Will Zalatoris points to success of Formula 1 with Elevated Events on PGA Tour

Will Zalatoris compared the new Elevated Event structure on the PGA Tour to the competitive nature of Formula 1 where the best drivers appear at the track at every race.

Speaking ahead of the Sentry Tournament of Champions, Zalatoris believes the "top guys" competing against each other on a regular basis is the best way to promote the PGA Tour product.

There are 13 events in the 2023 schedule labelled as Elevated with the WM Phoenix Open, the RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship and the Travelers Championship added to the list.

The "top 20" players, meaning the top 20 from the Player Impact Program from the season just gone, are set to play in all of these events, plus all four major championships and three other events too.

Zalatoris, who is part of the Player Advisory Council, has ascended to the top of the game in the last two seasons and after winning the FedEx St.Jude Championship at the end of last season, he is certainly a player we can expect to see competing regularly at these events.

"Now we have a series of Elevated Events where now you're going to have the same guys show up for 20 events a year, and I think really it's just trying to get, you know, I know you guys have probably heard this a million times, but getting the top guys to show up together at the same time," Zalatoris said.

"Why does F1 work? Well, you know Lewis Hamilton's going to be there at every single race. So is Max Verstappen.

"So now when you have these Elevated Events, you know that the top guys are going to be there, as opposed to maybe one guy plays one event in the fall, you would almost be surprised that they're playing.

"Well, now we have a structure to where you know these guys are going to be here this many times and they need to be here one time in the fall, give or take."

The 26-year-old alluded to meetings he's held with the PAC and also the infamous time in Delaware back in August when Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy were in attendance.

The players and the Tour masterminded the revamped schedule which has assigned an average $20 million purse to each Elevated Event. 

As well as the expansion of the PIP and the introduction of the Earnings Assurance Program and the Travel Stipend Program, these changes were ultimately made to combat the rise of LIV Golf. 

Zalatoris was asked if the regular appearances of the best players on the Tour could dilute the product and "lose buzz," but the American had a simple answer for this.

"I see your point. But if you're sick of the top guys playing against each other then maybe go watch something else?" He said.

"Like I think that's what makes the majors so much fun is you look up on a leaderboard and typically you've got a lot at the top (of the) leaderboard at majors or leaderboards in the playoffs.

"Now instead of having them just stuck in four weeks, five weeks whatever it is, now you're going to have it spread out throughout the year."