PGA Tour players propose adjusted field sizes, fewer Tour cards

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MARK SCHLABACH AND PAOLO UGGETTI via <a href="http://espn.go.com/" title="ESPN" class="espn_sc_byline">ESPN </a>
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October 29, 2024, 12:29 PM ET
3 min read

The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council is recommending sweeping changes to field sizes, exemption status and the number of PGA Tour cards that can be obtained each season through the Korn Ferry Tour and Q-school, as well as a slight adjustment to the FedEx Cup points allocations for major championships, the Players Championship and signature events.

The changes, which wouldn't take effect until the 2026 season, must be approved by the PGA Tour policy board at its next meeting on Nov. 18.

The PGA Tour Player Advisory Council unveiled the proposed changes to golfers in a 23-page executive summary, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN on Tuesday.

Among the proposed changes:

  • The PGA Tour would adjust the maximum number of players in a starting field of an open one-course, full-field tournament from 156 to 144, with a further reduction from 132 to 120 as required by circumstances such as darkness.

    • In the executive summary, the PAC noted that 28% of tournaments in 2024 (12 of 43) had at least one round that wasn't completed on the scheduled day due to darkness.

    "Field sizes that are too large make it difficult to finish the competition on schedule each day and cause delays in the overall pace of play, increasing the average round times on tour," the executive summary said.

    Under the proposed plan, for instance, the field for the Players Championship would be reduced from 144 players to 120 and the RBC Canadian Open and Genesis Scottish Open would go from 156 to 144.

    Tournaments played on multiple courses, such as the American Express, would maintain fields of 156 golfers.

    The PAC said it considered adjusting the smaller limited fields of the tour's lucrative signature events, such as the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial Tournament, but concluded that "any modification at this stage would be disruptive and could increase fan confusion."

  • The PAC proposed reducing the number of players who would maintain their PGA Tour card and full status from the top 125 finishers in FedEx Cup points to the top 100, while adding a new conditional category for those players who finish anywhere from 101 to 125.
  • The Korn Ferry Tour, which typically awards 30 PGA Tour cards per season, would now award only 20 cards under the proposed changes. The DP World Tour would continue to award 10 PGA Tour cards, and Q-school cards would be capped at five.

    • In exploring ways to "minimize the impact of field size changes on the current membership," the PAC also proposed a plan that would reduce or eliminate open qualifying (or Monday qualifying) positions for events with a field size smaller than 144 players. This would not apply to the FedEx Cup Fall events.

    According to the executive summary, a review of open qualifying metrics revealed that 65% to 75% of players who make the field via a Monday qualifier do not make the cut. The tour said it plans to work with the PGA of America -- whose sections run the local Monday qualifiers -- should the proposed changes be approved.

  • Restricted sponsor exemptions, which include two reserved PGA Tour spots and two DP World Tour spots, will now be awarded to the next eligible members on the proposed priority ranking. Tournaments will still keep unrestricted sponsor exemptions.
  • The PAC is also proposing slight adjustments to the FedEx Cup points distribution system to account for increased strength of field under the new schedule model. Second-place finishes at the Players Championship and the majors would receive a slight increase (100 more points), while players who finish 11th and beyond would receive a slight decrease (10 points for 11th, 20 points for 12th and so on) in points won. During signature events, players who finish seventh or worse would receive a slight decrease in points.

    • Less than two weeks ago, PGA Tour Player Advisory Council chairman Camilo Villegas sent a letter to members alluding to the changes that would be proposed to the PGA Tour Policy Board for approval.

    "In recent years, we have had to quickly implement substantial changes to the PGA Tour's competitive structure and schedule," Villegas said in the letter. "Now, we see an opportunity to shift our focus to address certain issues that are getting in the way of a fair and ideal player experience, preventing us from achieving the highest level of competition."