves to Firestone tournament. "Something Else" replaces WGC's. Firestone Match Play and "Something Else" event winners get 3-yr exemption.
5 -- No more bonus years of exemption for winning 2 or more regular/WGC events in the same calendar year. However, winners of any event/events carrying only 2-yr exemption who are also among Top 20 Money Leaders at season's end get bonus 3rd year of exemption.
6 -- Past, Present and Future Life Exemptions (pre-1970 US Open or PGA Championship winners -OR- any player with 20 PGA Tour wins and 15 yrs active membership) replaced with limited life exemption of 5 events per year.
7 -- East Lake and TPC-Sugarloaf will alternate as hosts of the Coca-Cola Bellsouth Classic.
8 -- Instead of taking four weeks to end the Fed Ex Cup Series, I'd have the season end with ONE EVENT: the Tour Championship as a 32-player (determined by official PGA Tour Money Earnings) match play event, to be held at Kapulua in Prime Time Sunday-Thursday Early November, to be televised by USA and NBC. There would be 36-hole matches each day. Each time you win a match you move up on a special playoff points list. The winner of the Tour Championship will win the Playoff Series.
9 -- Playoff Series Bonus Pool will involve the 32 participants of the Tour Championship. The Grand Prize winner gets $5,000,000 unconditionally, $10,000,000 if he meets "certain conditions".