What the PGA Tour stars said about changes to season finale

The PGA Tour have confirmed starting strokes for the season finale at East Lake has been scrapped. 

The controversial format was first introduced in 2019 to allow the player with the most FedEx Cup points to start the tournament on 10-under.

When the Tour Championship is played over 21-24 August, all 30 players in the field will start on level par and battle it out over 72 holes. 

The FedEx Cup, aka the money list, culminates with three playoff events that end with the Tour Championship. 

Clearly, the previous format kept the PGA Tour's title sponsor happy as the winner of the finale would also be crowned the FedEx Cup champion. 

It begged the question, though, what is the point of having a season-long points race when everything boils down to one tournament?

Critics have argued it is anticlimactic and the drama is forced. 

Several high-profile PGA Tour players spoke about the change ahead of the Memorial Tournament. 

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa and Justin Thomas all offered their opinions at Muirfield Village. 

Here's what they said:

Scottie Scheffler: "I don't compete for the financial benefit at the end, I care much more about winning the Tour Championship than I do winning the money for the Tour Championship. 

"Look, I want to win the FedExCup because it's the race over the course of the whole season, you have to play great golf to finish in the top 30 for the entire season, and you got to show up at the right time and play great golf."

Justin Thomas: "I'm excited. I think it's obviously something different and something new, which I think a lot of us players felt was needed. 

"And we want to, all of us want to have the excitement. We want you guys to have the excitement, and the fans, and us players to have the opportunity to go to the Tour Championship and win the FedExCup.

"And it's always been a big deal, but I think players are starting to just realize how much harder it is to get to the Tour Championship than maybe any of us realised, to where I think we're fully understanding and grasping that, if you're at the Tour Championship and you're at that final event, then you have all the right in the world to walk away with the FedExCup."

Collin Morikawa: "I think it's good. Golf's so hard to put in a playoff aspect because people can go on runs. You could be the best player in January or February and not be the best player in July or August. 

"But for us making that Tour Championship is very important."

Max Homa: "I like it. There's a ton of things you could do to it. I have hated for a while how so much of it is tied into the money. 

"So, to make it about the competition and to make it about winning something and not cultivating it to like make sure that the guy who had the best year is going to probably win. 

"Like, I just -- it never made a lot of sense."

Further changes are also on the horizon. 

The PGA Tour have also confirmed that the course set-up will be changed. 

No specific details have been disclosed, but it is understood East Lake will aim to mimic the course conditions of a major championship.