Tiger Woods decides to skip Tour Championship, end PGA Tour season early

[Kilroy]

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) - Tiger Woods is skipping the Tour Championship next week for the first time in his career, saying he was mentally and physically tired from a hectic stretch through the Ryder Cup.

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[rgk5]

210442.15 in reply to 210442.10

But he is playing the week after in China and 2-3 more events after that. No doubt the guaranteed appearance money there is greater than first prize in Atlanta.

In my opinion the rest spin is ultra BS. If a guy his age cannot be rested after 2-3 weeks off, then something is amiss.

[Golfbum]

I personally feel that the prize money available on the PGA Tour dictates schedules. Woods has won over $9 million in 2006. There is no quarantee he'll win the Tour Championship. Payout there will be around $1-1.2 Million. So Woods decides not to play, and rest up. Of course, why not? He goes to China and will quite likely pocket $3 mil in appearence money. Quaranteed cash. Not that he needs it.

I could care less if Woods, or Lefty show up at East Lake next week. This is a closed tournament, so does it matter if they show up? IMO, NO.

However I feel that the PGA should then allow the 31st and 32nd guys on the Money List to play this event. Afterall it is only a field of 30, and two have dropped out. Why not give the next two guys in line a shot at glory?

IMO the PGA needs to put a program in place that forces the members to play every event at least once every 5 years.

Think of it this way, Woods or someone else gets hot in January. They win 5 -6 events in two months with earnings of $6 mil. Great, now all they play is the Majors. 4 more events. This could happen and sponsors who spend big bucks to back tournaments would not see that golfer play their events. This is not good for the Tour or Pro golf in general.

We need more Dana Quigley's and Vijay Singh's !

[FrankoSport]

Greetings ...

So, now at least three are out of the Tour Championship. Tiger and Phil, along with Stephen Ames who does have a good reason - back injury.

Now, let's consider the flip side of all this.

Tour Championship invitational criteria is specific ---

The Top 30 Leaders on the PGA Tour Official Money List up to the start of the event.

That's it. And there is NO PROVISION for replacements.

Therefore, the 31st, 32nd and 33rd players on the money list after this weekend will not have the opportunity to challenge for these ...

Top 30, Final Official Money List - 2007 US Open invitation
Top 20, Final Official Money List - 2007 British Open invitation
Tour Championship title - 3-year PGA Tour exemption

Because the Tour Championship has only the Top 30 Money Leaders, it means that you've already decided the Top 30 who will play in next year's US Open as well as the Top 40 for next year's Masters. In another words, you've removed the drama of deciding those races at the Tour Championship itself, leaving only the Top 20 race for those who will get into next year's British Open, and the race for the Tour Championship title itself, which awards a 3-year exemption.

It is a closed shop in more ways than one.

[EDSGOLF]

Not right, if he is not sick, he should be there.

[milner_7]

Both Tiger and Phil should be required to play and if not give those 2 spots to the next 2 spots.

[sharkshooter]

There is something wrong when these two decide not to play in the Tour Championship.

While they can't be forced to compete, there should be some kind of penalty for a "healthy scratch" from this tournament.

[larry]

Phil has shut down for the year to be with his family and that is fine with me. But Tiger is skipping tournaments to rest up for his "silly season". He will play a number of tournaments for business reasons. That I don't agree with.

[pvs1313]

nowe, first off i say yes they shold play.

but to say it is OK for Phile to skip it while not for tiger? sounds like someone hates tiger.

and he does not play in China etc just for themoney, he makes WAYYY more money just sittign at home watching everyone buyy nike products and buicks ewtc, than he ever has or will playing golf anywhere.

this guy mkaes over $80 million a year, and like 1/8 of that is form golf.

so what if he skips it really, nice to see someone else win tournaments.

[FrankoSport]

Greetings ...

Here and elsewhere, I've been tossing around the subject of the Tour Championship's current invitational format, which is limited to those among among the Top 30 on the Money List. Here's an interesting bit of feedback that I have received --

"That format with its 'no replacement' policy is ratified by the oversight board which includes player members elected by their peers to represent their interests. So they all know that this reward, playing in the lucrative tour Championship, further separates the top 30 from the rest, eligibility for next year's special criteria events included. This event has been as it is since the late 1980's. If the players felt strongly enough about your points, they would have changed things by now. IMHO, it's a non-issue for the rank and file."

