PGA Tour sponsors "concerned and upset" about new Elevated Event schedule
The PGA Tour sent a memo to tournament organisers to respond to their questions about the four new Elevated Events in the 2023 season.
Some sponsors on the PGA Tour are "concerned and upset" about the 2023 schedule in which four tournaments have become new Elevated Events.
According to Golf Digest, some sponsors of non-Elevated Events are unhappy and uncertain about how the new setup will impact their tournaments and charity work.
The memo, formulated by the vice president of tournament business affairs Kelly Jensen, said the four events were chosen after the Tour "looked to spread the $20 million events throughout the season to provide a natural flow for players as they commit to compete in these designated tournaments."
The WM Phoenix Open, the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship and the Travelers Championship have now become Elevated and will feature $20 million prize purses. The four events are set to rotate each season.
A group of tournaments and sponsors proposed a system in which the Tour switches nine of the 13 Elevated Events instead of four. This would supposedly allow each tournament on the schedule to become Elevated once every three or four years.
"There are people who are very concerned and upset that (the PGA Tour has) created this system," said one tournament director to Golf Digest.
"Everybody realizes the Tour is trying to do something to combat LIV Golf, and that’s understandable. We all want to protect the tour and see it continue to grow. But a lot of us can’t believe they did this. Some sponsors are pretty hot."
The memo also addressed the 2024 season which will return to a calendar-year format as opposed to a wrap-around.
It is anticipated that the 2024 schedule will be significantly changed in order to accommodate other events and to provide "the most compelling schedule possible for our fans in 2024 and beyond," the Tour said in a statement.
The Tour will be "analysing a variety of options, including different scheduling models - with a goal of getting it right for all constituents to ensure each and every week will continue to provide compelling competition and great impact to our local communities."
Back in August, Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced the new changes to the current season. One of the main points was the 'top 20' players committing to playing in 20 events, ensuring top-quality fields on a regular basis.
They are each expected to play in the four new Elevated Events, the FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Memorial Tournament and the WGC Match Play.
