PGA boosts 2023 purses for four events in LIV-fight revamp
MIAMI: Next year's Phoenix Open, Heritage tournament, Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship will have purses boosted to $20 million and guaranteed appearances by top golfers, the US PGA Tour announced Wednesday. The moves complete a PGA revamp to combat the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series that was announced by tour commissioner Jay Monahan in August at the Tour Championship.
Star PGA players such as four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, have committed to playing 17 events with elevated purses next year as a way to combat more players departing for the upstart LIV Series. The rival circuit's record $25 million purses and guaranteed contracts for 54-hole events have lured away top talent from the PGA, including British Open winner and world number three Cameron Smith of Australia, Chile's Joaquin Niemann, Mexico's Abraham Ancer, two-time major winner Dustin Johnson and past Masters winners Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed.
In addition to the four new events, others with increased purses and player commitments include the four major championships, the Players Championship, the three FedEx Cup playoff events, the Tournament of Champions, WGC Match Play, Memorial tournament, Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Genesis Invitational hosted by Tiger Woods. Players finishing in the top 20 of this year's Player Impact Program, a measuring of player popularity that pays bonus money for well-known talent, are required to play in all events they qualify for as well as three other events, ensuring PGA stars make at least 20 appearances a year.