Maginnes: Playoffs finale an all-star game and after-party

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I had car trouble on my way to my senior prom. Ok, that is what I told my date. I should have told her it was Vijay Singh's fault. By the time we arrived all the spiked punch was gone and people were beginning to file out. We didn't stay long, but not to worry, we still had a blast at the after party.

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With all due respect to the fine people of Atlanta and the incredible golf course that is East Lake this year's edition of THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola is a little late for the party. Through a series of occurrences -- here's where Vijay comes in -- they are reduced to hosting the after-party, but something tells me it will be one heck of an event.

It certainly isn't their fault. Who knew that the defending champion, Tiger Woods, would be one of 19 players who teed it up there a year ago who didn't make the field this year? Or that the FedExCup is only hanging in the balance if Vijay Singh can't keep his for four days? And even then it would take a picture-perfect scenario for someone else to win it -- Camilo Villegas would have to win the tournament and Vijay would have to withdraw. So let's blame it all on Vijay for playing too well in the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. He doesn't care. He is about to make an extra $10 million for the effort. I can't believe I just used the word extra in front of 10 million anythings.

Obviously the PGA TOUR, Coca-Cola and everyone else involved in THE TOUR Championship would love for this tournament to be the climax of the Playoffs. The past two seasons that hasn't happened, though. Certainly the tournament is better off today than it was when it was mired at the end of the schedule and occasionally shunned by some of the best players in the game. And with the accomplishment of making THE TOUR Championship and all that comes with it in terms of exemptions for next season, the players are still excited about the opportunity to put one more feather in their caps to end the season. They just wish they had a chance to win the FedExCup, too.

It's likely that Playoffs will be slightly revamped again in an effort to make this tournament a more decisive event. Some have suggested a graduated points process so that no one can actually run away with the FedExCup prior to the Playoffs' finale. The 30 players who have earned their way to Atlanta this week aren't concerned about that, though. They are treating this tournament like any other tournament and trying to win.

Eight players have earned their way to THE TOUR Championship for the first time, including veterans Dudley Hart and Kevin Sutherland. Anthony Kim, Andres Romero and Ryuji Imada are all making their debuts in this exclusive event. By contrast the guy who is destined to win the FedExCup is playing in his 14th consecutive TOUR Championship. Vijay, who won the event in 2002 and hasn't finished outside the top 10 since, has teed it up every year since 1993.

The accomplishment of getting into this championship should not be overshadowed by the fact that the fate of the FedExCup is already determined. This is an all-star game and a reward for a job well done. Of the 144 players who entered the Playoffs six weeks ago only 30 remain. To make it this far a player had to be on top of his game through out the year -- and particularly over the stretch run of the Playoffs. East Lake is more than ready to host the event. A year ago a fungus had crept into the greens making them, at the very least, unsightly. Of course, Tiger won so it didn't much matter. I think that guy can make putts over cobblestone. This year the greens should be perfect. Bermuda has replaced the bentgrass that tends to wilt in the summer like a carnation on the floor board of a '67 Mustang. And East Lake is one of the great courses the TOUR plays every year. To be here at Bobby Jones' home course is a well-earned privilege for these 30 and they are going to be handsomely rewarded for it with more than $22 million at stake between the FedExCup bonus pool and the tournament purse.

One can only hope that the fact that Vijay ran away with the FedExCup before the finale won't dampen this event. Don't get me wrong, he will be there. He probably won't have quite as many friends on the driving range as usual and he will likely eat alone in player dining. There will obviously be a band of media following him this week under the guise that they are covering the FedExCup champion. Really, though, we will be hoping to pick up whatever happens to fall out of his pocket.

So congratulations to all of those players who are here in Atlanta this week. But mostly to Vijay -- who arrived at the party before everyone else. Way to go.