I’m fortunate enough to gain access “behind the ropes” at the formerly known PGA Western Open. This year, its all about a FedEx Cup and a car manufacturer.

Welcome to the BMW Championship. Everything on the site of Cog Hill resembles the added touch of anything BMW. Apparently, golf is no different. With a new sponsor comes new changes and for the most part, its going quite well.

Tiger is here, but no Phil. Well, actually Phil was here at Medinah Country Club the other night for an unrelated event. I think one of the PGA Tour staff members dropped the ball on that announcement. In either case, this tournament is now a major.

Everything seems the same besides a few upgraded cosmetic changes to the grounds and some parking fiascos. There are a few differences this year though, including the players who just look drained and exhausted after finishing up the Deutsche Bank tournament in Boston. Most of the players arrived Tuesday for some practice, but they were not as friendly in years past. In fact, they seemed as if they didn’t even want to be there. Still, most of them still stuck around to sign autographs for the handful of fans waiting by the clubhouse. Vijay Singh was his “usual” self, but even he signed. As for Tiger, well he’s well-guarded like a CIA classified document.

I like the idea of having a season ending tournament in golf, but this was not what I or any other person who follows golf had in mind. Not only are the players upset with the structure of the tournament (7 tournaments in 9 weeks), but even the payout has been modified. No super-sized paycheck waiting for the winner. Instead, a nice contribution of $10-$11 million dollars into a nice retirement annuity. Even BMW knows how to use a loophole and catch a tax break. Tiger simply doesn’t like it:

‘’One of the major issues for all of us is that it’s not the true payout…How great would it be like in the World Series of Poker, at the first tee starting the first day of the Tour Championship, that’s all you see is [the $10 million] stacked up there, and that’s what you’re playing for? That would create a lot of buzz.'’

I even Tiger wants to be paid and it makes sense. According to PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem, the new format is ‘working’. He may eventually be right, just not now. The players are tired and look at this event as just another stop on the tour and part of a larger corporate scheme. Not the usual take from the guy’s who desparately waited to stop in Chicago during the hottest days of July.

The fans seem to be still coming out in droves, however, you have to wonder how other non-related golf events may create a hiccup for an event that raises scholarship funds for young caddies (Evans Scholars). The Cubs in the middle of a pennant race is one thing, but add the Bears vs. Chargers (3:15 PM) in a week one showdown during the finale of the tournament, and you would think the PGA Tour would be somewhat cautious about competing with a home town team. I like golf, but I’d rather be watching the futility (or lack thereof) of Rex Grossman.

Even worse, the tournament will now be rotating every three years and the next time we’ll see the PGA is in 2009. That’s if the FedEx Cup is still around. Right now, I’d say they’re taking a mulligan.

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