2019 Fed Ex Cup - Alternative Final 30 Scenarios


2018-19 PGA Tour Season 2019 Fed Ex Cup Playoffs


1 .. Pre-2019 Tour Championship Leaders

The PGA Tour re-vamps both the Fed Ex Cup playoff schedule and Tour Championship format for 2019 and beyond.
There is now one less playoff event, and the Tour Championship's finish date is moved from late September to late
August. The Tour Championship's new format has the Top 30 players receiving reset scores instead of reset points
points prior to the playing of the tournament. It is now possible for a player to have the best 72-hole score within the
tournament itself and -NOT- be the Fed Ex Cup champion because another player with a better reset score, combined
with their in-tournament score, could overtake any in-tournament-only leader and be named the Fed Ex Cup champion.

2017 Fed Ex Cup Champion Justin Thomas is the #1 player heading into the 2019 Tour Championship, leading #2
Patrick Cantlay by 318 pts; #3 Brooks Koepka by 358 pts; #4 Patrick Reed by 529 pts; and #5 Rory McIlroy by 633 pts.

With one less playoff event in 2019, the difference between #1 Thomas and #30 Jason Kokrak is only 2,221 pts.

Full Top 30 Fed Ex Cup leaderboard going into the 2019 Tour Championship .....
    --                       Normal   Reset      --                       Normal  Reset
    Rank  Player             Pts      Score      Rank  Player             Pts     Score
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     1    Justin Thomas        3,475   -10       16    Paul Casey           1,768   -2
     2    Patrick Cantlay      3,157   -8        17    Justin Rose          1,739   -2
     3    Brooks Koepka        3,119   -7        18    Brandt Snedeker      1,709   -2
     4    Patrick Reed         2,946   -6        19    Rickie Fowler        1,637   -2
     5    Rory McIlroy         2,842   -5        20    Kevin Kisner         1,635   -2

     6    Jon Rahm             2,517   -4        21    Marc Leishman        1,587   -1
     7    Matt Kuchar          2,339   -4        22    Tommy Fleetwood      1,479   -1
     8    Xander Schauffele    2,030   -4        23    Corey Conners        1,476   -1
     9    Webb Simpson         1,946   -4        24    Sungjae Im           1,407   -1
    10    Abraham Ancer        1,940   -4        25    Chez Reavie          1,394   -1

    11    Gary Woodland        1,912   -3        26    Bryson DeChambeau    1,371   Par
    12    Tony Finau           1,911   -3        27    Louis Oosthuizen     1,355   Par
    13    Adam Scott           1,874   -3        28    Charles Howell III   1,345   Par
    14    Dustin Johnson       1,840   -3        29    Lucas Glover         1,337   Par
    15    Hideki Matsuyama     1,821   -3        30    Jason Kokrak         1,254   Par


2 .. Pre-2019 Tour Championship:   Actual and Alternative Fed Ex Cup Points

Because of the reset scoring format being used, there will be no points distribution at the 2019
Tour Championship. Shown below are the reset scores assigned to each of the 30 positions.
     1.. -10     6.. -4     11.. -3     16.. -2     21.. -1     26.. Par
     2.. -8      7.. -4     12.. -3     17.. -2     22.. -1     27.. Par
     3.. -7      8.. -4     13.. -3     18.. -2     23.. -1     28.. Par
     4.. -6      9.. -4     14.. -3     19.. -2     24.. -1     29.. Par
     5.. -5     10.. -4     15.. -3     20.. -2     25.. -1     30.. Par
Now, we will assume that, in our "alternative" scenario, the non-reset points-to-date are being used instead of the
pre-tournament reset scores. On this basis, a calculated total of 24,000 Tour Championship points are approved and
announced on the Monday before the start of the tournament. The complete 30-place distribution is as follows ....
     1.. 4,000     6.. 960    11.. 624    16.. 544    21.. 472    26.. 432
     2.. 2,200     7.. 840    12.. 608    17.. 528    22.. 464    27.. 424
     3.. 1,680     8.. 720    13.. 592    18.. 512    23.. 456    28.. 416
     4.. 1,280     9.. 680    14.. 576    19.. 496    24.. 448    29.. 408
     5.. 1,120    10.. 640    15.. 560    20.. 480    25.. 440    30.. 400
With the alternative points distribution in effect, a few of the potential scenarios it creates are as follows ....

»» Players #1 thru #18 ........ JUST WIN, BABY!

