Shooting Down the PGA Tour's "Todd Hamilton Scenario"
This article was originally composed in the late summer of 2006. Since that time, the author has devised point distribution
methods different from those presented here for other articles on this web-site. The author may, at a later time, revise this
page using the distribution method he currently employs in other articles. Despite changes in point distribution, the author
anticipates little or maybe even no change in the player standings on his hypothetical listings.
Key Sources .... 2004 PGA Tour Official Money Leaders
Click-on a player's name, then Results, then select year 2004
2004 PGA Tour Event Results
Click-on the date to the left of an event's title name to see final scores and earnings.
This page was inspired by the PGA Tour's "answer" to the very first question in a FedEx Cup Q & A Session
In this Q and A press conference, PGA Tour officials remarked that if a Fed Ex Cup Points Values scenario other than
the Tour's 0.500x-1.00x-1.05x-1.10x scheme was used in a hypothetical Fed Ex Cup Points Chase set in 2004, players
such as 2004 British Open winner Todd Hamilton might have gained an unfair advantage over the likes of Tiger Woods
and Ernie Els.
This author could not accept the PGA Tour's explanation, and set out to prove that a 1.0x-2.0x-3.0x Points Value
scenario would not necessarily have given Todd Hamilton or anyone else a big advantage over others.
As shown in (see below) "2004 Player Statistics" and "Standings AFTER the Tour Championship", the 3.0x weighting for
British Open points values does NOT lift Todd Hamilton past either Tiger Woods or Ernie Els. Hamilton, 11th on the 2004
Official Money List, finishes just 9th on the 2004 Event Finish Points List.
Compared with the Money List, no player moves up more than two places on the Points List. Three players move down
only one place, while Stuart Appleby moves down two places, and Sergio Garcia moves down four places.
Points Values for PGA Tour events (see detailed explanation below)
1.0x ... All Regular "Open" Events
1.2x ... Mercedes-Benz Championship, Bob Hope, Pebble Beach, Bay Hill, Heritage, Byron Nelson
Colonial, Memorial, International
2.0x ... Official Money World Golf Championships, Western Open, Canadian Open, Tour Championship
3.0x ... Masters, US Open, British Open Championship, PGA Championship, Players Championship
