Jordan Spieth on radical changes? "I'd be lying to deny LIV Golf influence"

Jordan Spieth has become the latest PGA Tour star to admit the threat of the LIV Golf League forced wholesale changes to the North American circuit.

Jordan Spieth on radical changes? "I'd be lying to deny LIV Golf influence"
Jordan Spieth on radical changes? "I'd be lying to deny LIV Golf influence"

Jordan Spieth says he'd be lying to deny the influence of the LIV Golf League triggered substantial changes to the PGA Tour.  

In a largely unexpected move on 1 March, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced a revamp of the "can't miss" events outside the majors. 

The shake-up to the elevated events will see the field sizes reduced to 70-78 players and the absence of a 36-hole cut. 

The response from the LIV Golf players has been strong given the irony. 

Phil Mickelson's social media activity has been wild. Ian Poulter got all philosophical

One of LIV's harshest critics, Rory McIlroy, has defended the changes and insisted those quick to judge are acting on limited information. 

That being said, McIlroy, 33, did concede the lucrative breakaway tour had exposed some of the PGA Tour's weaknesses. 

Spieth was asked if PGA Tour players should thank the LIV players and if these changes would've otherwise happened. 

After carding an opening round of 4-under 68 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, Spieth said:

"Yeah. I would be lying if I said that we would have gone through this without LIV. But at the same time, they haven't -- we haven't mentioned them in any of our discussions on what we think's best for the tour."

Spieth continued:

"So there was a few things, obviously, like the Player Impact Program, stuff that the tour was doing to try and make sure they were, could hold their best assets, or best players, whatever you want to call it, and then from there, it was, all right, everyone in this room's committed. Let's figure out what this future product model should look like.
"The Tour has been all ears. It's been a player-friendly, player-organised situation. It's been honestly pretty fun to be a part of.
"I hope that we can kick it off the right way and don't have to make too many adjustments to it because the main thing now is trying to get it as close to right the first time as possible."

Jordan Spieth on radical changes?

What are the changes? 

The PGA Tour had already introduced 12 elevated events for 2023. The prize purses average $20m. 

Of course, the huge increase to purses were aimed at trying to keep the game's biggest stars happy. 

The four major championships, plus the Players Championship, will remain full-field events with up to 156 players and cuts at the halfway stage. 

The changes for 2024 will see elevated events have fields of 70-78 players. 

That field will be made up of 50 players from the previous year's FedEx Cup standings and the top-10 players from the latest points list. 

Players will not have to compete in a mandatory number of tournaments. 

Five players will be able to qualify for the elevated events through non-designated events.

Next page: PGA Tour schedule 2023

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