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Ways the PGA Tour might change the FedEx Cup

ATLANTA (AP) — Dustin Johnson had a chance to win $10 million while sitting in front of a television.

For all the drama the final day of the FedEx Cup can provide, it must have been just as entertaining inside the clubhouse at East Lake last year. Johnson was the No. 1 seed and had squandered his chances to win the Tour Championship with a 73 in the final round.

He still could capture the FedEx Cup provided Rory McIlroy didn't win. Just his luck, McIlroy holed a shot from the 16th fairway for eagle and got into a playoff when Kevin Chappell and Ryan Moore both missed birdie putts on the last hole.

And all Johnson could do was watch.

MORE: Tee times, pairings for Tour Championship | Full 2017-18 PGA Tour Schedule

"No offense to Rory, but I was rooting for Chappy very hard," Johnson said. "If he would have won, I would have won the FedEx Cup."

Chappell was eliminated on the first extra hole, and McIlroy wound up beating Moore on the third playoff hole.

Imagine being in the clubhouse with Johnson.

"Extremely uncomfortable," said Justin Thomas, who happened to be sitting there with Johnson and his family, including 18-month-old son Tatum. "I'm in there with some tour guys and we're dead quiet. We can't really react or do anything. We can't say normal stuff we would say. We needed to be pro-Ryan Moore. And Tatum was on the ground playing on an iPad while this playoff was going on. It was great."

It could happen again this year.

Jordan Spieth, the No. 1 seed this year, wouldn't be surprised if it did, and he wouldn't want to be in Johnson's place. The winner gets a $10 million bonus. The guy who finishes second in the FedEx Cup gets $3 million. This is one definition of a first-world problem.

"He's sitting there not able to control a $7 million difference. That doesn't happen anywhere else," Spieth said. "It's like having a $7 million bet on a fight that you're not even taking part in."

Such a scenario might not be a possibility much longer.

Along with revamping the schedule to end the FedEx Cup around Labor Day, the tour is contemplating an overhaul to the FedEx Cup finale. One idea floating around is for the Tour Championship and the final day of the FedEx Cup to be separated.

The Tour Championship, the last of the playoff events, could end on a Saturday. That would leave Sunday for the top players to compete over 18 holes — or perhaps even 36 holes for a truer test — to determine who gets the $10 million as FedEx Cup champion.

"We've considered virtually every single circumstance that's available to us, and that is one possibility," Commissioner Jay Monahan said.

Consider a few possibilities.

The points are reset for the Tour Championship, just like now, to give all 30 players who qualify for East Lake a chance to reach the final day. Or the points are accumulative through the FedEx Cup playoffs, which would be sure to reward players who had the best season. They can play 54 holes for the Tour Championship and then face a 36-hole final, or a 72-hole Tour Championship that goes Wednesday to Saturday, leading to an 18-hole FedEx Cup final on Sunday.

One question is how many players qualify for the final day. A popular number making the rounds is six players. They would compete in groups of three on Sunday, and the low score wins. It's that simple.

Spieth is aware of the conversation between the PGA Tour and its players, and he buys into the idea that it would only add to the interest and to the TV ratings. His only concern is having two big prizes — the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup — stacked on top of each other.

"A guy who just won the Tour Championship — let's say he was fifth (seed) — has been on this grind, and now you're telling him to play 18 or 36 holes for the much bigger prize," Spieth said. "Anyone who's not a player doesn't have the bearings to recognize how much it takes out of you. That's why I think you could have an unfair champion."

He caught himself, because an argument can be made that the FedEx Cup is rarely fair.

Johnson was the best player in golf last year and didn't win the FedEx Cup, just like McIlroy was the best in 2014 when he was second to suddenly-hot Billy Horschel.

And while there are 30 potential FedEx Cup champions at the start of the Tour Championship — Bill Haas won in 2011 as the No. 25 seed — last year's exciting finish was more the exception than the norm. The previous four times, the Tour Championship was decided by three shots or more.

Change seems inevitable. It's now a matter of the model.

"They're talking about," Johnson said. "I don't care. It'll be fun. As long as I've got a chance, I'm fine."

This article was written by Doug Ferguson from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

 

Barcelona could wrap up signing of top target for just €5m in January

Barcelona could reportedly secure the signing of Adrien Rabiot from Paris Saint-Germain in January for just €5m.

The 23-year-old will be a free agent next summer with his current contract set to expire, and so with that in mind it seems to make sense from PSG’s perspective to cash in during the winter transfer window to avoid losing him for nothing.