»» Players #19 thru #23
    Combination of winning Tour Championship (4,000 pts)
    -AND-
    Justin Thomas finishing no better than a two-way tie for 2nd (1,940 pts)

»» Players #24 thru #30
    Combination of winning Tour Championship (4,000 pts)
    -AND-
    Justin Thomas finishing no better than a three-way tie for 2nd (1,620 pts)
    -AND-
    Patrick Cantlay finishing no better than a two-way tie for 2nd (1,940 pts)


The customized alternative Tour Championship points makes the 2019 Fed Ex Cup winning scenarios less complex and
easier to understand. Also, a sense of real urgency to play as well as one can rather than just coasting along is created,
especially for the leading players who, in the right scenario, can easily be surpassed by any player in the field.

Now, on to the actual 2019 Tour Championship results, which will include the alternative points distribution and the
various potential scenarios which have been created by such points. One can compare and contrast both Tour
Championship reset and non-reset scores, as well as the final "actual" and "alternative" Fed Ex Cup standings.



3 .. The 2019 Tour Championship: Part 1 - Actual results

NOTE ... This section shows the actual final results using the pre-tournament reset scores.

Rory McIlroy did many folks (naysayers of the reset scores, mainly) a huge favor with his winning
72-hole aggregate score of 267, which was three strokes better than Xander Schauffele's 270.

Now to present some important "What If's" --

1 ..... If both McIlroy and Schauffele had shot the exact same 4-round aggregate totals (say, 270), then McIlroy's combined score
    of -15 (10-under for 72 holes plus -5 reset), vs. Schauffele's combined score of -14 reset (10-under for 72 holes plus -4 reset),
    would have given McIlroy the Fed Ex Cup Title.

2 ..... If McIlroy had finished with a 72-hole aggregate of 271 vs. Schauffele's 270, then, with the original reset scores incorporated,
    the two would be tied at 14-under-par (McIlroy -9 for 72 holes plus -5 original reset; Schauffele -10 for 72 holes plus -4 original
    reset). Both players would have then gone to a sudden-death playoff to decide the Fed Ex Cup title.

3 ..... If McIlroy had finished 72 holes with an aggregate score no better than 272, versus say 270 for Schauffele, then
    the Fed Ex Cup title would belong to Schauffele.

THIS AUTHOR's PERSONAL OPINION

The use of the pre-tournament reset scoring raises serious questions about competitive fairness. The above examples with McIlroy
and Schauffele illustrate what happens with just one reset stroke difference between two players. Imagine situations where two or
more players may have the same 72-hole aggregate total, or where the 72-hole aggregate totals of two or more players are within
two to three strokes of each other. Then imagine what happens in those situations when one of the players has a pre-tournament
reset score of two strokes or greater (three, five, up to ten) than any of the other players.

Up to now, the outcome of any PGA Tour event has been decided solely on the basis of what a player shoots within just the
confines of the 72 holes of competition -- honest competition! Using pre-tournament reset scores takes away that honesty,
negatively handicaps many of the competitors in the field, and cheapens the overall results of both the Tour Championship
and the final Fed Ex Cup standings.

So! -- Is this how you would like for any future major professional golf competition to be decided ??

    --                  --       Scores for 72 holes     Under-Even-Over Par
    Player              Finish   including non-reset     Final      Original  Fed Ex Cup
    --                  --       under-even-over par     Combined   Reset     Bonus Money
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rory McIlroy        WINNER   66, 67, 68, 66 = 267/-13   -18      -5       $ 15,000,000

    Xander Schauffele       2    64, 69, 67, 70 = 270/-10   -14      -4       $ 5,000,000

    Brooks Koepka          T3    67, 67, 68, 72 = 274/-6    -13      -7       $ 3,500,000
    Justin Thomas          T3    70, 68, 71, 68 = 277/-3    -13     -10       $ 3,500,000

    Paul Casey              5    66, 67, 68, 72 = 273/-7    -9       -2       $ 2,500,000

    Adam Scott              6    68, 70, 71, 66 = 275/-5    -8       -3       $ 1,900,000

    Tony Finau              7    70, 69, 70, 67 = 276/-4    -7       -3       $ 1,300,000

    Chez Reavie             8    71, 64, 70, 70 = 275/-5    -6       -1       $ 1,100,000

    Kevin Kisner           T9    71, 70, 68, 68 = 277/-3    -5       -2       $ 843,334
    Hideki Matsuyama       T9    66, 75, 66, 71 = 278/-2    -5       -3       $ 843,333
    Patrick Reed           T9    70, 70, 73, 68 = 281/+1    -5       -6       $ 843,333

    Bryson DeChambeau     T12    68, 71, 67, 70 = 276/-4    -4       Par      $ 682,500
    Jon Rahm              T12    68, 72, 68, 72 = 280/E     -4       -4       $ 682,500

    Jason Kokrak           14    71, 67, 72, 67 = 277/-3    -3       Par      $ 620,000

    Gary Woodland          15    68, 73, 69, 71 = 281/+1    -2       -3       $ 595,000

