The PGA Tour’s best players are reportedly being offered some leeway in their obligation to take part in next year’s elevated events amid concerns over schedule congestion.
Originally, the PGA Tour had mandated that eligible players must compete in all 13 elevated events as well as any three other FedEx Cup tournaments or risk a penalty concerning any Player Impact Program bonus they may have been entitled to - thought to be a percentage of the payout. However, according to a Golfweek report, the PGA Tour Policy Board has voted to allow eligible players to miss one elevated event “for personal or professional reasons” and free up space in their schedules. To make things even more straightforward, the board also decided that a fall event could count as one of the three other tournaments.
The news is likely to be well received by the PGA Tour’s most high-profile players as they are the ones most likely to benefit from the Player Impact Program bonus, which next year will see $100m distributed to the 20 players who "resonate the most with fans and the media."
Initially, the PGA Tour had announced nine elevated events for the 2022/23 season, with the promise of four more to come. Last month it was reported which tournaments they more would be - the WM Phoenix Open, the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship and the Travelers Championship.
Each elevated event will have a minimum of $20m in prize money as PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan takes strides to persuade fewer of the Tour's players to sign for big-money rival LIV Golf. However, while that move is likely to go some way towards doing that, the 13 events, as well as the three optional tournaments and four Majors, left the top players trying to schedule 20 tournaments in just 34 weeks.
According to the report it is still to be confirmed whether those players who also have DP World Tour commitments will be able to count an event on the European circuit as one of their three appearances of their choosing. However, a board meeting, scheduled for 14 November, may shed more light on the situation.