SEE MORE: Key breakthrough: €75m-rated Barcelona transfer target green lights move to Nou Camp

AS report that they could allow him to leave in January for just €5m in compensation, as they’re apparently eager to move him on and out of the squad.

That will surely be a deal that Barcelona jump at, as although if they played the waiting game they could get him for free, he could prove to be a crucial addition for the second half of this season.

Nevertheless, it won’t be that cheap for them in total, as it’s added by AS that they will have to agree to a €10m-a-year salary along with a €10m bonus for his mother, who is also his agent, and Rabiot himself.

In turn, it could still prove to be a costly signing by the summer, and so it remains to be seen if Barcelona jump at their chance in the New Year or play the waiting game. Nevertheless, the fact that they could get him by paying PSG just €5m could be an appealing factor.

Either way, the signing of Rabiot itself is a sensible one from their perspective, as the Frenchman arguably fits the club perfectly with his technical quality, creativity in midfield and general game in mind.

In turn, he will surely strengthen the squad and help them in their bid to win major honours moving forward if an agreement is reached, but time will tell if the Catalan giants are willing to splash out on that fee to get him through the door at the Nou Camp a little earlier.

HUGE BOOST for Man United fans as odds on Mauricio Pochettino arrival SLASHED following Spurs rout vs Everton

Man United fans have been handed a huge boost after the odds of Mauricio Pochettino taking over as the club’s new manager in the summer have dropped dramatically.

According to Sun, the Argentine is now odd-on to take over the reigns at Old Trafford, with the Spurs boss 5/4 with Ladbrokes to be appointed by the Red Devils.

The report notes that Ladbrokes cut their odds on Pochettino to United after Spurs thumped Everton 6-2 at Goodison Park, with spokesman for the company Alex Apati stating “It’s a three-horse race for the permanent United job” and that ” Poch is beginning to run away with things at the head of the betting.”

Man United fans will be over the moon at this news, as it seems like Pochettino is all but set to take over at Old Trafford if Ladbrokes’ odds are anything to go off.

The club recently appointed former player Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager following Jose Mourinho’s sacking, however it seems like the Norwegian is only going to get until the summer to prove his worth if the Sun’s story is anything to go by.

Pochettino looks odds on to take over from Solskjaer at Old Trafford in the summer

Pochettino has done a superb job ever since taking over as Spurs manager back in 2014, with the Argentine turning the north London side from top four contenders into title challengers in just a few years.

The former Southampton boss has dragged Spurs into the title race whilst having the lowest net spend of any side in the top six, a mightily impressive feat when you consider what clubs like United and Man City have spent in recent times.

If Ladbrokes’ odds are to be believed, we may very well see Pochettino take over as manager at Old Trafford in the not-too-distant future…

Arsenal rival Tottenham in considering surprise transfer swoop for South American

Arsenal are reportedly up against Tottenham in keeping tabs on Colombian playmaker Juan Quintero ahead of a potential transfer.

The 25-year-old is currently on loan at River Plate from Porto, having had a slightly up and down career to date.

MORE: Unai Emery is the manager Manchester United need as emboldened Arsenal look set to end wretched Mourinho and Old Trafford runs

Still, it seems Quintero remains highly rated among top clubs in Europe as Arsenal, Spurs and Valencia are linked with an interest in him by Don Balon.

One imagines Quintero could be available in the near future after several loan spells away from Porto in recent times, and his talent means he could be worth a gamble for Premier League clubs.

The Colombia international is a skilful and creative attacking midfield player who could no doubt be a useful addition for Arsenal in particular given that Aaron Ramsey’s contract is up in the summer, while Mesut Ozil no longer looks guaranteed a key role in the team under Unai Emery.

Jason Day surges, Jordan Speith falls back at Australian Open

SYDNEY (AP) — Jason Day and Jordan Spieth went in opposite directions Friday at the Australian Open.

Day had four consecutive birdies on the back nine, including a 30-footer, for a 3-under 68 that left him a stroke out of the second-round lead. Australian Lucas Herbert, who shot 66, is in front with a 9-under total of 133 on The Australian course.

First-round leader Cameron Davis, who shot 72 Friday, is another stroke behind in third.

Defending champion Spieth earlier failed to take advantage of ideal morning scoring conditions and had a 71 to fall further behind the leaders — eight strokes behind Herbert and tied for 19th place with 10 others.

