Congratulations to Phil Mickelson, who shot an amazing 65 to win the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. But make no bones about it, Mickelson is not a fan of the playoffs format, saying something to the effect of:
“Let me see if I get this straight. I shoot 65 and beat Tiger, he gets $10 million, and I only get $1 million? No, I’m just kidding…”
What’s crazy to me is how no one is making a bigger deal about this. I’m paraphrasing Mickelson’s comments on NBC after winning, because nobody has the actual comment on their sites! The only comments I was able to find were something a little bit calmer that I’m assuming Mickelson said later at the press conference, where he basically says he’s happy to have a scenario where he and Tiger both win money.
I don’t have a problem with Phil’s comments…but hopefully word gets back to Tim Finchem. Yesterday’s outcome may have been a “dream scenario” for the PGA Tour with Tiger and Phil both winning at the same time, but it says a lot when neither of your champions is enthused with the playoff system at all!
Yesterday’s final round was exciting to watch, and it was great to see golf’s two biggest stars in the limelight. Everything seemed to “work itself out.” But much like the BCS for college football, if the format isn’t changed, one of these years we’re going to end up with a disaster (like Heath Slocum winning the playoffs that he has no business even being a part of in the first place).
The more I think about Phil’s statement, the more I wonder what he said to Payne Stewart 10 years ago that made Stewart grab him by the face and remind him that he was about to become a father. Sounds like he needed someone to do the same thing and remind him that his wife and mother have cancer and, as disappointing as the checks are, his game hasn’t been what it usually is because he has had to take time off from his regular schedule, and find ways to keep his mind focused on the golf course when he did get to play.
I know that Mickelson is a world class competitor – he hates to lose – but this is one he needs to let go. In a regular season with this same result, it is very likely that he would have been holding both trophies and both checks last Sunday – but this wasn’t a regular year.
I really don’t think Phil ment it that way.. What they both seems to think is that it’s not the most fair system, but like Tiger says they are trying to make it more like playoffs in other sports, where what you do at the end is what matters the most.
I like the FedEX CUP as it is this year.
I heard Phil say that “(he) didn’t deserve to win (the FedEx Cup…” because he didn’t play very well prior to the last tournament. I also heard him say that it the final results seemed to workout because the guy who played the best over all 4 tournaments won the whole thing, and that playing well in just one tournament shouldn’t mean you win the cup.
With that, 90% of people feel that: (1) This year’s format was an improvement over the last 2 years and (2) additional changes will only make it even better – better scheduling to avoid conflicts with football (i.e. prime-time Monday – Thursday, maybe from a West Coast venue), maybe a round-robbin or match-play type format, so long as there is some “guarantee” for TV execs that Tiger and Phil or Ernie or Paddy, etc. don’t get knocked out before the last event, etc, etc.
Like most, I DVR’d it and watched w/o commercials before Manning went off on Sunday Night Football.
It was a joke you idiot. Mickelson is a big joker and an infamous needler. As was quoted , Phil went on to say that it worked out right – that the guy who was most consistent in the Playoffs won the Fed Ex Cup. But he was happy to win the tournament as his game and putting were finally coming together.
The idea that he hates the Fed Ex Cup is ridiculous, the more chances Phil gets to challenge Tiger the better.
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