PGA Tour has big changes on the horizon. What doesn't change is players having to earn it: Analysis

The logic down such a large alteration to PGA Tour eligibility is not overmuch different from what it was immoderate 40 years ago. Both were astir trying to make nan circuit much competitory and to springiness existent worth to having a card.

Of course, it progressive money, too. That ne'er changes.

The PGA Tour committee later this period will ballot connected whether to trim nan number of afloat exempt players from 125 to 100, on pinch cutting from 30 to 20 nan circuit cards awarded to apical finishers connected nan Korn Ferry Tour.

It sounds moreover much cutthroat than play already is, particularly since it was successful 1983 erstwhile nan PGA Tour went nan different direction.

It utilized to beryllium only nan apical 60 connected nan money database nan erstwhile twelvemonth were exempt from qualifying for PGA Tour events. That changed to nan apical 125 successful what became known arsenic nan all-exempt tour. Anyone who had a circuit paper could expect to tee it up conscionable astir wherever he wanted, alternatively of having to suffice each Monday.

Those who didn't make it done qualifying put their clubs successful nan trunk and headed to nan adjacent stop. Back then, getting a PGA Tour paper was nan easy part.

So nan alteration wasn't astir nan rich | getting richer. It was having a reasonable chance to make a bully living.

“Really, erstwhile you get down to it, location aren't very galore of america who make immoderate money retired here,” nan precocious Tom Weiskopf said astatine nan commencement of nan 1982 season. Craig Stadler coiled up starring nan money database that twelvemonth pinch $446,462. Only 37 players topped $100,000 successful earnings.

“The all-exempt circuit will springiness much group a chance to play much tournaments," Weiskopf said. "There will beryllium much group making money and, pinch 150 players capable to play immoderate clip they want to, you're going to spot nan competitory level of nan crippled spell up.”

That's nan thought down nan connection nan PGA Tour committee is considering — and is apt to o.k. — erstwhile it meets successful 2 weeks.

With specified a bloated membership, having a circuit paper often meant waiting until location was room to play. The regular play is 3 months shorter, truthful location is much urgency to play. Now facet successful 125 cards, positive two-year exemptions to players who win, positive 30 cards for nan Korn Ferry Tour, 10 cards for starring European circuit members, 5 cards from Q-school, profession money exemptions, aesculapian exemptions. Whew.

Not to beryllium overlooked were nan 8 signature events pinch moreover smaller fields.

More waiting.

The simplification successful cards — nan alteration would return effect successful 2026 — should beryllium beneficial, astatine slightest for those who decorativeness successful nan apical 100 to support afloat status.

There is still nan conception of meritocracy. Justin Thomas went from winning a awesome successful 2022 to failing to suffice for nan postseason successful 2023. Matt McCarty started this twelvemonth connected nan Korn Ferry Tour, won 3 times for an instant promotion and past won nan Black Desert Championship successful Utah to gain a two-year exemption and a spot successful 3 fields adjacent year.

It's not going to beryllium easy, nor is it expected to be.

There's an advantage for players who vanished successful nan apical 50 — a perk for occurrence is different measurement to look astatine it — because they are guaranteed spots successful each nan signature events pinch a $20 cardinal purse and elevated FedEx Cup points.

The answer, of course, is to play better. It's a building nary 1 likes to perceive because it's true.

“Trust me, players dislike proceeding that,” said Camilo Villegas, president of nan 16-member Player Advisory Council that put distant nan projected changes. “But spell to immoderate sport, spell to nan business world, you've sewage to perform. If we perform, there's an opportunity to make an unbelievable living. You conscionable support moving connected your dream for illustration you did erstwhile you were a kid.”

J.T. Poston, who won 3 weeks agone successful Las Vegas, put a different rotation connected “play better.” He was funny astatine nan commencement of 2023 astir really nan signature events were going to work.

For Poston, it was each astir having nan shot successful his manus and his sanction connected a tee sheet.

“As agelong arsenic there's a measurement you still person to execute to enactment in, and there's an avenue for guys who aren't successful to play their measurement in, I don't deliberation there's an issue,” Poston said.

Golf still remains a mess. Top names person defected to Saudi-funded LIV Golf, meaning each nan stars are together only 4 times a twelvemonth astatine nan majors. Even arsenic nan PGA Tour and nan Public Investment Fund get person to an finance deal, getting everyone backmost together much often remains complicated.

With golf, it's ever something.

Even arsenic nan PGA Tour was moving to nan all-exempt circuit successful 1983, 1 of nan proposals was for a “super tour” of 20 aliases 25 events pinch large purses (back past it was successful nan $400,000 range, which sounds for illustration chump alteration successful today's play economy).

A group of Dallas business contemplated a rival circuit for champions 40 and older, which ne'er sewage disconnected nan ground. The circuit created nan “Tournament Players Series” for players who didn't person afloat cards and for PGA nine pros who had mislaid entree to those Monday qualifiers.

For specified a virtuous sport, strife is ne'er acold behind. What hasn't changed is nan champion players find a way. All they request is simply a tee time. They still person that.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf