Rory McIlroy vs. Scottie Scheffler with a $25 million purse sounds like must-see TV, doesn’t it?

The PGA Tour doesn’t seem to think so.

On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced changes to the Tour Championship, which is the final leg of the FedEx Cup playoffs. In the past, the tournament started with players having a stroke advantage, a format that has made the last tournament of the season feel a bit bland.

There was talk in early 2025 the format was under review, and a change could be coming. That change came down Tuesday but still leaves much to be desired. The Tour Championship will now be a regular 72-hole stroke play event with all 30 players starting at the same level.

Why does the PGA Tour hate match play? It was believed the FedEx Cup could be decided that way but the PGA Tour again didn’t go that way.

“You can do two days of adjusted stroke play to reduce from 30 to 16, then four sessions of match play Saturday-Sunday with eight matches each session. I just can’t think that would be bad on TV,” author Shane Ryan said on X.

Match play decides some of golf’s biggest prizes. The U.S. men’s and women’s amateur are decided that way. The NCAA title, which was played the last two weeks and always produces memorable moments, is crowned that way every year. The Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup are never boring. Even regular golfers on the weekend can play in match play for their local club.

The PGA Tour moved on from its only match play tournament in 2023 and has no intentions of bringing it back.

“NCAAs another reminder at just how good of TV match play is. I’m a broken record but man do I love it and wish there was more of it at the elite level,” Skratch’s Dan Rapaport said on X.

The idea of everyone beginning the Tour Championship at even par is a start to make things more interesting. Scheffler, who won the FedEx Cup last season, believes it brings more challenges to the world’s best.

“We want the Tour Championship to be the hardest tournament to qualify for and the FedEx Cup trophy the most difficult to win,” Scheffler said in a statement.

“Shifting the Tour Championship to a more straight-up format with a tougher course setup makes it easier for fans to follow and provides a more challenging test for players-which brings out the best competition.”

But golf needs to capitalize on its current heater. McIlroy won The Masters. Scheffler won the PGA. The U.S. Open is set for Oakmont and it’s a Ryder Cup year. It was time to give the fans more.

It seems the PGA Tour was not ready to do that. At least not yet.

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Colorado Christian’s Adam Duncan selected for Arnold Palmer Cup

The Cougars came up short of their second straight Division II national title, but one of their best players is set to compete in a prestigious tournament.

Adam Duncan, who was named RMAC Golfer of the Year, will be part of Team USA for the Arnold Palmer Cup. He will be on a team with eight Division I golfers on June 5-7 at the Ryder Cup style tournament at Congaree Golf Club in Ridgeland, S.C.

Colorado Christian battled West Florida in the NCAA finals last week and fell in a playoff. The Cougars had a remarkable season by going undefeated against Division II competition until the finals.

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What I’m thinking

Props to the USGA for taking the women’s game to high-level venues.

This week, the U.S. Women’s Open is set for Erin Hills in Wisconsin. The course hosted a U.S. Open in 2017 that was won by Brooks Koepka. Erin Hills presents a tough challenge with length and the possibility of some winds.

The USGA has been on a roll and looks to continue it with the courses they are taking women golfers. It all started with going to Pebble Beach Golf Links in 2023.

This year’s women’s amateur is set for Bandon Dunes. Next year’s U.S. Women’s Open is going to Riveria Country Club. Pinehurst No. 2 and Oakmont Country Club, the of the men’s U.S. Open in a couple weeks, are also in coming years.

Golf fans deserve to see Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko and other stars of the game play the best golf courses in the United States. It is an exciting time for women’s golf.

Colorado native Jennifer Kupcho will be part of the field at Erin Hills. She tees off at 12:47 p.m. Thursday with Ruoning Yin and Madelene Sagstrom.

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What they’re saying

“It surprised me. But guys have got schedules and got things they do. I haven’t talked to him for him to tell me why or why not. It’s just his call. I made a lot of calls that I had to make when I played to play or not play, and sometimes it wasn’t as popular as people thought it was. But sometimes you have to make those calls.”

—Jack Nicklaus on Rory McIlroy skipping his tournament this week

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Skins game

Odds to win The Memorial

Scottie Scheffler +280

Xander Schauffele+1600

Collin Morikawa +1600

Justin Thomas +1800

Patrick Cantlay +2200

Ludvig Aberg +2500

Wyndham Clark +8000

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This week in golf

PGA Tour

THE MEMORIAL

Site: Dublin, Ohio.

Course: Muirfield Village GC. Yardage: 7,569. Par: 72.

Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s share: $4 million.

Television: Thursday-Friday, Noon-4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, Noon-3:30 p.m. (Golf), 3:30-5 p.m. (CBS); Sunday, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Golf), 12:30-4:30 p.m. (CBS).

Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler.

United States Golf Association

U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

Site: Erin, Wis.

Course: Erin Hills GC. Yardage: 6,829. Par: 72.

Prize money: $12 million. Winner’s share: $2.4 million.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (USA Network), 4-6 p.m. (Peacock); Saturday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Peacock), 1-4 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, Noon-5 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: Yuka Saso.

European Tour

AUSTRIAN ALPINE OPEN

Site: Salzburg, Austria.

Course: Gut Altentann GC. Yardage: 6,941. Par: 70.

Prize money: $2.75 million. Winner’s share: $458,333.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 4:30-8 a.m. (Golf), 8-9:30 a.m. (NBC Sports app); Saturday, 5-9 a.m. (Golf), 9-9:30 a.m. (NBC Sports app); Sunday, 4:30-9 a.m. (Golf), 9-9:30 a.m. (NBC Sports app).

Previous winner: John Caitlin (2021).

PGA Tour Champions

PRINCIPAL CHARITY CLASSIC

Site: Des Moines, Iowa.

Course: Wakonda GC. Yardage: 6,835. Par: 72.

Prize money: $2 million. Winner’s share: $300,000.

Television: Friday, 1-3 p.m. (NBC Sports app); 7-9 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Saturday, 1-3 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 5-7 p.m. (Golf Channel-Tape Delay); Sunday, 12:30-3:30 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: Ernie Els.

Korn Ferry Tour

UNC HEALTH CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Raleigh, N.C.

Course: Raleigh CC. Yardage: 7,394. Par: 72.

Prize money: $1 million. Winner’s share: $180,000.

Previous winner: Kaito Onishi.

Television: None.

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FedEx Cup standings

                            Points  Money

1. Scottie Scheffler 2,801 $10,558,697

2. Rory McIlroy 2,666 $13,978,340

3. Sepp Straka 2,129 $8,228,709

4. Justin Thomas 2,044 $8,680,663

5. Ben Griffin 1,503 $4,916,471

6. Andrew Novak 1,500 $6,061,880

7. Russell Henley 1,418 $6,277,375

8. Corey Conners 1,402 $4,835,073

9. Shane Lowry 1,303 $5,743,758

10. Ludvig Aberg 1,286 $5,746,723

11. Harris English 1,274 $4,554,883

12. J.J. Spaun 1,257 $5,344,182

13. Tommy Fleetwood 1,255 $4,109,031

14. Collin Morikawa 1,241 $6,250,638

15. Maverick McNealy 1,226 $4,939,743

16. Daniel Berger 1,093 $3,798,009

17. Hideki Matsuyama 1,073 $4,987,748

18. Brian Harman 1,051 $3,519,695

19. Sungjae Im 1,043 $3,741,443

20. Justin Rose 1,038 $4,119,619

21. Patrick Cantlay 1,031 $3,492,046

22. Michael Kim 980 $3,160,936

23. Thomas Detry 949 $3,011,365

24. Jacob Bridgeman 934 $2,935,496

25. Nick Taylor 929 $3,119,056

26. Lucas Glover 902 $3,278,953

27. Tom Hoge 836 $3,300,047

28. Keegan Bradley 798 $2,726,840

29. Joe Highsmith 788 $2,626,387

30. Taylor Pendrith 783 $2,571,568

31. Min Woo Lee 776 $2,801,836

32. Denny McCarthy 776 $2,674,511

33. Ryan Gerard 774 $2,531,455

34. Sam Stevens 758 $2,694,274

35. Si Woo Kim 758 $2,742,731

36. Bud Cauley 748 $2,496,483

37. Viktor Hovland 748 $2,556,593

38. J.T. Poston 744 $2,331,525

39. Akshay Bhatia 731 $2,698,404

40. Jason Day 716 $2,376,872

41. Jhonattan Vegas 702 $2,047,445

42. Stephan Jaeger 681 $2,287,151

43. Davis Riley 635 $2,272,311

44. Mackenzie Hughes 631 $1,970,598

45. Robert Macintyre 628 $2,374,718

46. Patrick Rodgers 616 $2,128,952

47. Tony Finau 615 $2,197,393

48. Brian Campbell 604 $1,662,659

49. Jordan Spieth 601 $2,188,421

50. Cameron Davis 600 $1,933,798