The Forecaddie was a bit surprised to see just one player in the new Wyndham Rewards chase turn up this week at the Wyndham Championship. Only Paul Casey was in the top 10 with the rewards chase being decided at the lovely Donald Ross-designed Sedgefield Country Club. The rest of the top players likely to divvy up the $10 million pool are not duking it out in North Carolina over free and easy money.
The Man Out Front has been asked by a few fans if the good folks at Wyndham could elect in future years to not pay a player who chooses to pass on the Wyndham Championship. Instead, maybe the unclaimed money could go to charity or the players next on the list, but within the Rewards’ top 20.
The only working theory the Forecaddie could muster up: This pay-for-play structure might turn the bonus pool into appearance fee money, a policy the PGA Tour has long resisted (even though there are some de facto partnerships between players and sponsors that could be seen as serving as such money).
A Tour spokesman told TMOF that only paying those who show up at the Wyndham would not constitute a change from bonus pool money to an appearance fee.
Interesting.
Brandt Snedeker told Golf Channel this week of the less than inspiring first year turnout: “Maybe if they tweak it a little bit, do something a little bit different next year with the way the prize money’s shelled out, it might entice more guys to come.”
The Forecaddie thinks he has a solution that suits all sides, especially the good folks at Wyndham who deserved more value for their money.