2004 Player Statistics .. NOTE: Ranked in order of total official points earned
Rank | Wins - Top 3/10/25 | Events - Cuts - WD | Additional Facts
in Money| Finishes | Played Missed
1. Vijay Singh | 1 | 9 .. 12 .. 18 .. 24 | 29 .. 1 .. 0 |
2. Phil Mickelson | 3 | 2 .. 7 .. 13 .. 16 | 22 .. 2 .. 1 | Played and placed in more events than Els
3. Ernie Els | 2 | 3 .. 6 .. 10 .. 12 | 16 .. 1 .. 0 |
4. Tiger Woods | 4 | 1 .. 7 .. 14 .. 18 | 19 .. 0 .. 0 | Also: Top-5, 9 | Top-15 and Top-20, 16
5. Retief Goosen | 6 | 2 .. 3 .. 9 .. 11 | 16 .. 3 .. 0 | MC at Players; DNS at 17th event, WGC-NEC Invitational
6. Stewart Cink | 5 | 2 .. 3 .. 10 .. 12 | 28 .. 4 .. 0 | MC at US Open
7. Adam Scott | 7 | 2 .. 4 .. 7 .. 8 | 16 .. 4 .. 0 | MC at Masters, US Open
8. Stephen Ames | 8 | 1 .. 1 .. 11 .. 16 | 27 .. 6 .. 0 | MC at British Open
9. Todd Hamilton | 11 | 2 .. 2 .. 3 .. 8 | 27 .. 8 .. 0 | MC at US Open
10. Chris DiMarco | 12 | 0 .. 3 .. 9 .. 17 | 27 .. 2 .. 0 | MC at Players; Lost PGA Championship playoff
11. Davis Love III | 10 | 0 .. 3 .. 8 .. 11 | 24 .. 5 .. 1 | MC at US Open, PGA; WD from Tour Ch.
12. Mike Weir | 14 | 1 .. 2 .. 7 .. 10 | 22 .. 6 .. 0 | MC at Players, Masters, PGA; Lost Canadian Playoff
13. Sergio Garcia | 9 | 2 .. 2 .. 5 .. 10 | 18 .. 2 .. 0 | MC at British Open, PGA
14. Mark Hensby | 15 | 1 .. 4 .. 8 .. 12 | 29 .. 9 .. 1 | DNP at Players, Masters, US Open, British
15. Stuart Appleby | 13 | 1 .. 3 .. 5 .. 14 | 25 .. 7 .. 0 | MC at Players, US Open
MC-Missed Cut, WD-Withdrew, DNS-Did Not Start Event
DNP-Did not play in the event
Standings Before The Tour Championship
1. Vijay Singh | 2,891,843
2. Phil Mickelson | 1,936,124
3. Ernie Els | 1,725,030
4. Tiger Woods | 1,314,687
5. Stewart Cink | 1,187,245
6. Adam Scott | 1,073,950
7. Retief Goosen | 987,934
8. Todd Hamilton | 985,200
9. Stephen Ames | 963,673
10. Chris DiMarco | 913,591
11. Davis Love III | 881,172
12. Mike Weir | 792,414
13. Sergio Garcia | 789,330
14. Stuart Appleby | 739,991
15. Mark Hensby | 727,715
Standings After The Tour Championship
1. Vijay Singh | 2,951,843
2. Phil Mickelson | 1,974,924
3. Ernie Els | 1,779,030
4. Tiger Woods | 1,530,687
5. Retief Goosen | 1,347,934
6. Stewart Cink | 1,224,045
7. Adam Scott | 1,110,750
8. Stephen Ames | 1,046,340
9. Todd Hamilton | 1,017,900
10. Chris DiMarco | 947,991
11. Davis Love III | 881,172
12. Mike Weir | 875,081
13. Sergio Garcia | 831,730
14. Mark Hensby | 810,382
15. Stuart Appleby | 782,391
Details of Points Values Distribution
Finish Points Values: 1,000,000 (main) + 120,000 (extra)
For all PGA Tour events except Mercedes Championships, Accenture Match Play and Tour Championship (see below)
1..! 180,000 21..! 11,600 41..! 6,900 NOTE
2..! 104,000 22..! 11,200 42..! 6,800 This type of distribution, including the 20-or-more extra places
3..! 68,000 23..! 10,800 43..! 6,700 below the 50th place, has not been officially adopted by the
4..! 48,000 24..! 10,400 44..! 6,600 PGA Tour.
5..! 40,000 25..! 10,000 45..! 6,500
6..! 36,000 26..! 9,600 46..! 6,400
7..! 32,000 27..! 9,200 47..! 6,300
8..! 30,000 28..! 8,800 48..! 6,200
9..! 28,000 29..! 8,400 49..! 6,100 Each professional beyond the 50th is guaranteed to receive at least
10..! 26,000 30..! 8,000 50..! 6,000 as many points as are offered for 50th place.
11..! 24,000 31..! 7,900
12..! 22,000 32..! 7,800 FINISH POINTS VALUES
13..! 20,000 33..! 7,700 For finish points values in official PGA Tour events, multiply
14..! 18,000 34..! 7,600 as follows ...
15..! 17,000 35..! 7,500
16..! 16,000 36..! 7,400 1.0x -- All regular open events
17..! 15,000 37..! 7,300 1.2x -- AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, EDS-Byron Nelson, The International plus
18..! 14,000 38..! 7,200 All regular invitational and 90-hole events
19..! 13,000 39..! 7,100 2.0x -- Official Money World Golf Championships, Western Open, Canadian Open
20..! 12,000 40..! 7,000 3.0x -- Masters, US Open, British Open Championship, PGA Championship
Players Championship
Accenture Match Play Finish Points Values :: 1,000,000
1st ... ! 180,000 | Quarterfinals ... ! 30,000 T-5 (4) For finish points values, mulitply
2nd ... ! 100,000 | 3rd Round ....... ! 16,000 T-9 (8) as follows ...
3rd ... ! 70,000 | 2nd Round ....... ! 10,000 T-17 (16)
4th ... ! 50,000 | 1st Round ....... ! 6,000 T-33 (32) 2.0x
MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIP, TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP Finish Points Values :: 1,000,000
1..! 180,000 11..! 27,000 21..! 18,800 For finish points values, mulitply
2..! 108,000 12..! 25,600 22..! 18,400 as follows ....
3..! 69,000 13..! 24,400 23..! 18,000
4..! 48,000 14..! 23,200 24..! 17,600 1.2x ... Mercedes-Benz Championship
5..! 40,000 15..! 22,000 25..! 17,200 2.0x ... Tour Championship
6..! 36,000 16..! 21,200 26..! 16,800
7..! 34,000 17..! 20,400 27..! 16,600
8..! 32,000 18..! 20,000 28..! 16,400
9..! 30,000 19..! 19,600 29..! 16,200
10..! 28,400 20..! 19,200 30..! 16,000
Each player beyond 30th also receives 16,000 points