5 Big Things To Know About The New PGA Tour Changes

The PGA Tour Policy Board and Player Advisory Council have agreed to a number of significant changes to the US-based circuit, with some of the alterations arriving as early as January 2025.

Framed as "improvements to the tour's competitive structure," adjustments involve field sizes, eligibility, and tweaks to the FedEx Cup points system, among others.

The PGA Tour brought these ideas to the table back in October after feedback from its membership throughout 2024 in an effort to produce a more competitive and entertaining product for fans, sponsors, and players.

In a statement confirming the proposed modifications had been voted through on Monday, PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan said: “Today’s announced changes build on the competitive and schedule enhancements incorporated over the last six years in seeking the best version of the PGA Tour for our fans, players, tournaments and partners.

“This was a true collaborative effort, and I’m extremely proud of the PAC for the time and effort they put into evaluating how we build a stronger PGA Tour.”

Meanwhile, PGA Tour Policy Board player-director, Adam Scott said: “The PAC discussions were based on a number of guiding principles, including our belief that PGA Tour membership is the pinnacle of achievement in men’s professional golf.

“The player representatives of the PGA Tour recognize the need to be continually improving its offerings to enhance the golf fan experience. The changes approved today will provide equitable playing opportunities for new young talent to be showcased, and positively refine the playing experience for our members.”

Since 2019, the PGA Tour has made a handful of similar tweaks to its structure - although not in relation to eligibility - reducing the number of playoff events from four to three, limiting field sizes further in the playoff tournaments, and introducing Signature Events with increased prize money and FedExCup points.

Below are 5 key things to know about the PGA Tour's latest round of significant changes ahead of the 2025 season.

ELIGIBILITY REDUCTION

From 2026, the number of players who will retain full PGA Tour status will drop from 125 to an even 100, based on their standing in the FedEx Cup. There will be conditional status for those who end between 101-125.

On a similar note, only 20 players will be promoted via the Korn Ferry Tour from 2026 onwards in comparison to the current 30 who made the step up this year.

As far as the DP World Tour's 10 Cards Initiative goes, though, that will remain unchanged. But, PGA Tour Q-School will cap its card offerings to five exactly, rather than five and ties.

The PGA Tour says the change was made to give anyone who earns a card via the Korn Ferry Tour, DP World Tour, or PGA Tour Q-School "a greater certainty over their schedule" while also presenting "equitable playing opportunities for full-field events."

Explaining the restrictions, PGA Tour Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis said: “It was important to redefine PGA Tour membership as we build on the aspirational nature of earning a PGA Tour card.

“Once on tour, members will have an equitable opportunity to retain their membership and qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs. For our fans, this added competitive drama will in turn create stronger fields and leaderboards throughout the season.”

MONDAY QUALIFIERS AND SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS LIMITED

On a similar theme to above, fewer spots will be available to Monday qualifiers in limited-field events. Although the biggest events - in terms of field size - are going from 156 to 144 (more on that shortly), the number of qualifiers will remain constant.

However, in 132-player fields, there will only be two spots up for grabs while there will not be any Monday qualifying event for 120-player-field tournaments.

Also, restricted sponsor exemptions - available for PGA Tour/DP World Tour/Korn Ferry Tour members and Q-School grads - are being removed in favor of offering more spots to the next eligible members on the PGA Tour's priority ranking.

Open events will maintain their ability to offer up a maximum of four unrestricted sponsor exemptions, however.

CHANGE TO FIELD SIZES

Perhaps the most controversial of the confirmed changes is the reduction to the maximum number of players in the starting field of an open tournament played on one course from 156 to 144. That figure will fall to either 132 or 120 if issues such as limited daylight come into play.

The PGA Tour has said that tournaments where multiple courses are in play will retain their 156-player fields, with the exception being the Farmers Insurance Open (Torrey Pines North and South courses) which would operate with 144 golfers only.

As an aside, the PGA Tour's flagship event - The Players Championship - will move to a field size of 120 from 144.

The idea behind having fewer players in certain events is to improve the flow of play and increase the chances of rounds being fully completed by the end of each day.

PGA Tour Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis said: “These field size adjustments, which also promote a better flow of play, improve the chances of rounds being completed each day with a greater ability to make the 36-hole cut on schedule under normal weather conditions.

"For our fans, this certainty sets up weekend storylines much more effectively and will make the PGA TOUR easier and more enjoyable to follow."

FEDEX CUP POINTS TWEAKS

Starting immediately in 2025, players who finish second at the four Majors and Players Championship will collect a slightly higher total of FedEx Cup points than in previous seasons while golfers who end 11th and lower will see slightly fewer.

At Signature Events, all FedEx Cup points will remain the same for the top six, but anyone in seventh or lower on the leaderboard will earn marginally fewer than they would have previously.

“While the FedExCup points system operated as projected and met key objectives that were modeled for the season, player feedback indicated we needed to study specific areas of the points system,” said Dennis.

“Input from the membership and the collaboration with the Player Advisory Council were instrumental in developing an equitable points system.”

And it was PGA Tour player Maverick McNealy who was influential in this change, telling Golfweek: “It was a personal exploration. I didn’t think the points were equitable and a bunch of guys felt the same way.

“Basically, the guys in the majors played better to earn 300 points than the guys did, but otherwise it’s pretty equitable. The guys who finished with 100 points in the Signature Events played worse than the guys who earned 100 points in the regular, opposite and major fields. So basically it told me that from 100 to 60-ish (points), the Signature Events were getting way too many points.

“If you play the same quality of golf, no matter what tournament you’re playing, you should get the same number of points. The purse should be different because obviously, you know, Signature Events, you’re rewarding guys who have really good years, but I think just because you finished top 50 doesn’t mean you should earn more points the following year than the guy who played just as well.”

INCREASED REWARDS FOR AMATEURS

Previously, the top-10 professionals at the end of each event would qualify for a start in the subsequent open tournament, regardless of how many amateurs had finished high up.

Now, though, whoever finishes inside the top-10 on the leaderboard - regardless of their professional status - will receive an exemption into the following open event. Had this rule been in place in 2024, Nick Dunlap would have been able to tee it up again at the Farmers Insurance Open off the back of his American Express victory.

Additionally, college golfers who are involved in the PGA Tour University initiative will collect an extra point for a top-five finish at a regular tour event. For example, in 2024, a top-five finish would have earned a player two points towards their overall tally (one for making the cut and one for a top-10) while the same finish in 2025 will see them collect three.

The PGA Tour University Accelerated scheme works by giving college golfers the chance to earn a tour membership and become eligible for all open, full-field events by picking up points based on their accomplishments in college, amateur and professional golf.

Should a player amass 20 points by the end of their third year of NCAA eligibility, they will make the direct step up to the PGA Tour.