Spieth, who hasn't played since the Presidents Cup in late September, has won the Australian Open two out of the last three years and finished second the other time.

Day, who had seven birdies and four bogeys, is aiming to win his first Australian Open title in his first competitive appearance on home soil since 2013.

"It was quite tough out there today with the winds," Day said. "But I played very well and gave myself a lot of opportunities for birdies."

The 21-year-old Herbert led the Australian Open into the final round last year — when he finished seven shots off the pace in a tie for 20th — and is coming off a second-place finish in last week's New South Wales Open.

"I think I warmed up this morning and it felt really good, and I was like, 'I hope this sticks around'," Herbert said.

At least Spieth's morning start Saturday means he will avoid the windy conditions that the leading groups will have to contend with in the afternoon.

And that left him optimistic of a comeback. In 2014, he shot a then course-record 63 at The Australian to win his first Australian title by six shots.

"I feel like you can make up more ground and come from behind here over I think any tournament I've played this entire year," Spieth said. "The golf course will start to bake out and you get really calm conditions in the morning that leave the windier conditions for the afternoon, so I'll have a pretty gettable golf course. If I can post something like 5, 6-under, then I'm very much in this tournament."

Day agreed that Spieth is far from out of it.

"It's Jordan Spieth," Day said. "If he gets something going on the weekend he can hole a lot of putts and make a lot of birdies and make a charge, and usually he does make a charge on the weekend.

"Sometimes there's not a lot of pressure on your shoulders. You just go out there and kind of free-will it and that's how you make a ton of birdies and move up the leaderboard pretty quick."

Spieth said the seven-week layoff was the longest he's had since his college days and that he felt rusty and nervous at times during his first round which featured five bogeys in windy conditions.

The wind began to pick up late in Spieth's round Friday, as did his frustration level at times. On the par-4 sixth — his 15th of the day — his drive traveled well over 300 meters, so far that it reached a spectator crossing area that officials obviously felt was far enough from the tee.

Spieth took a drop from it, but his approach to the green failed to spin back, leaving him a putt of at least 20 feet. He missed his birdie attempt.

"It's just been the short game rust that's kind of hurt me a bit the last couple of days that prevents me from being 5 or so under," Spieth said.

At least he birdied the ninth — his last hole Friday. Finishing on even-par would have left him just one stroke away from the projected cut, which could have changed based on afternoon scoring.

"That was only my second one-putt of the day," Spieth said. "The other was for par."

NOTES: Canadian Mike Weir, the 2003 Masters champion, missed the cut, shooting 77-69. He's set to play in next week's Australian PGA at Royal Pines on Queensland state's Gold Coast, where Masters champion Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott and Marc Leishman are also entered.

This article was written by Dennis Passa from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Chelsea at risk of losing pacey attacker in surprise transfer to Champions League giants

Bayern Munich are reportedly interested in a somewhat surprise transfer swoop for Chelsea youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The Blues starlet is not exactly the kind of big name you associate with Bayern Munich, but ESPN claim the Bavarian giants are set to push hard to try and lure him to the Allianz Arena.

The 18-year-old looks a top young talent based on the little we’ve seen of him at Chelsea, and the club would surely do well to keep hold of this exciting prospect.

Then again, for Hudson-Odoi himself a move abroad might be a strong career move, with other English youngsters certainly making the best of their time in the Bundesliga.

Jadon Sancho is notably tearing it up for Borussia Dortmund, while Reiss Nelson is shining at Hoffenheim in his season on loan there from Arsenal.

Hudson-Odoi could well be the latest big talent to be overlooked by Chelsea, who don’t have the best recent record of promoting from within.

Chelsea transfer boost: Prolific 289-goal star wants CFC move in January

Chelsea have reportedly been handed a boost in the transfer market as Gonzalo Higuain is said to be eager to secure a move to Stamford Bridge.

The 31-year-old has established himself as one of the most clinical forwards in Europe over the years, scoring 289 goals in 575 career games.

SEE MORE: Chelsea consider surprise January transfer move for experienced Premier League star

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri is fully aware of what he can offer, especially given he helped him to his most prolific campaign in his career to date in the 2015/16 season with Napoli, with Higuain bagging 38 goals in just 42 games.

With the Blues having the joint-lowest tally of goals out of the top six sides in the Premier League so far this season, signing a prolific forward could be exactly what they need in the second half of the season with neither Alvaro Morata nor Olivier Giroud offering a regular source of goals.

