Report: PGA Tour to put international series on back burner (for now)
The PGA Tour have reportedly decided to delay their plans for a series of $25m international events, according to a report.
The PGA Tour is delaying its plans for their previously announced "global series" which would have seen the elite players competing in $25m tournaments so they can concentrate on their Elevated Events, according to ESPN.
Mark Schlabach reports that sources familiar with the matter believe the Tour is now going to focus its efforts on the 13 tournaments with increased purses for top players, inclusive of the three FedEx Cup playoff events.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan previously rolled out huge changes when he spoke before the Tour Championship at East Lake, where Rory McIlroy made history, scooped $18m and aimed a few digs at LIV Golf.
To re-cap the changes, the PGA Tour announced included:
- The introduction of four elevated events (making the total 13)
- The expansion of the Player Impact Program, doubling the prize purse to $100m available to the top-20 players
- The launch of an Earnings Assurance and Travel Stipend Program
- Changes to the qualifying criteria to the Sentry Tournament of Champions
- Lifetime Membership awarded after 20 wins
- The PGA Tour's top players have committed to compete in at least 20 events
The Elevated Events are:
- Sentry Tournament of Champions
- Genesis Invitational
- Arnold Palmer Invitational
- The Players
- The Memorial
- WGC Match Play
- Four more additional events to be confirmed
- All three FedEx Cup playoff events
Related: Tour pro criticises Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods
Monahan previously outlined plans for the international series during his news conference at the Travelers Championship in June.
This was the same press conference where Monahan, addressing the threat of LIV Golf, said: "I am not naive. If this is an arms race and if the only weapons here are dollar bills, the PGA Tour can't compete. The PGA Tour, an American institution, can't compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in attempt to buy the game of golf.
"We welcome good, healthy competition. The LIV Saudi Golf League is not that. It's an irrational threat; one not concerned with the return on investment or true growth of the game."
The international series events were of a similar mould to the LIV Golf format, only open to the top players with limited fields, no cuts and no points awarded.
These international events may still happen at some point in the future, ESPN report. But at present these international events would have likely been far too taxing on players looking to have more time off when the season ends in August.
The PGA Tour have also confirmed they will move back from a January-August schedule in 2024, bringing an end to the wraparound season.
Elsewhere, only the top 70 players (not 125) players will get to compete in the FedEx Cup playoffs from 2024.
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