Fed Ex Cup Will Never Determine PGA Tour Player of the Year

In what is probably the least shocking sports story of 2007, Tiger Woods was named player of the year on Monday for the 9^th time in 11 years.

           Woods’ 2007 resume was impeccable.  He began the year by extending his tournament winning streak to a mind-boggling seven-in-a-row, and capped it off by claiming his 13^th major and the inaugural Fed Ex Cup.

           While there can be no sound argument for a golfer other than Woods to receive this accolade, the PGA Tour attempted to pry the title of Player of the Year from Woods during the last four weeks of the season.

           Well, not so much the tour itself, but its new system. 

While dealing in hypotheticals does not make for the most compelling argument, an imagined situation should provide a glimpse into just how ludicrous the new PGA Tour Playoffs were this season.

           Imagine for a second that Tiger Woods, burnt out from a few weeks on the road and dominating everybody for another season, decided that he’d rather spend time with his newborn than compete in this made-up season-capping debacle.  So, with the absence of Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker claims the prize of Fed Ex Cup Champion.

           Are we to think Stricker is Player of the Year?  Are we to believe that a player who played well in the last month of the season and collected only one win all year while flaming out like the Hindenburg in the major is somehow better than a guy sitting on his couch alongside his PGA Championship Trophy and hardware from four other tournaments, including two World Golf Championships?

           Of course not.  And this is why the Fed Ex Cup is an exercise in futility.  Tim Finchem wanted it to be Golf’s Super Bowl or Nextel Cup Final, but that will never be true, because winning the Fed Ex Cup is not necessarily and indication of being the game’s best player, simply the best of that particular month.

           If Tiger continues to enjoy seasons similar to his 2007, he will remain golf’s undisputed champ.

           Hot September or not.