ATLANTA — Two weeks in the past, the Participant Advisory Council was offered with a proposal that would cut back discipline sizes at full-field occasions to 120 gamers. Due to decreased taking part in alternatives, the plan would result in a possible discount within the variety of fully-exempt gamers on the PGA Tour.
In keeping with one member of the PAC, the proposal would lower the variety of exempt gamers from the earlier season’s FedExCup factors checklist to the highest 100, down from the present high 125, in addition to the variety of exemptions awarded to Korn Ferry Tour members (presently at 30). All complete, these modifications would cut back the variety of full members from about 208 to 160.
“I feel that the assembly in Memphis was a end result of a yr’s price of labor. At the start of the yr we mentioned, hear, what can we do to create extra possession and the next degree of engagement,” Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan mentioned Wednesday at East Lake. “Because it pertains to strengthening the aggressive mannequin of the PGA Tour, that was the main focus of these conversations in Memphis. What I can let you know is that these conversations are being participant led. There’s sturdy alignment.”
The proposal was no less than partially prompted by expanded fields this yr that did not make a lower on Friday due to tempo of play and daylight points.
“On this case, it’s just a little bit within our aggressive system, what’s the proper variety of gamers to place out on the course every week, what’s the perfect model of our eligibility,” mentioned Tyler Dennis, the Tour’s chief competitions officer.
Whereas there appears to be assist among the many PAC for the brand new proposal, there have been some who lobbied for the Tour to increase discipline sizes at signature occasions, that are presently set for 72 to 80 gamers, to assist make up the distinction of the misplaced taking part in alternatives, however that appears unlikely.
The proposal must be accredited by the Tour’s coverage board which is scheduled to fulfill in November on the RSM Basic.
