Welcome back to SI Golf’s Fact or Fiction, where we’re feeling good about how a little birdie told us to sprinkle a few bucks on The Bay Golf Club.
Once again, we’re here to debate a series of statements for writers and editors to declare as “Fact” or “Fiction” along with a brief explanation. Responses may also (occasionally) be “Neutral” since there's a lot of gray area in golf.
Do you agree or disagree? Let us know on the SI Golf X account.
The PGA Tour is reportedly considering changing the structure of the Tour Championship, perhaps as early as this year, with a bracket-style format a possibility. Match play is the best way to save the season finale.
Bob Harig: FICTION The romanticism of match play is always lost in the reality of having just a few players on the course by the end of the event. And if it’s a blowout, forget it. This could possibly work if you had a traditional Tour Championship format with the top four advancing to a match-play setting to determine the FedEx. But attempts at that in the past have been rebuffed.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. Any format tweak would be positive, as the East Lake has gone stale. I’ve already submitted for the Tour my blueprint for an overhaul that goes much farther than match play, but the fact that changes are in motion is a good sign.
John Schwarb: FICTION. I’m whispering as there’s so much support for match play, but it’s still a lousy TV product when you have one match (and maybe a consolation match) on a Sunday unless the very best are playing and that’s no guarantee. Would it be asking too much to return the Tour Championship to its old life as a prestigious limited-field tournament, with no starting strokes and without pinning the entire FedEx pool on it?
Hideki Matsuyama shot a 72-hole record 35 under at the season opener. The Plantation Course at Kapalua now owns all five of the Tour’s lowest 72-hole scores in relation to par and is simply too easy for the PGA Tour’s best.
Bob Harig: FICTION. Check out the slope rating and handicap rating on that course! The problem is it has incredibly wide fairways, lots of downhill shots and big greens. And if you have a year without wind—like this year—the best pro players are going to go low.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. If the under-par scores rattle the organizers, just call it a par-70 a move on. It’s a great course and plays well on TV.
John Schwarb: FICTION. Justin Thomas won there in 2020 at just 14 under when the winds were gloriously high, so Kapalua can have teeth. When there’s little-to-no wind, players tear every course apart. But can we get rid of the par-73 scorecard? That’s ridiculous.
Max Homa made the most notable equipment change of the offseason, moving to Cobra after his Titleist contract ran out (he’s also wearing new Lululemon threads). He’s itching to return to winning form and make the Ryder Cup team, and the new gear should get him there.
Bob Harig: FACT. I think Max will get there, new gear or not. The hope is that he’s comfortable with the equipment, which at times has caused players fits.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. I love that Homa is so open about his desire to make the Ryder Cup team, and there’s no doubt that if he’s in form, he’d be a fantastic addition. But equipment switches make me a little nervous, especially early in the season. Let’s see how he plays on the West Coast before booking his spot at Bethpage.
John Schwarb: FACT. It’s easy to root for Homa, No. 41 in the world but a top-three social media follow and nice guy. Sign me up for his intensity at another Ryder Cup.
Cam Davis and Will Zalatoris were penalized for playing each other’s ball from the 15th fairway in the final round at Kapalua. The season is one week old but there won’t be a worse rules gaffe in 2025.
Bob Harig: FICTION. Some sort of rules issue that goes beyond what is a fairly benign occurrence is all but assured, even if it’s amazing that this could even occur. It’s the nature of the game.
Jeff Ritter: FICTION. The rules of golf are vast and complex, and there are more than 30 tournaments still to come, each with the possibility of more embarrassing rules blunders than the last. Stay tuned.
John Schwarb: FACT. There will be other head-scratchers this year but there’s nothing more basic in golf than identifying your own ball and how two veteran pros (with caddies) messed that up was astounding. Remember those “how do you mark your Titleist” ads? Time to make a new one starring Davis and Willy Z.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fact or Fiction: Match Play Is the Best Fix for the Tour Championship.