PGA Tour announces two-tier competitive model from 2028

June 23 : The PGA Tour announced on Tuesday sweeping changes to its competitive structure, approving a two-tiered system with promotion and relegation to take effect in 2028.

According to the U.S.-based circuit, the PGA Tour Championship Series and the PGA Tour Challenger Series will establish a true meritocracy with a formal structure for promotion and relegation.

The Championship Series will feature the top players competing head-to-head, driving a season narrative that identifies the best golfer in the world.

The Challenger Series will be the primary pathway to the Championship Series offering players the chance to advance to the top of the sport.

"From day one, the focus of the Future Competition Committee has been to build the best version of the PGA Tour, and to do so in a way that reflects the voice of our players and the expectations of our fans,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said in a press release.

"The result is a new competitive model grounded in meritocracy, with clearer pathways, higher stakes and more consistency when the best players compete together."

The Championship Series will run from approximately February through August and feature 23-24 events with minimum purses of $20 million, including the four majors, Players Championship, season-ending events and team events like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The fields will be 120 players, on average.

According to the press release, the PGA Tour said new markets under consideration for the remaining events yet to be filled on the Championship Series include Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

Full eligibility criteria will be finalized by the PGA Tour later this year, including select additional exemptions for