Parity on TOUR having major FedExCup repercussions

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Bubba Watson's victory Classic made him the fourth different player to lead the FedExCup standings in 2011.

The FedExCup season officially moved past the halfway point Sunday with another head-scratching finish.

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On a day when Bubba Watson was slamming 340-yard drives, he won after playing partner Webb Simpson's ball moved a half-inch on the 15th green. That penalty shot dropped Simpson into a tie with three holes left, and Watson eventually emerged victorious with a two-putt birdie on the second playoff hole.

"It's a sad way to win," said Watson, who moved into the FedExCup's top spot, "But I won."

Yes, he did. That much is clear.

But Sunday's bizarre finish mirrored the surprises that have dominated the first half of the FedExCup's season -- and provide a clue as to what to expect in the second half. Watson was three behind with eight holes to play and it appeared Simpson was going to get his breakthrough win. But this has not been a season where form has followed through on the PGA TOUR.

You want to talk unexpected?

Only two of the 17 winners this year -- Watson and Mark Wilson have won twice -- were in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking before they lifted the trophy. Luke Donald was No. 9 at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play and Phil Mickelson was No. 6 when he won the Shell Houston Open.

Bubba the new No. 1

Mark Wilson held the FedExCup lead for 12 weeks -- until Bubba Watson's win at TPC Louisiana vaulted him to the top of the standings. Standings | Week-by-week leaders

Moreover, only two other players were inside the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking when they won -- Charl Schwartzel was No. 29 when he prevailed at the Masters and Watson was No. 16 entering last week.

By comparison, more than half the winners (10) were ranked outside the top 100, and five were outside the top 200 the week they received their trophy and the oversized check.

OK, we can understand how Michael Bradley and Johnson Wagner, former TOUR champions, can win at No. 562 and No 375, respectively; because they were playing in tournaments opposite World Golf Championship events. But what about No. 237 Wilson winning at the Sony Open in Hawaii (and then three weeks later in Phoenix), or rookie Brendan Steele (No. 231) at the Valero Texas Open or Aaron Baddeley (No. 227) at the Northern Trust Open.

The average ranking of the 19 winners this year is an astounding 141.5, which seems even more unbelievable when you consider how many prominent tournaments give exemptions to players ranked inside the top 50.

No wonder the No. 1 ranking has become such a hot potato. If there's such incredible movement way outside the upper echelon, it only reasons there will be just as much jockeying near the top.

It's clear that 2011 is a Year of Transition on the PGA TOUR.

Who would have thought that only five players currently ranked in the top 20 in the world ranking have won this year on the PGA TOUR (Donald, Mickelson, Watson, Swartzel and Nick Watney)?

Gainey

Who would have thought Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey would have more top-10s this year (four) than Tiger Woods (two) and Ernie Els (zero)? Combined.

It may be a while before Woods can add to his total, too. Last week's announcement that he will miss this week's Wells Fargo Championship due to a medial collateral sprain in his left knee and an Achilles' tendon sprain casts further doubt on his ability to return to being the game's dominant performer.

There's no guarantee how healthy Woods will be for the season's final three majors in the next four months. Can we possibly see Woods go 15 consecutive majors without winning career No. 15?

Woods' tumble the last 18 months has certainly provided a major impetus to what's happening on the PGA TOUR these days. For more than five years, he was the unquestioned alpha golfer on the PGA TOUR. But his personal problems, swing change and now the return of knee problems have opened the door for other players to barge through.

That door is becoming more like a swinging gate, with even the unheralded players believing they can win with that one magical week.

The last four majors have been won by first-time champions. Expect anything different this year at Congressional, Royal St. George's or the Atlanta Athletic Club? The fact so many players have a shot at winning majors has turned their finishes into riveting dramas, much like this year's Masters, where 10 players had a chance to win on Augusta National's back nine.

Parity has become an even larger part of the PGA TOUR's 2011 season. Consider this: Last year it took 380 points for Scott Piercy to qualify for the final and 125th FedExCup spot when the regular season ended.

Just past this year's halfway point, Bobby Gates holds the 125th spot with 152 points. The points are being spread more evenly among the pros, meaning more players will have a chance to qualify for the Playoffs during the final few frantic weeks.

If we have learned to expect anything this season, it's the unexpected. Such as more playoffs, more wacky finishes, more turmoil in the world rankings and less domination.

These days, the difference between winning and losing on the PGA TOUR is about as tiny a distance as Simpson's ball moved on the 15th green Sunday.

Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.