Report: PGA Tour approves controversial changes to ‘elevated events’

The PGA Tour has reportedly approved changes to its 2024 schedule that will see smaller fields contesting some of its ‘elevated events’.  

The events will also NOT feature a 36-hole cut, effectively guaranteeing money for those who contest them.  

According to Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch, the changes were approved at a PGA Tour board meeting on Tuesday night.  

It is understood that fields will be reduced to between 70 and 78 players but they will not apply to all of the ‘elevated events’, with the majors, The PLAYERS Championship and FedEx Cup Playoff events unaffected.  

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The changes have been rumoured for several weeks are contentious for a number of reasons, not least because they will essentially split the PGA Tour in half, creating a “them and us” divide.  

The top half will be eligible to play in these lucrative tournaments for guaranteed money and ranking points; the bottom half, however, will be left to play for what’s left in the hope of squeezing their way up the standings.  

The PGA Tour reportedly sees the events – and the changes to them – as central to their attempts to stave off the threat of LIV Golf and in order to guarantee the presence of all of its top players in the tour’s principle tournaments.  

Two weeks ago, Rory McIlroy defended the proposed changes, insisting that nobody was trying to “screw” the bottom half of the PGA Tour.  

“The best players should be playing in [the “elevated events”] because ultimately the PGA Tour needs to be built around the best players,” said the world No.3. “That’s what will maximise the value of the product. 

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“But that doesn’t mean that there’s not great storylines further down that list, which we’re all very cognizant of. I’ve had tons of conversations with guys that are worried about what events they’re going to play next year and all that. 

“If anything, we’re trying to lift [the bottom half] up. I hate calling it a product but if you have a product that this year’s forecast to do $2 billion in gross revenue, you’re trying to grow that product as much as possible.” 

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor