CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Even as the PGA Tour aims to end its FedEx Cup around Labor Day, that doesn’t mean the end of golf for the year.
Golf is the one sport where the length of the offseason is determined by the players, who can take off as much time as they want. Dustin Johnson played two times over three months at the end of last year and plans to do the same. Phil Mickelson once took four months off after the FedEx Cup ended.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is still working on the schedule for 2018-19 now that The Players Championship is going back to March and the PGA Championship is moving to May. But he made it clear that golf isn’t about to take a hiatus.
“If there’s a hard stop, I can see where that’s a benefit,” Monahan said. “We’re also not the only tour out there. And if you create openings in your schedule, those openings will be filled, and players will have opportunities elsewhere. Our job is to maximize playing and financial opportunities and create the platform for the players. That’s what has gotten us here.”
Jimmy Walker is among those who would love a big break, and he most likely will take one at this end of this year.
“I think an offseason does sound nice,” Walker said. “A couple months off would be great where you could just go home and relax and let your body heal and be with your kids and your family. … But anymore, it’s just run-and-gun all the time.”
Rory McIlroy said a break from golf would help build anticipation, much like the NFL. Fat chance of that happening. After winning the FedEx Cup last year, he played twice more in China and Dubai as a European Tour member.
This is not a surprise to Monahan, who said he has heard from a few players about a long break. This is nothing new. Monahan was quick to point out that top players compete in about 26 tournaments out of 52 weeks.
He also said players don’t want to fall too far behind in the FedEx Cup by sitting out the fall. Or they can take time off, like Jordan Spieth. A year ago, he took two months off after the Ryder Cup, won the Australian Open on a working vacation, played in the Bahamas and had another month off.
