PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolup is considering a complete overhaul of the PGA Tour’s schedule.
Starting in 2028, the PGA Tour will have a 20-tournament season, including majors and playoffs. The elevated Signature Event model will be eliminated and each PGA Tour event will instead have equal value in terms of FedEx Cup points and prize money.
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The tour is also split into two “tracks” with promotions and relegations occurring between those two tracks. The first track will feature a larger prize pool, better golf course, and more talented field.
However, due to the reduced schedule, some of the PGA Tour’s current events will be eliminated. At least for the first track. Since the new season begins after the Super Bowl rather than in January, the West Coast swing will be the most affected.
Another event likely to be lost is this week’s RBC Canadian Open. Canadian Nick Taylor has expressed concern about the possibility of being eliminated from the PGA Tour’s National Open.
Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Nick Taylor is worried about the future of the Canadian Open on the PGA Tour’s new schedule
The Canadian Open is a special event on the PGA Tour calendar. The fans are great and the National Open is always a great spectacle.
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Losing this event at the No. 1 track on the PGA Tour is extremely disappointing, and Taylor said that before this year’s event. He said, “It definitely sucks. I’ve talked to a lot of people who are on PAC, a lot of people who are on tour, and I think the goal in mind is to make the best product possible.”
“That’s the scenario I’ve been asking and asking questions about and what would happen in that scenario or in that case. I think time will tell.
“I definitely don’t like it. I know there are a lot of players who hold events locally, but that could be a possibility as well.
“So I think once we get to that bridge, we’re going to cross that bridge, but I think we’re probably going to obviously lose the Open name because essentially no one can come in or play on that bridge.
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“So the National Open is a special thing for us. It would be a huge bummer if we weren’t able to play there. But again, I think the goal is to make the best product possible and I feel like I trust a lot of the people that are working on it. When you hear that, it’s definitely a downside, but again, I don’t think anything is finalized.”
The Canadian Open will likely be a top-20 tournament for PGA Tour fans, so the tour will have to work hard to fit it into its schedule. The fields are usually good, the fans are great, and so are the golf courses.
These types of events make the tour special.
Brian Rolup’s big market interest threatens the soul of the PGA Tour
When Lollup introduced his idea for a new PGA Tour schedule at The Players Championship, he said he wanted to bring the PGA Tour to the nation’s biggest markets, such as New York and Chicago.
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This philosophy threatens the PGA Tour’s identity. The most successful events on tour are those that are directly related to the location. Although TPC Sawgrass and Harbor Town Golf Links are located in a small market, this event draws the entire neighborhood in droves.
When The Players come to town, everyone from Ponte Vedra Beach gathers at Sawgrass, creating a great environment. That can only be achieved in small markets.
When the PGA Tour came to Trump Doral in Miami, the event felt soulless. With F1 in town, the Tour was not on people’s minds. The problem with targeting large markets is that there is too much competition.
So an event like the Canadian Open, which always attracts fans, could be hurt by Mr. Rolup’s plan, and that would be a big mistake.
