Golf’s evolving calendar: what’s changing in the next few seasons

The future of professional golf is getting clearer. By 2028, tournaments could look quite different as organizers try to balance tradition with new ideas. Instead of keeping the game as it is, the PGA Tour is planning a two-tier system where some events become more exclusive and others become stepping stones to reach that top level. The top tier—about 23 events—would include four majors and three playoff finals, plus 16 regular tournaments. These top events would get bigger fields of 120 players instead of the smaller groups used in recent signature events. Below that, a second tier of 20 tournaments would have 140 players, giving more golfers a chance to qualify for the top level. The goal? Make competition tougher and give rising stars a clearer path upward.New cities are also on the agenda. At least three fresh markets could join the tour by 2028, with Boston, Philadelphia, Denver, Nashville, San Francisco, and Seattle all in the running. Some of these places already have golf history, but none have hosted a full tour stop in recent years. The tour seems to be aiming for cities that can draw big crowds and sponsors without stretching logistics too thin. These changes aren’t final yet. Players are still discussing the plan at events like the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this week. A bigger vote could happen at the Travelers Championship meeting after the U. S. Open. The tour wants feedback before locking anything in. One thing is sure: the days of super-small fields and no halfway cuts may be numbered. Those rules were put in place to fight off competition a few years back, but now the tour is moving toward a more traditional setup. Whether that will make the game stronger—or just harder to follow—remains to be seen.