    Tommy Fleetwood       T16    69, 70, 71, 70 = 280/E     -1       -1       $ 551,668
    Webb Simpson          T16    74, 70, 68, 71 = 283/+3    -1       -4       $ 551,666
    Matt Kuchar           T16    66, 72, 71, 74 = 283/+3    -1       -4       $ 551,666

    Sungjae Im            T19    67, 71, 73, 70 = 281/+1     E       -1       $ 512,500
    Rickie Fowler         T19    71, 71, 70, 70 = 282/+2     E       -2       $ 512,500

    Louis Oosthuizen      T21    70, 71, 70, 70 = 281/+1    +1       Par      $ 478,000
    Abraham Ancer         T21    72, 69, 72, 72 = 285/+5     1       -4       $ 478,000
    Patrick Cantlay       T21    70, 71, 75, 73 = 289/+9     1       -8       $ 478,000

    Marc Leishman         T24    71, 73, 72, 67 = 283/+3     2       -1       $ 450,500
    Brandt Snedeker       T24    73, 72, 67, 72 = 284/+4     2       -2       $ 450,500

    Corey Conners         T26    68, 71, 71, 74 = 284/+4     3       -1       $ 430,000
    Justin Rose           T26    68, 74, 71, 72 = 285/+5     3       -2       $ 430,000

    Charles Howell III     28    68, 73, 71, 72 = 284/+4     4       Par      $ 415,000

    Lucas Glover          T29    73, 75, 70, 72 = 290/+10   10       Par      $ 400,000
    Dustin Johnson        T29    73, 72, 75, 73 = 293/+13   10       -3       $ 400,000



4 .. The 2019 Tour Championship: Part 2 - Alternative results

PURSE: $ 9,250,000     1st Prize: $ 1,665,000     No-Cut Field of 30     30 of 30 finishers

Showing herein final tournament results using an alternative points method, instead of the actual reset scores format. It is
also assumed that the tournament itself offers a regular official purse, separate from actual Fed Ex Cup Bonus Pool money.
    Player              Finish   Scores                 Alternative   Tournament
    --                  --       --                          Points   Money
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Rory McIlroy        WINNER   66, 67, 68, 66 = 267/-13    4,000    $ 1,665,000

    Xander Schauffele       2    64, 69, 67, 70 = 270/-10    2,200    $ 999,000

    Paul Casey              3    66, 67, 68, 72 = 273/-7     1,680    $ 638,250

    Brooks Koepka           4    67, 67, 68, 72 = 274/-6     1,280    $ 444,000

    Chez Reavie            T5    71, 64, 70, 70 = 275/-5     1,040    $ 351,500
    Adam Scott             T5    68, 70, 71, 66 = 275/-5     1,040    $ 351,500

    Tony Finau             T7    70, 69, 70, 67 = 276/-4     780      $ 305,250
    Bryson DeChambeau      T7    68, 71, 67, 70 = 276/-4     780      $ 305,250

    Jason Kokrak           T9    71, 67, 72, 67 = 277/-3     648      $ 263,318
    Justin Thomas          T9    70, 68, 71, 68 = 277/-3     648      $ 263,316
    Kevin Kisner           T9    71, 70, 68, 68 = 277/-3     648      $ 263,316

    Hideki Matsuyama       12    66, 75, 66, 71 = 278/-2     608      $ 236,800

    Jon Rahm              T13    68, 72, 68, 72 = 280/E      584      $ 220,150
    Tommy Fleetwood       T13    69, 70, 71, 70 = 280/E      584      $ 220,150

    Gary Woodland         T15    68, 73, 69, 71 = 281/+1     536      $ 193,325
    Sungjae Im            T15    67, 71, 73, 70 = 281/+1     536      $ 193,325
    Louis Oosthuizen      T15    70, 71, 70, 70 = 281/+1     536      $ 193,325
    Patrick Reed          T15    70, 70, 73, 68 = 281/+1     536      $ 193,325

    Rickie Fowler          19    71, 71, 70, 70 = 282/+2     496      $ 181,300

    Webb Simpson          T20    74, 70, 68, 71 = 283/+3     472      $ 173,900
    Matt Kuchar           T20    66, 72, 71, 74 = 283/+3     472      $ 173,900
    Marc Leishman         T20    71, 73, 72, 67 = 283/+3     472      $ 173,900

    Brandt Snedeker       T23    73, 72, 67, 72 = 284/+4     448      $ 162,800
    Corey Conners         T23    68, 71, 71, 74 = 284/+4     448      $ 162,800
    Charles Howell III    T23    68, 73, 71, 72 = 284/+4     448      $ 162,800

    Abraham Ancer         T26    72, 69, 72, 72 = 285/+5     424      $ 154,475
    Justin Rose           T26    68, 74, 71, 72 = 285/+5     424      $ 154,475

