Major champ doubles down on criticism of ‘short-sighted’ PGA Tour

Former US Open champion Lucas Glover has reiterated his criticism of the PGA Tour, labelling it ‘short-sighted’.

In May, the 45-year-old claimed the circuit was becoming ‘too exclusive’ due to the Signature Events model and cuts to tour membership.

“I’ve been on the record as saying I don’t like cutting 200 cards and I still don’t,” he told Golf Channel. “I think it’s getting too exclusive and we’re not giving enough opportunity.

“I think the majority would agree with that but unfortunately it doesn’t sound like the majority matters. So, it is what it is at this point and we’re just dealing with it.”

Now, in a fresh conversation with the TV network ahead of this week’s John Deere Classic, the American has blasted the decision to limit competition from 2026.

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As of next season, only the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup will retain their full status, while standard 156-player fields will be capped at 144, or even reduced to 132 or 120.

That includes the flagship Players Championship, which is set to feature only 120 PGA Tour stars.

“I think everybody should have a voice and I think everybody should be taken into account when decisions are made,” Glover, currently ranked 16th in the FedEx Cup, said.

“And limiting access is not a way to grow the talent coming into the PGA Tour in my opinion and making fields smaller doesn’t increase competition.

“That’s impossible. It doesn’t make any sense. We’re the only sports organisation that’s saying that less players means more competition and that’s been my soap box.

“Every other sport has widened the fields, broadened their playoffs. More games, more teams, expanding, yet we are using pace of play as a crutch to say we need less players and I just don’t agree with that.”

Glover continued: “I think that’s short-sighted and honestly not the right way to go about it.

“We’re trying to grow the game and create opportunities for young players to be the next superstars [and] for consistent older players to have a place to play.

“Limiting that is not the way to do that in my opinion.”

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Meanwhile, the PGA Tour has confirmed it will alter how the $100m total purse from the FedEx Cup play-offs will be dished out.

The previous $25 million bonus paid to the winner of the Tour Championship is no longer, instead the winner will receive a $10 million bonus.

A $5 million bonus will be paid to second place, while the former bonus pool will now be spread out across the Wyndham Championship, BMW Championship and Tour Championship.

After the conclusion of the Wyndham Championship, $20m will be split among the top ten in the FedEx Cup, another $23m will be distributed among the top 30 after the BMW, and then the remaining $57m will be awarded at the Tour Championship.

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.