Rory McIlroy delivers verdict on controversial PGA Tour topic: "Probably not"

Rory McIlroy says the format for the Tour Championship is probably not the fairest reflection of who the best player of the year is. 

But the Northern Irishman is adamant the system is better for entertainment purposes. 

The PGA Tour's postseason begins this weekend at the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind. 

The top 50 players at the conclusion of this event will advance to the BMW Championship. 

And the field will be cut to 30 for the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake. 

Once again, the Tour Championship will have a staggered start. 

The leading player in the FedEx Cup rankings before the season finale will tee it up at 10-under, the player in second will start on 8-under and so on. 

Tour officials insist the format is designed to give the leading players the best shot of winning the title, as well as eliminating the possibility of having two winners. 

McIlroy has been crowned the FedEx Cup champion three times (2016, 2019, 2022) in his career and has done so in different formats. 

"I love this format because if it wasn't this format, then none of us would have a chance against Scottie [Scheffler] because he's so far ahead," McIlroy told reporters on Wednesday. 

"He's so far ahead, and you don't expect Scottie to finish outside the top five, either. 

"But the way -- I think it makes the Tour Championship more exciting from a consumer standpoint.

"Is it the fairest reflection of who's been the best player of the year? Probably not. 

"But I think at this point we're not in for totally fair, we're in for entertainment and for trying to put on the best product we possibly can."

McIlroy added: "The first year that it was the starting strokes at Tour Championship in 2019, I was able to win that one, and then in '22 again. 

"I like this format. It sort of feels like it's a bit of a reset after the regular season. 

"Everyone is not quite on a level playing field, but it feels a little more like that."

"I certainly don't want to sit up here and belittle my achievements"

McIlroy told reporters he believes his 2023-2024 season has been 'okay'. 

Once again, he was without a win in a major championship. 

There were victories in Dubai and Charlotte and he had plenty of opportunities elsewhere. 

McIlroy was asked if he has a different standard of expectation at this point in his career.

"I certainly don't want to sit up here and belittle my achievements at all this year and what I've done," McIlroy said. 

"But at the same time, yeah, I expect a certain standard from myself

"Yeah, I've won a couple of times. I've had an opportunity to win a few more times than that and haven't been able to get over the line. 

"So I would have liked to have added a couple more to that win column.

"But as I said, there's still three tournaments left in this PGA Tour season. 

"I think I've actually got eight or nine tournaments left this year, but three on the PGA Tour, to turn an okay season into a very good one."

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