Memo: PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan Outlines Changes for 2024
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan informed the membership Wednesday of sweeping changes to the 2024 schedule.
In the memo obtained by Golf Channel, Monahan detailed how players will qualify for what the Tour is calling the “Designated Event Model” – no-cut events featuring large purses and roughly 70 to 80 players.
News of the changes was first reported Wednesday by Golfweek.
“These smaller, designated event fields will not only deliver substantial, can’t-miss tournaments to our fans at important intervals throughout the season, but they will also enhance the quality of full-field events,” Monahan wrote in the memo. “Together, this approach provides a schedule that is cohesive, compelling, consequential and with clarity for fans, players and sponsors alike.”
Also mentioned in the letter to membership is how players will no longer be required next year to play all but one of the designated events, as they are this season. Plus, the Player Impact Program will undergo further changes, benefiting fewer players (10 instead of 20) and with a small overall prize fund ($50 million, down from $100 million). The other $50 million will be reallocated to the FedExCup bonus structure and Comcast top 10 at the end of the regular season.
Below is the full memo from Monahan:
Dear PGA TOUR Member:
Jay Monahan
Commissioner
March 1, 2023
I wanted to provide an update coming out of last night’s PGA TOUR Policy Board Meeting. It goes without saying that every Board Meeting is important and consequential, but with this agenda in particular…there is no doubt in my mind that we made decisions that will transform and set the future direction for your PGA TOUR.
Over the last year, we have spent a massive amount of time exploring how to better position the PGA TOUR for continued growth. How to innovate and deliver a better product. How to further showcase our top performers, while staying true to the meritocracy and legacy that define the TOUR. How to create a season of consequence that deepens and expands fan interest. How to make every tournament better and deliver more value to sponsors, media partners and host organizations – to the benefit of the entire membership. How to create a season of consequence that deepens and expands fan interest. How to make every tournament better and deliver more value to sponsors, media partners and host organizations – to the benefit of the entire membership.
After careful consideration of several options, I’m excited to announce that we are moving forward with what we are calling the Designated Event Model. A general framework is explained below, but one item I wanted to call out is field size for the Designated events, a hot topic throughout this process, and understandably so. In 2024, select Designated events will be between 70 to 80 players, with no cut – and with opportunities for players from Full-Field events to qualify and compete. These smaller, Designated event fields will not only deliver substantial, can’t-miss tournaments to our fans at important intervals throughout the season, but they will also enhance the quality of Full-Field events. Together, this approach provides a schedule that is cohesive, compelling, consequential and with clarity for fans, players and sponsors alike.
Changes of this magnitude certainly require additional conversation and context. To that end, I will convene a player meeting next week at THE PLAYERS Championship on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m., and we are committed to hosting additional, informal discussions on this topic every week at PGA TOUR events for the foreseeable future.
The future is bright, and with these changes, we are positioned for incredible growth. Sincerely,
– Jay Monahan
Changes approved:
For 2024, the number of Designated events required for play will be the same as the number in 2023, with no mandatory participation regulations, as we will instead focus on ensuring purse size, elimination of a cut and FedExCup points distribution sufficiently incentivize top performers to participate in the Designated events.
o This will include a total of 16 events: THE PLAYERS and Majors(5),FedExCupPlayoffs(3) and an additional 8 Designated events.
The schedule will distribute Designated events and Full-Field events to ensure there are no isolated weeks, creating a strong cadence for players and fans alike. This schedule is designed to allow top performers the flexibility to participate in both Designated and Full-Field events. Full-Field events will become more consequential as they allow new and upcoming stars to rise to the top and give the membership an ability to play their way into the Designated events.
Eligibility for the Sentry Tournament of Champions will include the Top 50 players from the Prior Year FedExCup Points List through the FedExCup Playoffs and Tournament Winners from the prior year, including the PGA TOUR Fall.
Eligibility for the remaining Designated events (exclusive of THE PLAYERS and FedExCup Playoffs, where field size and eligibility remain unchanged) will reward top performers, provide ample opportunity for play-in from season long performance and different intervals throughout the season, retain an emphasis on winning and be simple for the fan to understand.
While there are still details to be determined based upon which events are Designated, to follow is the framework of the eligibility system:
o The Top 50 players from the Prior Year FedExCup Points List through the FedExCupPlayoffs;
o The Top 10 players, not otherwise eligible, from the Current Year FedExCup Points List(using the previous year’s FedExCup points list through the conclusion of the fall events for any early-season events);
o Top 5 players, not otherwise eligible, earning the most FedExCup Points through each “collection” of standard events (i.e. events between each Designated event);
o Current-year tournament winners, not otherwise eligible, of full FedExCup Point events prior to the Designated event;
o PGA TOUR Members among the top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking;
o Four sponsor exemptions restricted to PGA TOUR members.
Field sizes for the Designated events will range from 70-80 players, with no cut.
The FedExCup Points model will be adjusted, with allocation of additional points to THE PLAYERS, Majors and Designated events. Details will be shared with the membership in the coming weeks.
The Resource Allocation Plan for 2024 has also been adjusted. The Player Impact Program will be reduced to $50 million, paid to the top 10 players (from $100 million to the top 20). The remaining funds will be reallocated to the FedExCup Bonus Program and Comcast Business TOUR Top 10.