Radical limits proposed for PGA Tour
Fewer exempt players and smaller field sizes are on the Policy Board table
The Players field will contract if PGA Tour proposed changes get passed (Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour via Getty Images)
The PGA Tour is on the verge of making radical changes to its all-exempt structure and field sizes as it attempts to streamline pace of play while also, in theory, making the tour more competitive.
In a memo the PGA Tour sent to players on Tuesday, parts of which had been outlined earlier this year in various correspondence, a proposal is being put forth that would see the number of exempt players based on FedEx Cup points reduced from 125 to 100 with field sizes reduced across the board, many to just 120 players.
The changes need to be approved by the PGA Tour Policy Board in November and would not go into effect until 2026. But the proposal was put forth by the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council and has undergone extensive review.
As part of the plan, the Korn Ferry Tour would see its number of spots for graduates on the PGA Tour reduced from 30 to 20, Monday qualifiers would be eliminated at events with less than 132 players and sponsor exemptions would also be reduced, with the restricted spots going to players off a priority list instead.
Among the reasons the PGA Tour is citing to players for the changes it to enhance the playing experience by not having such extreme early and late tee times, trying to ensure that the 36-hole cut is made on Fridays instead of often spilling into Saturdays, and helping with pace of play.
The result will also see a more competitive tour as the race to be fully exempt for the following season would now be cut at 100 players instead of 125, with those in spots 101 to 125 getting conditional status.
Rickie Fowler, who is currently 92nd in FedEx Fall points after a tie four fourth at the Zozo Championship, is safe for next year because the list goes to 125 and he also retains an exemption for having won the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic. But if this were next year, Fowler would be in danger of slipping out of the top 100, thus losing his exempt status for 2027.
The Korn Ferry Tour would get 20 spots, with the DP World Tour’s top 10 (not otherwise exempt) and the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament remaining at five, but no longer with ties.
Monday qualifiers would no longer be held at the Sony Open, WM Phoenix Open, Mexico Open at Vidanta, Cognizant Classic, Puerto Rico Open, Corales Puntacana Championship and Myrtle Beach Championship. The qualifiers at the Valspar Championship, Texas Children’s Houston Open and Valero Texas Open would be reduced from fours spots to two spots available.
The PGA Tour also is proposing to adjust the FedEx Cup points distribution table with a slight increase to second-place points for majors and the Players Championship, a slight decrease to points in positions 11 and beyond and a slight decrease to signature event points in positions seven and beyond.
The tour’s flagship tournament, the Players, would be reduced from 144 players to 120.
The memo also addressed pace-of-play policies but stopped short of issuing stroke-penalties for immediate violations but rather will increase fines in some cases, doubling from $5,000 to $10,000. It is also cracking down on the “very slowest players” through an “excessive average stroke time” penalty that would see fines of $10,000 after two infractions.
The Policy Board is scheduled to meet at the RSM Classic on Nov. 18.