Signature events, Doral and early picks for the PGA Championship

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

Last week, the Saudi PIF formally announced that they will not extend funding to LIV Golf beyond this season. That may or may not be the end of LIV, but it sure has meaning for the PGA Tour. Former Commissioner Jay Monahan created eight Signature events with larger purses, smaller fields and no cuts to combat the threat of LIV. CEO Brian Rolapp plans to increase that to 16 Signature events in 2027. With LIV gone or no longer a threat, how many Signature events should the Tour have?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Having 16 Signatures kinda makes a mockery of the whole exercise, doesn’t it?  It makes each of them less special than the others, while reducing the non-Signatures to “who cares” status.  It also reduces the opportunities for fringe players to play, make money, and elevate their status.  And frankly, will fans give a hoot?  Aside from the majors, we all know what the more prestigious events are anyway.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): If LIV fades, 16 Signature events feels excessive (its excessive anyways as I’m on record saying. The Tour created Signature events out of necessity; keeping too many risks diluting regular stops and member opportunities. I’d land at six to eight. Enough to create must‑watch weeks (outside Majors and Players) and reward top players, but not so many that every other event feels secondary. Balance matters: strong purses and fields at key events, with a healthy middle tier that still matters for careers, partners/sponsors, and fans.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: It will take years to recover from the Monahan era. Of course, the players want to play for the most amount of money possible. But there comes a point of diminishing returns. Any product’s value is the amount someone will pay for it. The problem is each time the cost of the product increases, the buyer is likely to want more. The TOUR is losing their influence to bigger purses. If Rolapp gets his way and there are 16 Signature events, top players will play those 16 and four majors, making a full schedule. He can mandate they play the second-tier events, but they won’t do it willingly. When Joe Dye was the PGA TOUR Commissioner, I wrote to him in 1970, suggesting the top 150 players be divided into 2 groups. Half must enter half the events while the other half enter the other half. I also suggested on course interviews with players. He kindly responded saying “The players are independent contractors and have the right to enter any event they chose”. Regarding the interviews, he took it to the Players’ Board for discussion. They basically agreed as long as it was with someone with ‘real’ credentials. Ken Venturi and Henry Longhurst both refused to do it. My answer is to reduce the TOUR to 20 events. What we once knew is passed.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ):  I’m not a big fan of signature events, although they do draw very good fields.  But I have always said I like the idea of a cut each week and the opportunity for a lower ranked player to change his life with a big week.  As much as a Scottie/Rory battle on Sunday is great for viewing, so is a great Cinderella story, so I hope the limit the number of Signature events, especially since LIV doesn’t seem to be a threat moving forward.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Eight is enough. We live in a time when the support ship for Jeff Bezos’s $500M yacht cost him $75 M Drumpf’s Iran and Gulf of Hormuz escapades, and tariffs, have stressed US family budgets beyond recognition. Coupled with his pal Putin’s czarist empire fantasy, global finances are teetering. At a time like this, how tone deaf can Rolapp be? Like Drumpf, is it only the one percenters that he cares about? The LIV knee jerk reaction has already cost long-time sponsors and vendors, and fans. Expanding the Signature collection will just inflict more harm on that until-now core group, while padding the accounts of the already over-compensated Tour elite. Enough already.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: Zero sounds like a good number. I’ve never been a fan of the Signature events as they remove one of the most dramatic parts of a tournament (a Friday cut); they limit the field to top players so there is no potential for a life-changing Cinderella outcome; and they create a two-tier structure that hurts many long-term Tour partners and loyal tournament hosts. It would also seem that the huge purses are unsustainable long term and worst of all, they can’t even guarantee ALL the big names will play which is what they were created for. Bad idea from the start. Good time to end them.

The PGA Tour is back at Doral after a ten-year hiatus. Cameron Young easily won the tournament and expressed his admiration for the course’s toughness. He shot 19-under which doesn’t sound like it was too tough. What was your take on the tournament and is Doral a good venue for future events?

Deeks: I was surprised that the Tour went back to Doral, but I guess they see some political value in supporting a Trump course.  Having played the Blue Monster (many years ago), I wasn’t overly impressed; I’ve played many more interesting venues in Florida alone.  What little watching I did this weekend made me think the course was still boring, and not in very good shape.

Loughry: Doral looked great on TV and still demands quality ball‑striking. Yes, 19‑under suggests it wasn’t brutal, but scoring is more about conditions and setup than architecture alone. I like it back in the rotation, especially if the Tour tweaks the setup year to year. Not every venue needs to be a bloodbath; it just needs a character. Doral has some but could use some mentoring to create an atmosphere.

Schurman: This is a difficult question because of my personal political feelings. I’ve never liked the course. The gallery turnout is a reflection of how I feel. Two redeeming features are the victory by Young and Irv Lightstone was the Head Professional as well as Maple Downs at the same time.

Rule: No, it isn’t.  Not just because it’s a boring golf course, but obviously because of who owns it.  It looked like there were very few fans at the event, it had the feel of a USA based LIV event.  It drew a decent field as a Signature event but didn’t draw my interest, or the interest of many others it would seem.

Quinn: When Doris and Al (Doral, cute eh?) owned the resort, it was a cool venue. Upgrades have made it an elite course. With Trump’s name on it? Unplayable.

Mumford: Despite several facelifts, renos and makeovers, Doral is a boring course. Sure, it’s long and penal but that doesn’t inspire much excitement. The owner is even more of an embarrassment than he was in 2021, and the Tour will again regret their connection to him. Maybe not this year or next but soon.

The PGA Championship is just a week away. Who’s your early pick to nab the next major? 

Deeks: Y’know who’s been playing really well lately?  Adam Scott.  I would love to see him surprise the world and win another major at age 45.  There’s my early pick!  Followed by Justin Rose.  Vive les vieux!

Loughry: Hard to look past Scheffler—complete game, elite tee‑to‑green, and he’s comfortable in big moments. Cam Young is a hot hand; if the putter warms, he’ll be right there.  Spieth is my wildcard, motivation is sky‑high for the career Slam, but results have to match, he’s back int he top 50 in the world, so trending properly. My early lean: Scheffler, with Young as the value play if you’re picking against the favourite.

Schurman: Cam Young was going to be my pick before this week and he still is. Scheffler can’t be overlooked and neither can McIlroy or Mathew Fitzpatrick but there are a bunch of really fine players right behind them. I like Auberg, Theegala and Fleetwood. As far as very new names, I like Smalley, Potgieter and Penge. Now that I’ve named the entire field, my pick is Sam Burns.

Rule: Cam Young has to be a hot pick next week given his form, but who knows what Aronimink is going to deliver as it’s one we haven’t seen many of these guys play before.  It seems my picks lately haven’t been very successful, so I’ll pick Bryson again!

Quinn: Ben Griffin has great game and has been quietly lurking near the top of leaderboards on tough courses. This could well be his breakthrough. And Adam Scott continually amazes as he defies the relentless march of father time. Would love to see him grab this one instead of just cashing another big check (US dollars).

Mumford: All of the usual suspects jump to mind as they’re all playing well, so it could be a shootout between Scheffler, McIlroy, Young and Fitzpatrick but I’m always looking for a surprise. My heart says Jordan Spieth for the career Grand Slam or Brooks Koepka just cuz, but I’m going with Tommy Fleetwood, who’s on form and ready for his major.