I agree with that, and it makes me realize something ....

The PGA Tour tends to promote its own interests by several means at the expense of the events it can not control - the four Grand Slam Majors. The Tour Championship's current invitational format, as well as whatever will be the format for the upcoming Fed Ex Cup, is a case in point.

Any Grand Slam champion not among the Top 30 Money Leaders does not get an invitation. And, as stated before, only the race for Top 20 Money Leader, worth a British Open invitation, as well as that for Leading Money Winner, is decided at the event. Meanwhile, the races for Top 30 (US Open) and Top 40 (Masters) are decided elsewhere. The less references to the Majors, the better it would seem.

To me, it is ironic that, among the four grand slam majors, only the British Open invitations are up for grabs at the Tour Championship. For many years prior to 1995, the PGA Tour did not even recognize the British Open as official in any way, shape or form!

Now comes an interesting twist. You can win events that the PGA Tour DOES control - the three official money World Golf Championships as well as the Players Championship - and NOT be guaranteed to be invited to the Tour Championship. How about THAT !!?

In my view, any tie-in to golf's biggest championships should serve as an enhancement to an event like the Tour Championship. Unfortunately, by downplaying references to those other events, the PGA Tour has made the Tour Championship a very mundane occurance on its schedule.

Thanx-A-Lot, FrankoSport
Tour Championship: Suggested Revisions

[3Jack]

They're independent contractors - that's the bottom line. Only once the PGA tour and its players agree upon a 'must play' provision will this change - if and when they do, it will be for the betterment of the tour.

I think the LPGA gaurantees its sponsors that all players will attend their event at least once every three years. Doesn't sound that outrageous to me - that way, even the 'lower tier' events get the big dawgs once in a while...

[Hacker]

We need more Dana Quigley's and Vijay Singh's !

We most certainly DO NOT need mor Vijay Sing's - can't stand the man, never could

[Indio]

We most certainly DO NOT need mor Vijay Sing's - can't stand the man, never could

Is your over yet?

[Indio]

The fact that Phil has shutdown due to family reasons and Tiger has shutdown to rest, makes no difference. They are both entitled to play the tournaments they wish to play. We have to face it, golf is big business and if Tiger's contract states that he has to play certain tournaments, then he has a right to skip the ones he isn't contractually obliged to play.

My 2 cents.

[Golfbum]

We most certainly DO NOT need mor Vijay Sing's - can't stand the man, never could

I used Vijay as an example since he plays so many events. The fact of the matter is Vijay "SUPPORTS THE PGA TOUR" to the fullest. Now if that comes from being money hungry or wanting to win tournaments I do not know. I would suspect he wants to win win win. Pretty sure he will have enough money to live comfortably the rest of his life. Love or hate Vijay you can not say he doesn't support PGA Tour events.

As I said earlier, I could care less if any of those TOP 30 take a pass on the Tour Championship. However I feel if 5 of them decide not to play then let in the 31-35th place guys on the Money List to fill the event.

It was interesting to watch Ernie Els trying to figure out if he had made enough money on Sunday to stay in the Top 30. Seems to me he wanted to be in this event. So do many others. It is the icing on the cake after playing well all year. Or in Choi's case, winning the last event of the year to move into the Top 30. The Tour Championship is quaranteed money, no cut. Just show up and cash a cheque, if you win, a very big cheque!

[Hacker]

Is your over yet?

I could go on and on about why I can't stand VJ but that'd be boarding on thread-jacking

[Indio]

I could go on and on about why I can't stand VJ but that'd be boarding on thread-jacking

Humm, sounds about like how I feel about Lefty!

[Indio]

I could go on and on about why I can't stand VJ but that'd be boarding on thread-jacking

We should start a poll, who do you dislike the most, VJ, Lefty or Tiger! LOL

["Richard"]

We should start a poll, who do you dislike the most, VJ, Lefty or Tiger! LOL

Is there any reason you decided to include 2 imigrants on your hate list??? I thought you liked me and bobby

[Indio]

Is there any reason you decided to include 2 imigrants on your hate list??? I thought you liked me and bobby

When you are amongst the best in the world, you are fair game! Now if that doesn't give you something to 'play' with, you are comatose