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Consistency or Heroics: Skewness, Performance, and Earnings on the PGA TOUR

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  • Stephen Shmanske

Abstract

The structure of the payments in professional golf tournaments is heavily weighted to reward the top performers more handily. On the PGA TOUR, for example, the winner typically receives 18% of the purse, second place receives 10.8%, and so on down to 0.2% for 70th place. This payment structure brings up the possibility that the PGA TOUR is disproportionately rewarding one-time, exceptional performances rather than consistent steady play. To examine the extent of this effect, this paper correlates the 2002 earnings of the top 100 PGA TOUR professional golfers with their average performances, the variance around the averages, and the skewness of the individual distributions of their scores. Mean performance, variance, and skewness are all significantly related to earnings per tournament in the theoretically predicted directions. The research makes connections to and has implications for several topics in the sports economics literature including competitive balance and the hot-hand phenomenon. Additionally, it uncovers a heretofore unappreciated consequence concerning the relationships among the distributions of effort, performance, and remuneration in the tournaments compensation model. Copyright International Atlantic Economic Society 2007

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Shmanske, 2007. "Consistency or Heroics: Skewness, Performance, and Earnings on the PGA TOUR," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 35(4), pages 463-471, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:atlecj:v:35:y:2007:i:4:p:463-471
    DOI: 10.1007/s11293-007-9080-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Hood, 2008. "Consistency on the PGA Tour," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 9(5), pages 504-519, October.
    2. Harold Fried & Loren Tauer, 2011. "The impact of age on the ability to perform under pressure: golfers on the PGA tour," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 75-84, February.
    3. Ilhyeok Park & Young Hoon Lee, 2012. "Efficiency Comparison of International Golfers in the LPGA," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 13(4), pages 378-392, August.
    4. Stephen Shmanske, 2008. "Skills, Performance, and Earnings in the Tournament Compensation Model," Journal of Sports Economics, , vol. 9(6), pages 644-662, December.
    5. Seung Chan Ahn & Young Hoon Lee, 2014. "Beauty And Productivity: The Case Of The Ladies Professional Golf Association," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 32(1), pages 155-168, January.

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    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access

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