PGA Tour to consider big changes to eligibility and overall field sizes

PGA tour is considering sweeping changes that would eliminate 25 cards from the FedEx Cup and reduce the size of fields, part of a plan to make golf’s largest course even more competitive while reducing the time needed to play and making it easier to watch.

The proposed changes include a reduction of 10 tour cards given to Korn Ferry Tour players and the elimination of four Monday qualifying spots for courses with fewer than 144 players.

The offer was sent to players on Tuesday and received Associated Presswas developed by the 16-member Player Advisory Council, which has been developing the changes since May. The driving force was to make sure the complete PGA Tour card had real value.

With so many eligible players — 125 FedEx Cup entries (or prize list) has been the standard since 1983 — newcomers from the Korn Ferry Tour or Q-school often had to wait to see if there was a spot for them in tournaments.

If approved by the PGA Tour board at its Nov. 18 meeting, the changes would begin in 2026.

This will be the last significant adjustment to the tour after the breakdown LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabiawhich started in June 2022. Over the past two years, the tour has produced $20 million in signature events with limited participation and a postseason for only the top 70 players.

“The reality is that we are all playing under different circumstances than we were four years ago,” PAC Chairman Camilo Villegas said in a telephone interview. “We had no competition. We were the best. Suddenly we had competition and little changes happened. The changes we propose make the product better. What does it mean to have a PGA Tour card?”

The tour currently gives priority to tournament winners and the top 125 FedEx Cup players, with higher benefits based on player ranking. The proposal would grant full status to the top 100 FedEx Cup players, 10 European Tour eligible players, the top 20 Korn Ferry Tour players and five Q-school players.

There will be an additional spot further down the priority list – behind categories like PGA Tour University, Lifetime Members and Career Money – for those who finish between 101st and 125th. It is estimated that they will participate in approximately 15 tournaments.

Villegas said the PAC is divided into four subcommittees, which he said allows for more ideas to be generated and facilitates communication. The key to the two main meetings was the abandonment of self-interest.

PAC members range from Scotty Scheffler and Justin Thomas to Nick Hardy and Adam Schenk.

“Obviously there will be casualties along the way,” Villegas said. “It will be more difficult. There will be not 125 cards, but 100. There will be not 30 Korn Ferry cards, but 20. I have 190-something in the FedEx Cup. All these proposed changes may affect me, but this is not about me. It’s about the game.

“We want to make the product as beneficial as possible for sponsors, fans and players,” he said. “If we perform, we have the opportunity to make incredible money. You just keep working towards your dream, just like you did when you were a kid.”

There was also a persistent problem of slow play, which rules officials had argued for years was primarily due to too many players on the field. The field size will be 120 players before summer, then up to 132 players and a maximum of 144 in the summer.

This is for regular tournaments. The eight $20 million signature tournaments will continue to be capped at 72 players, who will fill the field as needed based on current form.

The proposal also proposed changes to the distribution of FedEx Cup points, which Villegas said was inspired by detailed analysis by board member Maverick McNealy. This will mainly result in fewer points being awarded to players in the middle of the pack.

If approved, this may not be the end of the changes. The PGA Tour is in talks with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (financially backed by LIV) to become a minority investor in the for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises.

Villegas did not participate in these meetings. He will join the PGA Tour board of directors next year, replacing Jordan Spieth.

“If we make a deal with PIF, we will face new changes,” he said. “I don’t know how it will affect the schedule, how it will affect the routes.”

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