The PGA Tour has unveiled perhaps its biggest-ever structural changes, with the organisation set to run two concurrent series starting in 2028.
In response to fans and various stakeholders, significant changes are being made to the PGA Tour calendar that will see the best players face off more often, while facing the jeopardy of being kicked off the main tour.
The PGA Tour will run a Championship Series consisting of 130 players, with 15 'regular' events throughout the season comprising of fields of around 120 players. The top 90 players at the end of the season retain their status on the Championship Series, with 40 players at risk of relegation to the Challenger Series.
The Challenger Series will feature fields of around 144 players each week, with the top 20 players across the season securing a place in the Championship Series.
Summary of PGA Tour's main changes
- The Championship Series and Challenger Series will run concurrently, starting in 2028
- The top 20 players from the Challenger Series' points list will earn promotion to the Championship Series; the bottom 40 players from the Championship Series will face the possibility of relegation with the top 90 (out of 130) automatically retaining their place in the Championship Series
- Tour Championship to be replaced by match play event
- Season to run from February to August
- Fall schedule to be replaced
- No sponsors exemptions for Championship Series
- Championship Series players can't compete in Challenger Series events
What is the PGA Tour Championship Series?
Replacing the current model of Signature Events, the PGA Tour will formalise its two-tier system. Its current approach sees the top players in the world play in eight, limited-field, Signature Events throughout the season.
With the Signature Events plus four majors, the Players Championship and three FedExCup Play-off events, there's little room in the calendar for those players to play other events, often leaving them with weakened fields.
Similarly, owing to the limited fields, it's tough for players to break into those events. However, as of 2028, the PGA Tour will operate two clearly defined seasons.
The Championship Series is set to be 23-24 events across the year, with the season running from February until August. These will include the Players Championship, the four majors, the play-offs and the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup depending on the year, leaving around 15 'regular' events in the Championship Series, of which it claims 10 have already been taken.
Each event will have a purse of at least $20,000,000 -- in line with current Signature Events -- with fields of around 120 players. One of the biggest criticisms of Signature Events has been the limited fields and lack of cuts, but cuts will be included in all events.
Match play will also be reintroduced to the Tour Championship as part of a revamped post-season, though details of that are still to be confirmed.
The top 90 -- out of around 130 -- Championship Series players will be guaranteed a place in next season's Championship Series, with the remaining players at risk of relegation.
A 'last chance' series featuring four to six events will see players compete for a limited number of spots on the Championship Series.
What is the PGA Tour Challenger Series?
Running as the 'track two', the Challenger Series will see players compete on a secondary PGA Tour, bidding to claim one of 20 promotion spots to the Championship Series. Players competing in the Championship Series won't be eligible to play in Challenger Series events.
The Challenger Series will be comprised of 'at least' 20 events with purses of at least $4,000,000 and fields of around 144 players.
Some Challenger Series and Championship Series events will overlap and be played on the same weeks, with around seven Challenger Series events taking place on Championship Series off weeks.
The top 20 players in terms of points earned in Challenger Series events will secure a place in the Championship Series.
Details are still to be confirmed regarding relegation from the Challenger Series.
