Has the PGA Tour changed due to LIV golf?

As the controversy between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf continues, commissioner Jay Monahan has announced an overhaul to the 2024 PGA Tour season, no doubt in response to the threat posed by the Saudi-backed LIV circuit.

So, what changes can we expect to see for the Tour in 2024?

The Designated Event Model

The PGA Tour announced that next season (2024) fans will see reduced fields of between 70 to 78 players and no cuts at eight big-money designated events.

This is a major departure from the current PGA Tour protocol, in which all designated events, except the Sentry Tournament of Champions and the playoffs, had or will have full fields and cuts. Initially introduced this year, this was supposed to ensure the top players in the world would all be at the top events and that there would be huge purses for competitors.

Traditionally, major events used a cut rule to determine who played in them. By removing this, Monahan is confident that not only will tournaments improve, but the quality of full-field events will improve alongside them.

Seeing the big names more regularly

Alongside wider changes, fans will be delighted to hear that the Tour’s top players will now commit to playing a whopping 20 or more PGA Tour events a year- rather than the traditional 15- as long as they qualify.

While we are still waiting for further announcements, confirmed events currently include the:

·         Sentry Tournament of Champions           

·         WM Phoenix Open*      

·         Genesis Invitational       

·         Arnold Palmer Invitational           

·         The Players Championship          

·         WGC Dell Technologies Match Play          

·         Masters Tournament    

·         RBC Heritage*  

·         Wells Fargo Championship*       

·         PGA Championship        

·         The Memorial Tournament         

·         U.S. Open                           

·         Travelers Championship*                            

·         Open Championship

·         Fed Ex St. Jude Championship   

·         BMW Championship      

·         Tour Championship

*It is worth noting that the WM Phoenix Open, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship are designated events for 2023 only- but could be included in the 2024 rotation.

Alongside these, players will then choose a minimum of three additional PGA Tour events to complete their schedule and bring them up to their minimum of 20 events.

Something that will undoubtedly delight golfing fans across the globe.

Elevated Events are now official

The recent changes to the PGA Tour also clearly define the difference between the larger and smaller events, including the named Elevated Events.

These events, sometimes called Designated Events, feature average purses of at least $20 million and include the top 20 players in the Tour- as long as they qualify. They include:

1-3. Three FedEx Cup Playoffs

4. The Genesis Invitational

5. Arnold Palmer Invitational

6. Memorial Tournament

7. WGC-Dell Match Play Championship

8. Sentry Tournament of Champions

9-12. Four additional Elevated Events are yet to be announced.

While the final four events are yet to be announced, it is suggested that these will rotate, allowing existing domestic Tour stops to feature.

LIV Golf professionals will not be welcomed back

While they may have competed as part of the PGA Tour for many years, players who have defected to LIV Golf will not be welcome back for the foreseeable future.

The reasons for this break are numerous, ranging from disapproval at the player leaving for financial reasons to consternation at broken regulations and releases.

No matter the reason, this non-negotiable stance from commissioner Monahan and the PGA Tour professionals strengthens the rapidly growing gulf between players that were once teammates- assuring future drama for at least the next few months.

TGL brings in Monday Night Golf

As we explored in our previous blog, ‘What is TGL Golf?,’ the inclusion of an add-on supplement to the PGA Tour using golf simulators could have far-reaching, positive implications for a new era of golf fans.

While there are no current TV contracts and details are still relatively scarce, we can hope that now the proposed kick-off date is less than a year away (January 2024), further details will emerge soon.

PGA Tour changes could further the application of golf simulators

Everyone here at Black Box Golf is excited to see how the changes to the PGA Tour will provide new opportunities for fans and players alike, alongside potential avenues for including golf simulators within the sport.

If you would like further information, explore our range of golf simulators or contact the team by email for personalised advice.