    Patrick Cantlay        28    70, 71, 75, 73 = 289/+9     416      $ 151,700

    Lucas Glover           29    73, 75, 70, 72 = 290/+10    408      $ 149,850

    Dustin Johnson         30    73, 72, 75, 73 = 293/+13    400      $ 148,000



5 .. Final 2019 Fed Ex Cup Top 30 Standings -- Actual and Alternative

It is readily acknowledged that the alternative results do raise or lower the fortunes of many within the Final 30.
However, the final alternative results are -NOT- decided with the inclusion of pre-tournament reset scores. Instead,
they rely solely on the singular skills of each and every competitor all within the confines of the 72 holes of play.
ACTUAL 2019 RESULTS                   ALTERNATIVE 2019 RESULTS

** = Each player's score in the actual results is the combination of the pre-tournament
     under-even-over par reset score and the player's in-tournament 72-hole under-even-over
     par total.         

--                              Fed Ex Cup    --                  Alternative  Fed Ex Cup
Rank  Player         Scores **  Bonus Money   Rank  Player             Points  Bonus Money
--------------------------------------------  -------------------------------  ------------
  1   Rory McIlroy       -18    $ 15,000,000    1   Rory McIlroy       6,842   $ 15,000,000

  2   Xander Schauffele  -14    $ 5,000,000     2   Brooks Koepka      4,399   $ 5,000,000

 T3   Brooks Koepka      -13    $ 3,500,000     3   Xander Schauffele  4,230   $ 4,000,000

 T3   Justin Thomas      -13    $ 3,500,000     4   Justin Thomas      4,123   $ 3,000,000
 
  5   Paul Casey         -9     $ 2,500,000     5   Patrick Reed       3,482   $ 2,500,000

  6   Adam Scott         -8     $ 1,900,000     6   Paul Casey         3,448   $ 1,900,000

  7   Tony Finau         -7     $ 1,300,000     7   Patrick Cantlay    3,157   $ 1,300,000

  8   Chez Reavie        -6     $ 1,100,000     8   Jon Rahm           3,101   $ 1,100,000
 
 T9   Kevin Kisner       -5     $ 843,334       9   Adam Scott         2,914   $ 950,000

 T9   Hideki Matsuyama   -5     $ 843,333      10   Matt Kuchar        2,881   $ 830,000

 T9   Patrick Reed       -5     $ 843,333      11   Tony Finau         2,691   $ 750,000
T12   Bryson DeChambeau  -4     $ 682,500      12   Gary Woodland      2,448   $ 705,000
T12   Jon Rahm           -4     $ 682,500      13   Chez Reavie        2,434   $ 660,000
 14   Jason Kokrak       -3     $ 620,000      14   Hideki Matsuyama   2,429   $ 620,000
 15   Gary Woodland      -2     $ 595,000      15   Webb Simpson       2,418   $ 595,000
 
T16   Tommy Fleetwood    -1     $ 551,668      16   Abraham Ancer      2,364   $ 570,000
T16   Matt Kuchar        -1     $ 551,666      17 Charles Howell III   2,339   $ 550,000
T16   Webb Simpson       -1     $ 551,666      18   Kevin Kisner       2,283   $ 535,000
T19   Rickie Fowler      PAR    $ 512,500      19   Dustin Johnson     2,240   $ 520,000
T19   Sungjae Im         PAR    $ 512,500      20   Justin Rose        2,163   $ 505,000
 
T21   Patrick Cantlay    +1     $ 478,000      21   Brandt Snedeker    2,157   $ 490,000
T21   Louis Oosthuizen   +1     $ 478,000      22   Bryson DeChambeau  2,151   $ 478,000
T21   Abraham Ancer      +1     $ 478,000      23   Rickie Fowler      2,133   $ 466,000
T24   Marc Leishman      +2     $ 450,500      24   Tommy Fleetwood    2,063   $ 456,000
T24   Brandt Snedeker    +2     $ 450,500      25   Marc Leishman      2,059   $ 445,000

T26   Corey Conners      +3     $ 430,000      26   Sungjae Im         1,943   $ 435,000
T26   Justin Rose        +3     $ 430,000      27   Corey Conners      1,924   $ 425,000 
 28 Charles Howell III   +4     $ 415,000      28   Jason Kokrak       1,902   $ 415,000
T29   Lucas Glover       +10    $ 400,000      29   Louis Oosthuizen   1,891   $ 405,000
T29   Dustin Johnson     +10    $ 400,000      30   Lucas Glover       1,745   $ 395,000




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2019 Fed Ex Cup - Alternative Final 30 Scenarios


2018-19 PGA Tour Season 2019 Fed Ex Cup Playoffs


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