SAN DIEGO (AP) — The PGA Tour debated for several years whether to reduce the number of players on the weekend. Less than a month into the new policy that has caused such consternation, it's about to be reviewed.
The new policy, approved by the board in November, allows for the top 70 and ties to make the cut, the way it has been since 1969. But if that results in more than 78 players, then the closest number to 60 advance to the weekend, and the rest go home with last-place money.
Eighteen players were lopped off at the Sony Open. Two weeks later at the Buick Invitational, 19 players got tagged with ``MDF,'' which is becoming a dirty little acronym that is short for ``Made the cut, did not finish.''
That's 37 players in two weeks, although no one has been MDF twice.
Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem has heard enough complaints that he said the U.S. Player Advisory Council will meet at the Northern Trust Open next month to give it a closer look.
``The players I've heard from are generally upset with any reduction of guys playing on the weekend,'' Finchem said. ``On the other hand, a lot of guys don't like it, but would be in favor of something else.''
When the PAC met last autumn, it discussed top 65 or top 60 and ties, or perhaps a Saturday cut for the top 70 and ties. Even if 85 players made the cut on Friday, that number likely would be reduced going into the final round.
In both tournaments this year, someone who made the ``playing cut'' on the number wound up in the top 10. Parker McLachlin tied for 10th at the Sony Open, and Justin Leonard was fifth at Torrey Pines.
Finchem said it was possible to amend the policy, but he offered no predictions.
``What I said to the PAC was there's a lot of interest in this, we ought to have a thorough discussion the week of L.A. and made sure we're looking at all possible alternatives,'' Finchem said. ``I wouldn't predict we would change anything.''
PAR FOR THE COURSE: The U.S. Golf Association always says it's not trying to protect par, so it's peculiar why it keeps reducing par for the U.S. Open to lower than what the course normally plays, even when that course already hosts the best players.
Pebble Beach went to a par 71 in 2000. Torrey Pines will be a par 71 in June, and it could have been worse. There was consideration to make No. 18 a par 4 until officials decided to leave it as it was.
But why does No. 6 on the South Course have to be a par 4 for the U.S. Open?
The sixth hole played as a par 5 at 560 yards last week, and it's worth noting that Woods never reached the green in two in any of his three rounds on the South Course. He didn't even make a birdie at No. 6 until the final round.
The hole will be just over 500 yards as a par 4 in the U.S. Open.
``The USGA just thrives on that,'' Woods said. ``Par is just a number. What I mean by that is that Pebble could set up for a 72, and I would have been what, 16-under par? So under par doesn't really matter that much. It's just going out there and shooting a number.''
More than anything, it's a head game.
``When you have four par 5s in a U.S. Open, you always feel a little bit more comfortable because you're going to have some more birdie opportunities,'' he said. ``When you get to par 70s and 71s, those opportunities are taken away.''
