Big Changes to 2007 PGA Tour

[duffer_devon]

The PGA Tour has announced big changes to the 2007 season. It will start in January and players earn points up to the and including the PGA Championship.

Depending on their standings in the points players will then compete in four play-off style events in August and early September with the Tour Championship being the 4th. Early reports have the Barclay's Championship, Western Open and Deutchebank being the others (New York, Boston & Chicago markets).

After that there will be the quest for the card where another 6-7 events will follow the tour championship to allow golfers to try and earn their card for the next season and will still count as official money.

The Player's Championship will move to May to give a major event in every month. Could be good news for the Canadian Open if they get the first week of July spot that the Western open currently has.

Opinions?? I know you have them.

[Golftool]

Its nice that they are finally changing some aspects of the tour!
Its been needing it for a few years now.

The problem with the Canadian Open was its date/time of year. Players simply had better things (better money) to concentrate on.
Canada needs a July date for more exposure and bring in better players (the earlier it is the less money/points players will have at that time of year & will need to earn more.)
We'll see what happens - Canada has never been high up in importance with the PGA TOUR.

[wigler]

My guess is the Canadian Open gets one of the 6-7 final events which will have no players from the top 50 playing. Should be exciting!!!! Sure.

[westbeach]

Actually, the CDN Open needs to select the courses they play the Open on a bit better. Nothing against Shaughnessy but seriously, why make the players travel from the East Coast to the West Coast and back to the East Coast? Where the Open being played in 2006?

I like the idea of the CDN Open travelling around the country but in my opinion, it first needs to catch the attention of the upper players before they have a rotation going. Otherwise, it would just be a tournament that is convenient to play in rather than a tournament that is a "must-play".

[Bellyhungry]

Two keys for this to work, in my opinion:

1) If Tiger cares about winning the so-called FedEx Cup and add it to his goal of winnign majors, then more people will care
2) If the purse for the FedEx Cup is substantial enough (I heard it is $10M USD)

[wigler]

Actually I take back my previous comment as I found this in Golfweek

http://www.golfweek.com/306185975799671.php

July 19-22 – British Open and U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee

July 26-29 – Bell Canadian Open

Aug. 2-5 – WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

A much better date than Sept, but unfortunately after the Open and before a World Golf event. Thus some players not back from over the pond, and needing a rest before a big dollar event.

I guess we are never happy and have to complain.

[Golftool]

Actually I take back my previous comment as I found this in Golfweek

http://www.golfweek.com/306185975799671.php

July 19-22 – British Open and U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee

July 26-29 – Bell Canadian Open

Aug. 2-5 – WGC-Bridgestone Invitational

A much better date than Sept, but unfortunately after the Open and before a World Golf event. Thus some players not back from over the pond, and needing a rest before a big dollar event.

I guess we are never happy and have to complain.
TYPICAL!:mad: - Guess the open will draw the likes of Duval,Curtis, and my neighbour!

[westbeach]

^^^Is your neighbour a former British Open Champion? LOL

[Golftool]

^^^Is your neighbour a former British Open Champion? LOL
No - just the goat path championship & cow pasture classic!:rolleyes:

[westbeach]

No - just the goat path championship & cow pasture classic!:rolleyes:
Haha...I hope that's not a knock on the courses of the British Open Rota.

[Golftool]

Haha...I hope that's not a knock on the courses of the British Open Rota.
No not at all - just a knock on the lack of talent (hardly any top 10's in the world) who come to play the Canadian Open!

I think the Grass Roots Tour has a higher quality of talent:hush:

[Grass Roots Tour]

No not at all - just a knock on the lack of talent (hardly any top 10's in the world) who come to play the Canadian Open!

I think the Grass Roots Tour has a higher quality of talent:hush:
Thanks but no. As I've said many times, I appreciate ... prob more than anyone, the guy who struggles to make it on any tour.

I think we're gonna get the raw deal on a PGA Tour date for sure but the talent the tour brings is still the top 300 players in the world.

Many people need to realize that theres more to the PGA Tour than TW. Sure, he is the best but the rest of the field are awesome players too. The media is the worst offenders of not paying enough attention to the rest of the tour. :nono:


Have they made a decision on the use of laser range finders yet?

