Breaking Down the PGA TOUR's New Structure
As reported by multiple outlets, the PGA TOUR will move to a two-tier system beginning with the 2028 season.
While many details remain unresolved, the framework of what professional golf could look like in 2028 is beginning to take shape.
Championship Series (Tier 1)
The Championship Series will serve as the PGA TOUR's top level.
Current plans include:
20-23 events annually, including the four major championships
$20 million purses
120-player fields
65 and ties make the cut
No sponsor exemptions
No Monday qualifiers
No alternates
Every event has the same point system
The elimination of alternates is one of the more significant changes. The goal is to have 120 exempt players and ensure that every player who holds Championship Series status is guaranteed a spot in every event. If players choose not to compete, fields would play short rather than being filled by alternates.
The FedExCup Playoffs as currently constructed would also disappear.
The season would conclude with a match-play Tour Championship featuring a yet-to-be-determined number of players at an iconic venue, potentially one that would not be capable of hosting a traditional full-field PGA TOUR event.
Challenger Series (Tier 2)
The Challenger Series will serve as the second tier of the PGA TOUR structure.
Current plans include:
20-25 events annually
$4 million purses
144-player fields
65 and ties make the cut
Likely Monday qualifiers
There will be alternates, fields will not play short
It's own points system, each event will have the same points
As with the Championship Series, the goal is for every exempt player to have access to every event.
Some Challenger Series events will be played opposite Championship Series tournaments and are expected to air on Golf Channel. Others will be standalone events on the schedule.
Korn Ferry Tour
For 2027, the Korn Ferry Tour is expected to remain largely unchanged.
There could be modifications beginning in 2028, but current discussions indicate the TOUR would like to maintain a structure that looks similar to the existing Korn Ferry Tour model.
PGA TOUR Americas
PGA TOUR Americas is expected to remain in place under the proposed structure.
Specific details regarding promotion opportunities and card allocation have not yet been finalized.
PGA TOUR Q-School
Q-School will continue to exist under the new structure.
Players will still have a pathway through qualifying school to reach the Challenger Series. Status for tours below the Challenger Series will also continue to be awarded through Q-School.
The exact number of cards available at each level has not yet been determined.
Last Chance Series
4-6 events in the Fall where players can earn Championship Series status. It will likely be a mix of Championship players who lost status, players from Challenger series who didn’t earn Championship cards in the season long points.
The Biggest Unanswered Question: Pathways
The structure of the tours has largely been outlined. The pathways between them have not.
Questions still being worked through include:
How many players will earn promotion from each level?
How many players will retain their status each season?
How many players will lose status each season?
How many years of exemption will tournament winners receive?
What role will Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas performance play in promotion?
How many cards will be available through Q-School?
Those decisions will ultimately determine how difficult it is to move between levels and may prove to be the most consequential part of the entire proposal.
For now, the framework is clear: beginning in 2028, professional golf under the PGA TOUR umbrella is expected to operate with two primary tiers—the Championship Series and the Challenger Series—with the details of promotion, relegation and status still to be finalized.
