ATLANTA — The PGA TOUR has announced its most innovative response yet to Saudi-backed rival LIV Tour, unveiling a plan that sees top players commit to 20 tournaments and compete against each other. up to 17 times.
The calendar will include the four major tournaments and these events will have prize money of US$20 million, except for the Tournament of Champions in Kapalua which launches the start of the season and in which fewer players participate.
Most of the tournaments already exist – the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the Memorial; Kapalua and the tournament match-play; the three FedEx Cup Playoff tournaments; the four majors and the Players Championship.
Four other tournaments will be “promoted” in this new category. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan hopes to unveil these tournaments within the next two months.
Golfers will also be required to participate in three regular PGA tournaments.
These changes are the result of several meetings between top players, including a meeting between the top 23 golfers in the world at the BMW Championship last week.
Players who qualify as the “best in the world” will be determined according to the Player Impact Program, which will be reviewed. The circuit explained that 20 players will be chosen based on the program this year and from another list involving a new criterion.
The circuit will no longer use a system focused on social media visibility, but rather on television visibility, media mentions and the notion of spectators.
The Player Impact Program prize money will increase from $50 million to $100 million next year and the top golfer will get a $15 million bonus.
The announcement comes just before the Tour Championship, which concludes the season and during which the winner of the FedEx Cup receives an $18 million bonus. The LIV Tour is expected to announce another round of players joining their ranks after the tournament, including up to six PGA golfers.
