PGA Tour news: golfers did 180 on changes they were 'violently against'

The PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup postseason is set for a structural change that introduces match play into the finale—an idea players initially rejected. Keith Mitchell, a member of the tour’s six-golfer Future Competition Committee, said match play was “violently against” when it first surfaced at a player advisory council meeting two years ago, because an outcome for the season would hinge on a single 18-hole (about 13-hole) match. The compromise keeps a 72-hole stroke-play event to award the seasonlong champion and FedEx Cup bonuses, while separating match play into a stand-alone product. Mitchell said negotiations focused on avoiding distortions like boosted points or starting advantages.