In turn, they could be set to receive a boost as The Sun report that Higuain is eager to join Chelsea in the January transfer window and his parent club, Juventus, are happy to allow it to happen.

It remains to be seen how the situation plays out for AC Milan given that the Argentine international is currently on a season-long loan deal with the Italian giants, but given his struggles in recent weeks, they might be considering alternative options anyway.

Higuain has scored just seven goals in 19 appearances so far this season, going without a goal in his last seven Serie A outings for the Rossoneri.

That’s down to a bigger problem for Gennaro Gattuso as his side haven’t scored in their last four Serie A games, the first time they’ve failed to do so since 1984.

With that in mind, something clearly isn’t working in the current set-up, and so perhaps Higuain isn’t the ideal man to lead their line moving forward. Time will tell if they can find an alternative solution, with the Sun noting that Morata has been tipped to move to the San Siro as part of a transfer merry-go-round.

As per Calciomercato, via the paper edition of Tuttosport, he could even play his last game for Milan against SPAL this weekend.

The best golfers in the world enjoyed the solar eclipse just like the rest of us

On Monday, the solar eclipse happened. People all over the country went outside, at various times depending on their location, to witness the incredibly rare scientific phenomenon.

Among those people: Your favorite golfers.

Take a look below as some of the best players in the world – current and former, young and old – donned those silly-looking glasses like the rest of us while watching the solar eclipse.

RELATED: Best solar eclipse photos from the golf course

Chelsea given potential transfer boost by Barcelona misfit who could be perfect for Sarri

Chelsea have been linked with a move for Barcelona ace Denis Suarez, and he could have alerted them over a possible switch with his latest comments.

The 24-year-old has endured a frustrating season thus far, as he has been limited to just three appearances in all competitions, with two of those coming in the Copa del Rey with Ernesto Valverde rotating his squad.

SEE MORE: Agent of €50m Chelsea transfer target drops big hint over possible January deal

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that he is growing frustrated at the Nou Camp, and so if his situation doesn’t change, it could lead to a push to move elsewhere for a more prominent role.

As noted by The Sun, Chelsea have been linked with a swoop for the Spaniard, and he has now seemingly offered them a transfer boost by suggesting that he could be open to an exit from Barcelona if he isn’t able to secure more playing time in the coming weeks and months.

“I work to play and I’m not having minutes, if I do not play … we’ll see,” he is quoted as saying by The Sun. “I want to play, today I was able to enjoy and I felt good, comfortable, I want to play as much as possible.”

Suarez would arguably be an ideal fit for Maurizio Sarri given the Italian tactician’s preferred style of play, as his technical quality, creativity and composure on the ball would potentially see him suit his possession-based game perfectly.

In turn, it would come as no surprise if Chelsea are monitoring his situation if he does indeed wish to leave the Nou Camp, as he could prove to be a very astute addition to the Blues squad.

With Mateo Kovacic’s loan spell ending at the end of the season, Sarri will have a void to fill in his midfield eventually and so perhaps Suarez will come in to address that problem if his issues at Barcelona persist.

Given he’s competing with the likes of Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal and others for a place in the starting line-up, it doesn’t appear as though there is a short-term fix for him.

Barcelona eyeing up Premier League superstar as quality Adrien Rabiot transfer alternative

Barcelona are said to be eyeing up Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne as an alternative to Adrien Rabiot should the Blaugrana fail to sign the Frenchman.

The 23-year-old’s contract at PSG runs out at the end of the season, and there’s sure to be a number of clubs in the race to sign the midfielder on a free once this happens.

As per Don Balon, Barca are very much in the hunt for Rabiot’s signature, and their competition in the race for the French international are going to try their best to make sure he doesn’t end up at the Nou Camp.

The Blaugrana are seemingly prepared for this, as the same report notes they are eyeing up De Bruyne as a back-up option should Rabiot not end up moving to the Nou Camp.

Barcelona’s midfield is already one of the best on the planet, and getting in De Bruyne to add to their options in the centre of the park would only improve things for Ernesto Valverde and co.

De Bruyne could be swooped for by Barca if they fail to sign Rabiot from PSG

De Bruyne is one of the Premier League’s best players, and his influence on Man City’s team in absolutely second-to-none.

The Belgian has been out injured a fair bit so far this season, however this shouldn’t discourage Barca from making a move for the player, as he’s still one of the best that the Premier League has to offer.

Following this, some Barca fans may very well be hoping their side don’t sign Rabiot, as they’d surely love to see the club sign De Bruyne over the Frenchman if they had a choice.