Jon Rahm’s candid ‘dislike’ for Tour Championship revealed

ATLANTA — Jon Rahm isn’t shy of expressing his opinion, neither is he afraid of being brutally trustworthy.

He did simply that Tuesday at East Lake Golf Membership, the place he expressed his displeasure with the format of the Tour Championship.

“I don’t suppose it’s the very best [format] we will provide you with,” Rahm admitted. “I feel I’ve expressed my dislike in direction of the truth that you may are available in ranked No. 1 within the FedExCup. You may win each single event up till this one. You may have a nasty week, you end thirtieth, and now you’ll perpetually be often known as thirtieth within the FedExCup that season.

“I don’t suppose that’s particularly reasonable.”

The Tour Championship adopted a ‘handicapped’ format in 2019. The primary ranked participant within the FedEx Cup standings begins their opening spherical at 10-under, whereas these ranked from twenty sixth to thirtieth begin the event at even par.

This week, Scottie Scheffler will begin at 10-under, with Viktor Hovland ranked second recent off his electrical win on the BMW Championship, starting at 8-under.

Rahm, who sits fourth within the standings, will begin Thursday’s spherical at 6-under.

“Once you’re in fifth place, you’re, what, 5-under, so that you’re 5 photographs from the lead,” Rahm added. “However you’re additionally 5 photographs from thirtieth place. In order that, to me, doesn’t make a lot sense.”

Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Photos

The 2023 Masters Champion additionally mentioned he appreciated the previous format higher, which was predicated on year-long statistics and likelihood, versus the present format.

“If you happen to are available in as No. 1, you actually hardly ever ever fell out of the highest 3,” Rahm mentioned of the previous system. “I believed that was just a little bit higher. And I do know the individuals which might be good with numbers and statistics and all this and that, and likelihood, they ran the numbers, and I do know they are saying this. Principally, this format comes out to the identical.”

“I don’t suppose it’s the very best, however it’s the best to grasp, proper? So for those who ask me, I feel we will provide you with one thing higher.”

Maybe a greater format will emerge within the coming years, and Rahm can have a say in how the Tour Championship is performed.

In any case, in response to PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, the gamers have by no means had extra of a voice than they do now.

“Gamers wish to proceed to boost their voice and illustration inside our governance,” Monahan mentioned Tuesday in Atlanta. “I consider, while you look throughout sport, our athletes are extra invested and engaged within the PGA Tour than athletes are in some other league, and I feel that bodes very effectively for us as we transfer ahead.”

Modifications to the Tour Championship will not be on the horizon.

But when Rahm and others proceed to voice their disdain, maybe the format at East Lake will likely be completely different subsequent yr.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko for extra golf protection. You should definitely try @_PlayingThrough too.