The Round Table weighs in on the new PGA Tour
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, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced sweeping changes to the Tour starting in 2028. The new structure would see the Tour split into a Championship Series for the roughly 100 top ranked players and a Challenger Series for the next 150. The two series would run concurrently starting in February and ending in August. Each would have 23-24 events. How do you feel about the new concept?
Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Call me an old fuddy-duddy, traditionalist, or fossil, or all of the above, but I just don’t like this. It just makes already rich guys richer more easily, it makes it harder for the second tier to get up to the first tier, and how do you guys on Korn Ferry Tour feel now… you’ve just been reduced to third class status, making you even more irrelevant. (Or at least, that’s my understanding.) I just don’t understand why this is happening. The pop-gun threat of LIV is disintegrating, why go ahead with this over-reaction? I didn’t think the existing Tour structure was broke… who said it needed to be fixed? (Except, perhaps, the 100 Championship Series players.)
Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): I get the intent, clear pathways (European Footy), tighter fields, more meaningful weeks, best against best more often. But two parallel tours with no crossover risks building silos and dulling upward mobility. There is and will always be interest in the “Cinderella story”. Part of golf’s allure is volatility: a Monday qualifier, a breakout kid. If that disappears, so does some of that magic. I still can’t help to think that these decisions elevate the interest of the Majors even more (likely unintentional as the Tour tries to figure out their own house).
Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: I like the time frame as it will leave a time for quirky golf. If this existed at the time, it would have been a perfect opportunity for LIV. Greg Norman was ahead of his time. This is exactly what he proposed years ago. It won’t be two-tiered, it will be three-tiered when you include the Korn Ferry Tour. They have eliminated any chance of a Cinderella story, but the world has more and more quality players. How much pressure is there on each individual player to enter every week? Do I like it? I’m not sure.
TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): My first reaction was what will become of the Canadian Open, but I see that’s our second question! So, I’ll leave my comments for that space. Otherwise, I think I generally like it as the fields would be strong each and every week in the Championship Series. Hopefully they get fields large enough to still have a cut. I’m not sure how many eyes will be on the Challenger Series, and what happens to the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas? I guess they each get knocked down a notch? I don’t know if it’s the perfect solution, but I like the bigger names playing in more events together, which this would seem to achieve.
Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Golfers and fans have always been able to identify the top and the lesser tourneys. They didn’t need someone from the NFL to put labels on them. This whole exercise seems to be putting lipstick on a Korn Ferry Tour Deux. What CEO in her or his right mind would pony up millions for the privilege of being second rate ‘Challenger’? What fans in their right minds would attend or even watch such fodder unless related to one of the aspiring players. Thanks LIV, the collateral damage just keeps piling up.
Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: To me, the Tour has always been a collection of local events, each with a distinct history and a proud tradition. While fans and sponsors celebrate the differences of each local event, the Tour is striving to make them all look and feel the same. Bigger markets, more money, best against the best all the time. Maybe it will work but I don’t like it. It’s an attempt to turn them all into majors and a slap in the face to small tournament venues that have been loyal for decades. No more Cinderella stories or unpredictable outcomes. Then there’s the Tour Lite Series. At a time when most people are saying there’s too much golf, the Tour is delivering more. Naturally, we’ll still follow what happens on the Championship Series because that’s where the best players are, but the other Series will become about as relevant as Joe the Bomber playing in Coyote Crossing, Montana.
Players on the Championship Series won’t be allowed to play Challenger Series events, and the top series doesn’t have Monday qualifying or sponsor exemptions. This puts the RBC Canadian Open in a tough spot. If the bank opts for the Championship Series, that will preclude having the usual large contingent of young Canadian players. And if they go the Challenger Series route, they won’t see any players ranked higher that 100. In your opinion, what’s the solution for the RBC Canadian Open?
Deeks: Join the DP World Tour. To hell with the PGA Tour, which has jerked us around since the time I was involved with the event (1981-82). No sense of history, tradition, loyalty, or national honour. (That’s honour with a U, boys.)
Loughry: Sadly, this hasn’t been a true National Open for a long time. So, I say Championship Series—it safeguards relevance (marquee status) and more importantly value to RBC (top notch field and brings in eyeballs). Having an elite field will allow RBC the platform they want to entertain clients and VIP’s; it will also draw more fans presumably. Rory was missing from the field this year, and ticket sales were down about 8K. Imagine more top ranked players playing? Although this means fewer Canadians playing, it could inspire more to become elite and make it that much more special to play in front of your home country fans.
