Scheffler Backs PGA Tour's 2-Series 2028 Model as 120-Player Fields Return

Q: How will the Tour's new merit-based system accommodate aging superstars who may no longer qualify on points alone?

The PGA Tour’s 2028 system is expected to give aging superstars a limited path beyond points, mainly through special eligibility categories such as career milestones, tournament wins and medical extensions. Under the new model, the Championship Series will be largely merit-based: about 120-player fields, no sponsor exemptions, and status mainly going to the top 90 players from that series plus at least 20 promoted from the Challenger Series. That means established stars who no longer finish high enough on points will not be able to rely on the old sponsor-invite route. Instead, the Tour has indicated that some remaining places will be allocated through additional criteria that have not been fully finalized. The most relevant for older marquee players is the proposed “career milestones” category, which appears designed to recognize major past achievements and long-term stature in the game. Medical extensions would also protect players whose ranking slipped because of injury, while tournament-winner categories could reward players who still produce occasional big results. There will also be a fall “last chance” series, giving players who miss the top 90 another competitive route to regain Championship Series access. In short, the new structure is stricter than the current one, but it is not purely points-only: the Tour is leaving itself a narrow mechanism to keep accomplished veterans in the top tier, even as it removes sponsor exemptions and emphasizes performance.

3 articles · Updated · PGA TOUR · Jun 24

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler endorsed the PGA Tour’s 2028 two-series overhaul, saying the new structure should improve competition and boost fan interest.
The model unveiled by CEO Brian Rolapp splits events into a Championship Series and Challenger Series, using promotion and relegation to simplify the tour’s competitive ladder.
Scheffler pointed to two changes in particular — average Championship Series fields expanding to 120 players and a 36-hole cut returning to the top 65 and ties.
Those changes would make victories more meaningful, he said, because winners would have to beat nearly all of the world’s best players rather than smaller, limited fields.