'I Don’t Know What’s Going On' - Major Winner Calls Out PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Fall

It's no secret that the PGA Tour schedule has undergone some huge changes since the emergence of LIV Golf, with one of the key aspects being around the FedEx Cup fall, a seven event series which comes with plenty of points and cash.

The first event is this week's Fortinet Championship, with the next two months featuring six more tournaments that can dictate upcoming opportunities for those in the top 125 of FedEx Cup standings. Essentially, that means players' jobs are still on the line, despite the fact that the FedEx Cup Playoff finale, which was won by Viktor Hovland, finished in mid-August.

Many have voiced their views, specifically around the fact that only the top 70 qualified for those playoffs in August; originally it had been the top 125, with Major winner, Jimmy Walker, telling Golfweek: "They changed the rules. It’s been 125 forever. Then it’s like, no, it’s 50, or is it 70? It’s definitely not 125. It’s total b******t, that’s what I think of it. I’ve been working for 11 months to finish 124th and it’s like, nope, keep playing. So, I’m going to give it all I’ve got. That’s all I can do."

Going into the final day, Walker sits in a tie for 18th following a three-under third round of 69 and is projected to move up to 118th in the FedEx Cup standings. Last season, Walker stood 59th in the Career Earning's list on the PGA Tour. At the time, he considered retirement but, after LIV Golfers were banned from the PGA Tour, it meant that Walker jumped into the 50th spot and, therefore, could receive a career earnings' exemption for the 2022-23 season.

However, the American isn't pleased that he is having to battle to stay inside the top 125 for another couple of months, with the 44-year-old adding: “I can’t tell you how many people texted me saying congrats on making the 125. I’m like, ‘No man, it’s different.’ I had to explain. They’ve done such a bad job communicating what is happening, partly because I don’t think they knew what was happening, honestly.

“It’s been one way forever. LIV and the Saudis happen and a lot of things change and everybody freaks out and we sign an agreement that stops litigation. I don’t know what’s going on. They’re talking about a big payout for the players that have stayed. All of it is blowing my mind. The Tour is doing everything they can to take care of themselves and not for the players. I’m just out here grinding, giving it all I’ve got. I’ve given them 20-some-odd years out here, you know.”

Walker isn't the only player to have voiced his disdain at the changes, with Lucas Glover, who won back-to-back PGA Tour titles at the tail-end of the season, calling the moves "silly."

Speaking after his second round at the Wyndham Championship, an event he won, Glover, who at the time was 112th in the FedEx Cup standings, stated: "Yeah, yeah, 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. Been pretty outspoken in that. I think it's silly that it's only 70. I think it's silly that we're playing 70 in these elevated events. I think it's silly."