[Golfbum]

Thanks but no. As I've said many times, I appreciate ... prob more than anyone, the guy who struggles to make it on any tour.

I think we're gonna get the raw deal on a PGA Tour date for sure but the talent the tour brings is still the top 300 players in the world.

Many people need to realize that theres more to the PGA Tour than TW. Sure, he is the best but the rest of the field are awesome players too. The media is the worst offenders of not paying enough attention to the rest of the tour. :nono:


Have they made a decision on the use of laser range finders yet?Well said GRT. There is more to the PGA than Tiger Woods. I have been to 6 Canadian Opens, the last was at Ancaster. Let me say, I was impressed with all of the players in those fields. Heck I remember watching Bruce Flesher at Glen Abbey, he was a nobody at the time and he still made the average golfer look like a HACK!
Watching The Walrus rip a two iron out of the rough on the 16th at Glen Abbey, hitting the green, then tossing the club back to his caddy:D Burying a short iron to the hosel on the 11th after he mi**** his shot :rofl:

The problem I see with the current crop of PGA members is this. Not many of them respect the fact that the CANADIAN OPEN is a NATIONAL TITLE. It has been around since 1904. Lee Trevino won the Triple Crown one year, the US, British and Canadian Opens. However younger players just don't seem to understand the passion Canadians have for golf and their Open Champiosnhip. Bob Tway gets it, so do some of the older PGA Members.

However it always seems that the majority of the PGA members who come play the Canadian open do so becasue they are trying to make enough money in the fall to retain their playing cards for the following season.

If the PGA moves the Canadian Open to the week before THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP then it still might not draw the big names in Pro golf. Then again it might, because some guys always want to play the week before a Major, and if the RCGA can hold the event in a central location where flights to the UK are easy and shorter then maybe we can attract bigger names.

One way or the other, it is still a PGA event. There will still be some awesome talent there. I for one look forward to going to Ancaster in 2006 to watch the tournament for at least one round. Even if Tiger Woods is not there:)

[Bellyhungry]

I think one thing that the pros echoed repeatedly is that as long as it is a good course (i.e. old style golf courses like Hamilton GC @ Ancaster), a lot more pros will come to play. I am going to offend some AG folks here. Please don't see this as an attack - AG is probably the best run high profile public facilities in GTA (which makes it the country). But can we truthfully ask ourselves how many PGA pros will get excited about coming to play in AG North (or South for that matter)?

Another thing is, as long as the RCGA do not delude itself into thinking that they need to make the coruse as tough as the US OPEN because they are a 'National' title. Purists will argue that par is a good score. But the reality is that most pros don't like to embarass themselves. They will simply skip the event rather than come out right and say it.

Thirdly, as long as the RCGA put politics behind them in choosing courses, they will be able to attract a stronger field. Haven't there enough complaints about the logistics around Royal Montreal last time the event was held there? Why do we go back to them?

My morning rant after two cups of coffee...

[iyell4]

unfortunate for whoever is gonna be hostin' the 2007 Bell Canadian Open as far as drawin' a field with any of the world's top-100.
... maybe this'll be the PGA event that the sponsor invites Creamer, Pressel, Wie and Gulbis.:) i'd pay to check out those practice-rounds (assumin' it's in GTA and not in Montreal or Vancouver)


The changes also mean a new date for the Bell Canadian Open beginning in ‘07. It will return to a summer spot on the calendar, something it held for many years and coveted ever since moving. However, there is some talk that the new date could be either the week before or the week after the British Open, meaning an even more difficult time in attracting players.

http://www.scoregolf.com/articles/current-news/PGA-confirms-drastic-changes-to-2007-schedule.cfm

[Grass Roots Tour]

Speaking of those girls coming to Canada, when will the ladies tour be back someplace local for our viewing pleasure?

Sorry for the temp threadjack.

[Golfbum]

Speaking of those girls coming to Canada, when will the ladies tour be back someplace local for our viewing pleasure?

Sorry for the temp threadjack.
Yes they will, at the London Hunt Club during the week of Aug 7-13,2006. Tournament is now called
CN CANADIAN WOMENS OPEN.

Should be a good event, the Hunt Club is a good test of golf.