Topgolfgears Morning 9: Huge FedEx Cup changes coming | Tiger’s Trump tap dance | L’Artiste!

• “Five people aware of the discussions say FedEx Cup points will not be involved in the final playoff event at East Lake. Instead, the No. 1 player would start the Tour Championship at 10-under par, with scores to par staggered depending on the 30 players’ position in the standings.”

• “The winner will be the FedEx Cup champion, and the bonus is expected to be more than the current $10 million prize…That means whoever gets the 30th spot at East Lake would have four rounds to make up as many as 10 shots. The change eliminates the awkward moment – and divided attention – of one player winning the Tour Championship and another winning the FedEx Cup, which happened last year for the second time.”

• A few morsels…:DeChambeau’s third PGA Tour victory in 13 months-more tournaments than Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler have won combined in that span-and a win that ostensibly locks up a Ryder Cup spot. Only Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas have more top-10 finishes this season than DeChambeau’s eight, and the 24-year-old ranks fifth in strokes gained and 14th in scoring.”

• “But with Bryson DeChambeau, it’s never been about the game. It’s about about how that game is conceptualized, executed, questioned, achieved. While those prisms should create a greater appreciation for the end product, it’s done the opposite.”

• “By now you know DeChambeau is a different duck. The Hogan cap, naming his clubs, writing his name backwards with his opposite hand, dabbling in stippling-not the usual repertoire of an aspiring tour pro. By themselves, they’re each fun tidbits and ideal content for a player’s media guide profile. Yet it’s Bryson’s drive that really separates him. And we do mean drive. While many golfers strive for perfection, DeChambeau’s pursuit takes him down some peculiar avenues. One-length clubs, a slave to statistical analysis, battles with the USGA, a tryst with side-saddling putting. Coupled with the aforementioned oddities, he stands out in the tour’s cookie-cutter crowd.”

• “Amusingly, one of the reasons fans have struggled to connect with Brooks Koepka is that Brooks, admittedly, is not really into golf. DeChambeau resides on the other end of that spectrum, devouring tomes like The Golfing Machine and Vector Putting as a kid. There’s an unbridled enthusiasm when he talks about the game and finds joy in the work. Hell, he even flew himself to the 2016 Ryder Cup because he wanted to take it in as a spectator.”

1. Justin Thomas…Seeking to become the first back-to-back champ in tournament history. Since winning at Firestone, he’s added a T6 (PGA) and T8 (NORTHERN TRUST) to regain consistency that he’s sought.

• “I would like to share with you what I consider to be the 5 areas that the competitive club golfer can learn from Cam’s approach to physical preparation. If implemented properly these will not help your golf but benefit your long-term musculo-skeletal health too.”

• “Cam’s approach is particularly relatable and applicable to the club golfer because he isn’t the biggest guy, or the most gifted athlete, or the hardest worker. Cam likes to keep things simple and use practice and training approaches that can be completed in a short amount of time with the minimum of fuss (leaving more time for messing around on the range apparently!)”

• STICK TO THE PLAN…Cam doesn’t wander from the prescribed plan; this is for three main reasons. Firstly he wants to avoid the excessive post exercise soreness that prohibits him from practicing and performing effectively. Sticking to familiar exercises and loads helps ensure this. Secondly, performing the same exercises allows him time to get familiar and comfortable with the technique, ensuring absolute best form and resultant outcome. Lastly, golf is a tough mental sport especially at the very elite level. Being able to go into the gym and carry out a familiar routine means that there is no excess mental energy being used up unnecessarily.”

• “What to make of Tiger Woods’ brief utterances about President Trump following his final round in the Northern Trust? It has all the makings of a juicy story-the world’s most popular athlete, its most polarizing leader. Depending on which side of the political spectrum you occupy, it could be chopped up and digested any number of different ways, as the president himself has already proven.”

• “The full exchange, with a New York Times reporter, was barely a minute long. Asked about his relationship with Trump, Woods reflected on their history playing together (including most recently last Thanksgiving weekend): “We’ve played golf together. We’ve had dinner together. I’ve known him pre-presidency and obviously during his presidency.”

• “Then Woods was asked about whether his relationship with Trump was an implicit endorsement of Trump’s policies toward immigrants and people of color? Treading cautiously, Woods said he felt compelled to respect the office. “He’s the President of the United States. You have to respect the office,” he said. “No matter who is in the office, you may like, dislike personality or the politics, but we all must respect the office.”

• “It’s worth debating whether that’s understandable or regrettable given Woods’ stature and influence. Woods has indeed emerged as a more sympathetic and approachable figure in this latest chapter of his career. But to have expected anything else from his answer Sunday is to not have been paying attention.”

• New Level’s current offerings consist of three iron models and a wedge. Burch was kind enough to give a thumbnail sketch of each of the models.

• Here’s what Burch had to say about the company’s most popular offering: the 1031 iron.

• EB: “Then we have the 1031, which fits right in the middle of the three. That’s a slightly longer blade length than the 902. There’s a consistent offset throughout the set. It starts at about 4.5 millimeters…there’s good continuity throughout the set. Same topline as the 902…all the toplines are exactly the same. I did that so you’d have the ability to mix and match.

• “The 1031 has a lot of meat low and behind the center of the club. In my opinion, it’s the most forgiving from heel to toe. It tends to launch just a shade higher [than the 902]. In terms of materials…everything that we do at this point is 1020 carbon. The initial finish is all satin. The 1031 is now available in limited quantities in the black PVD finish. It’s our all-around, one-size-fits all iron…it’s our best-selling iron.”

• “Working with [Stephen] Malbon and his team was a natural fit from day one,” Grant Knudson, Head of Footwear & Accessories at Puma Golf, said. “This uninhibited, outside-the-box approach resulted in a collection that anyone passionate about style and golf will appreciate-it’s a perfect mix where you can stand out without making a scene.”…The eight-piece collection including both apparel and accessories in a mainly navy-and-red color theme, is.”

• “The Malbon 110 Snapback Cap ($42) will likely be the most popular item in the collection. It’s got a 3D Malbon embroidered buckets logo on the front and throwback Puma text on the bill that reads “One Step Ahead With Puma, For Puma Does It The Quality Way.” This is unlike most golf hats out there style-wise, but with the moisture wicking sweatband, it will still perform well on the course.”

• Golfweek’s Brentley Romine writes…:As if Braden Thornberry needed any further validation that his homemade, unorthodox golf swing works, the Ole Miss senior just added another accomplishment to his impressive amateur resume.”

• “Thornberry was awarded with the Mark H. McCormack Medal on Monday. The award goes to the top-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking following the U.S. Amateur each year.