Normally, when the playoffs arrive, all the focus and attention is on the players and teams competing for the season’s ultimate prize. The spotlight is on the chase to etch one’s name in the record books.
Instead, there’s a black cloud that has parked itself over Wilmington Country Club in Wilmington, Delaware, site of this week’s BMW Championship. The top-70 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings will battle at the second stop of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, where $75 million is up for grabs. Yet at the penultimate event on the schedule for the 2021-22 season, there’s no conversation about how this is the Tour’s first event in the state of Delaware and hardly any about the race for the FedEx Cup.
It’s talk about the ongoing PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle and the players-only meeting that occurred late Tuesday. That meeting included Tiger Woods, who flew in from Florida earlier that day to have discussions about the future of the PGA Tour and the future of professional golf itself.
“It was a productive meeting,” said Justin Thomas, who won the 2022 PGA Championship. “It’s just something that the players who are involved just want the best for the Tour and want what’s in their best interest. I think it’s just one of those things where we all want what’s best for the players, and we’re working to do that.”
BMW Championship: PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ | Best bets | Tee times
Thomas, who sits 10th in the standings and won the FedEx Cup trophy in 2017, is looking to join Woods and Rory McIlroy as the only players to win the playoffs twice. Yet none of the first questions Thomas answered during his pre-tournament news conference were about his chances this week.
On Tuesday, there were two meetings regarding the Tour’s future. One was a players-only meeting that Woods and Rickie Fowler flew in to attend. The other was a Players Advisory Counsel meeting.
“I think if someone like him is passionate about it, no offense to all of us, but that’s really all that matters,” Thomas said of Woods’ appearance. “If he’s not behind something, then one, it’s probably not a good idea in terms of the betterment of the game, but two, it’s just not going to work.
“I think he came because it was very important to him. It probably was just not something that he felt was appropriate to do over Zoom or just to call in. I think it shows how passionate he is about golf and wanting to improve it.”
Added Rory…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golfweek…