Major champion labels PGA Tour's PAC "waste of time, useless" ahead of Playoffs

Four-time PGA Tour winner and former US Open champion Lucas Glover hits out at the PGA Tour following changes made to the top 125 in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Andy Roberts

05 Aug 2023

Former US Open champion Lucas Glover has ripped into the PGA Tour's Player Advisory Council by deeming it "useless" following the circuit's latest changes to the FedEx Cup.

In an interview with Golfweek at the Wyndham Championship this week, Glover, who has won four times on the PGA Tour highlighted by the 2009 US Open, blasted the Tour's decision to move from 125 to 70 players advancing into the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs this season.

While Glover, 43, is in contention for a fifth PGA Tour title this week at just two strokes off the pace heading into the weekend at Sedgefield Country Club, he knows he will need to keep his foot on the gas at 84th in the standings right now.

That means in previous years Glover would normally have progressed into the first leg of the Playoffs next week, but not this year.

A fifth PGA Tour title this Sunday, and Glover will make the Playoffs.

But he's still fairly miffed of the situation that faces him heading into the weekend.

Glover told Golfweek:

“It’s very contrived to me, the whole thing. I don’t even really understand it. I think if you finish in the top 125, I don’t know why you don’t get to play next week. That’s my opinion. I think it’s silly that it’s only 70. I think it’s silly that we’re playing 70 in these elevated events (next year). I think it’s silly. I think it’s taken a lot of these last few tournaments of the regular season, a lot of that drama, and I just think it’s silly.”

The big change on the PGA Tour this season was its format where the Playoffs were concerned.

The top 70 in the FedEx Cup standings progress into the first of three legs in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

That starts next week at the FedEx St Jude Championship.

After that, the field is then whittled down to the top 50 in the standings to advance into the BMW Championship, leg two of the Playoffs.

Then the top 30 head to East Lake for the Tour Championship.

Players who finish 51st to 70th in the FedEx Cup this season are guaranteed playing privileges for next season. They will also get to compete in some big-money tournaments through their play in seven fall events.

Those ranked 71 or higher will need to grind a little more.

The top 125 mark for players earning their PGA Tour cards for next season does still exist, but that cut-off will not be completed until the end of the fall circuit later this year.

Glover then went further:

“It feels like the toothpaste is out of the tube. Some of the guys who were pushing for 70 are now backtracking a little bit. I don’t know if it is because they are outside the top 70 or they actually understand it’s kind of silly. We’re touting ourselves as the best Tour in the world, so why wouldn’t you reward the best 125 guys and let them play in your biggest events. Same with the elevated events. You finish 125th on the best Tour in the world, and you’re in one elevated event, the Players. That’s silly to me and always has been. It doesn’t make any sense to me.”

As for the PAC itself, which is made up of 16 PGA Tour players to help address issues on the circuit, Glover considers it a complete waste of time.

Particularly after the PGA Tour this week confirmed 12 signature events with inflated purse sizes and field sizes up to 80 players.

Only four of those tournaments will keep a cut mark, meaning the star names will be around for longer to keep sponsors happy.

Glover told Golfweek:

"It’s a waste of breath, a waste of time. I’ve been out here long enough to know that it doesn’t matter. The PAC’s useless. They’re going to do what they’re going to do."

Read full interview with Golfweek

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