Schurman: This comes down to money; ROI. What value does the bank place on their events? It would be nice to have Canadians playing but it would be nice to see the Canadian Open in the top-tier. Having tried qualifying for the Canadian Open and losing twice in a play-off, there’s a special thrill for those who make it. I’m on the fence again, is there an option 3?
Rule: It was my biggest concern, because an event with that history and significance as a National Open needs a spot in the big leagues. So, it has to stay as a Championship Series event, but that hurts Golf Canada and its ability to include tons of great young Canadian talent in a PGA Tour event. But that’s a much better scenario than being a second-tier event without any stars. The tournament deserves to stay among the top tier tournaments.
Quinn: Wow, anyone remember when the Tour’s best wanted to win The Canadian; it was quietly considered the fifth Major; and there was an RCGA? Things change, and as the Tour may soon find out again, not always for the better. It is already RBC’s second-tier event, and it’s unlikely shareholders would be okay with another multi-million cheque for another ‘Championship’ level tourney. If it is to survive, the CDN will have to struggle among the other suddenly minor leaguers.
Mumford: If RBC and Golf Canada do opt for the Championship Series, the first thing they would have to do is change the name. There would be nothing “Open” about the tournament. Maybe it could become the RBC Championship. The Challenger Series is a non-starter for the third oldest tournament in professional golf. No TV, no interest, no future. A third option might be to ask the Tour to recognize its special status as a national championship and allow qualifying like they have in both the U.S. Open and Open Championship. The PGA Championship designates spots for PGA of America members too. Not all of the events have to be identical.
The Tour Championship will be getting a makeover too. Starting in 2028, the final will be a match play event and move around the country to “prestigious” courses that the Tour wouldn’t normally use to host full field events. Many members of the Round Table have been advocating for a long time to see a match play finish. What’s your take on this new twist and which courses would you like to see featured?
Deeks: Yes, happy to see a Match Play event. And if they secured courses like Pine Valley, Cypress Point, The National (Hamptons), Chicago CC, Seminole, Apes Hill (Barbados), Mid Ocean (Bermuda) and Mauna Kea (Hawaii), and some of the other exclusive, high-end clubs that are usually too snooty to permit entry, then yes, I would be tempted to watch.
Loughry: Big fan. Head-to-head closes the season with urgency and clarity, no affixed mathing, no handicaps (probably a welcome change for those betting). Make it a traveling showcase at strategic, character-heavy venues: Riviera, Merion, Cypress, Pine Valley, Seminole, and maybe Bandon for a twist (or outside the USA)? Tight brackets, premium courses, and primetime drama, it could bring in more interest globally.
Schurman: I enjoy watching and playing match play. Not as a steady diet to watch but one a year and particularly with the importance of the event. Courses I’d like to see played are Pine Valley, Seminole, Cypress Point, National Golf Links, The National.
Rule: Well, I guess it’s the best option to declare a proper winner, so that’s a good thing. And if it’s played at courses like Pine Valley or Cypress Point, which has been rumoured, well, I would watch that!
Quinn: The Tour Championship has been in need of a makeover since day one. Match play is a good start. The courses chosen should be new to the majority of TV viewers — if that cohort sticks with the “new” Tour until ’28 — and worthy tests of the chosen few who get to play. A modest suggestion to start the new era would be a selection of David McLay Kidd’s masterpieces. His first effort, the original course at Bandon Dunes, is brilliant but it’s just too hard to get to. But the Tour should make the effort to take its road show to Gamble Sands in Washington State, Mammoth Dunes in Wisconsin, Tetherow in Oregon or (if the members are okay with it), GrayBull in Nebraska. Viewers and travel agents would be eternally grateful.
Mumford: As long as they don’t create some contrived format to try and get the top players into the final, I’m good with match play. No byes, no round robin qualifying – just straight knock-out. While Pine Valley, Cypress Point and Seminole would be fun to see, I’m more inclined to think top public and resort courses would be more appropriate. Pinehurst, Whistling Straits, Bandon Dunes and Kiawah Island all pop to mind. Fans would love to see those courses but could also get excited about actually playing them.
