Money ranking

Question
Skip,

I'm curious about monetary winnings on the Tour.  

#1
When 2 players tie for 2nd (or 3rd or whatever)does the tour add the purse for 2nd and 3rd places and then split the total in 1/2 as winnings for those 2 players OR do those just split 2nd place monies?

#2
Does the tour count ACTUAL earnings or do they count what 2nd place WOULD HAVE PAID for both?

#3
What is the 3rd place player paid if 2nd and 3rd are added, 4th place purse?

Does any of this make sense?

Thanks,

Richard

Answer
Dear Richard, thanks for the questions...and yes, they make sense.  1.  Your instincts are correct regarding ties.  If, for instance, the money for 2nd was $100 and 3rd was $50, and 2 players tied for 2nd, then each player would get $75.  In this instance, there would NOT be a third place winner.  The next place would be 4th. Furthermore if 2nd money was $100, 3rd was $50, 4th was $40 and 5th was $30 and 4 players tied for 2nd, then they would each get $55 (100+50+40+30=220/4=55ea) In this case, 3rd, 4th and 5th place no longer exist, the next lowest score would be considered 6th place and get 6th place money (unless of course there is a tie for 6th)  As for question 2, the tour counts ACTUAL monies only, with no consideration for what might have been without any ties.  #3 I think I answered in #1, by passing down the place money after all ties, but let me know if that isn't fully clear.  The tour is complicated, and even players get confused what place they were in.  Sometimes if 5 guys tie for say, 2nd, the next lowest player has a tendancy to think they took third...but that's not the case.  Good luck, let me know if I wasn't clear for ya and of course...

Love the game,
skipper  

Sample Scoreboard:
Place  Score Name
1      281   Ward
2      282   Smith
       282   Evans
       282   Williams
       282   Sullivan
6      283   Topa
       283   Connors
       283   Nolan
9      285   Leonard

1st takes 1st money alone
2nd, all players split evenly 2,3,4,5 monies
6th, all players split evenly 6,7,8 monies
9th, takes 9th money alone

Even though Topa, Connors and Nolan have the 3rd best score, 5 players beat them, so 3rd 4th and 5th place doesn't exist.  It's been like this for years, so at least the tour players are used to it.