How does the PGA Tour sell that the FedEx Cup matters when the actions of one of its biggest stars essentially say the opposite?

That is the legitimate worry surrounding Rory McIlroy's absence this week as the tour's three-event postseason series begins with the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. But the outrage that has followed reveals little about McIlroy's commitment and is missing the point. The problem isn't the player—it's the product.

McIlroy's decision was hardly spontaneous. He telegraphed this move throughout the year, specifically citing last year at TPC Southwind—where he finished second to last yet dropped only two spots in the playoff standings—as proof that his participation carries minimal competitive consequence in the current structure. This strategic absence is n

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