The PGA Tour will overhaul its season-ending structure in 2028, moving to a match play format to determine its Tour Champion. The changes, announced on Aug 25, mark a dramatic shift from the current system, which involves three traditional stroke play events with fields of 70, 50, and 30 players.
The new format will be played out over three weeks, beginning with the 72-hole stroke play PGA Tour Championship Series Finale featuring the top 90 golfers on the year's points list. The conclusion of that event will determine the season-long winner and set the field for the Tour Championship.
The top 32 players will then advance to the new-look Tour Championship, which will feature match play contested over two weeks at different venues. The championship will start with players competing against the three other golfers in their group, with the top two from each of the eight groups advancing to Week 2. The tournament will culminate in a four-round, 16-man single-elimination bracket, with the final two undefeated golfers battling to be crowned Tour Champion.
Future Competition Committee
The changes were created by the Future Competition Committee, a nine-member group chaired by Tiger Woods. According to the PGA Tour, the committee's goal was to establish an easier-to-follow competitive model for fans that carries greater consequence and a stronger season-long narrative.
"When you think about our current season, you just don't see how somebody extra season. Everything that happens in this season is meaningless, except for the FedExCup as it currently is," Woods said in a released statement on X. "The conclusion of the season should be worthy of the journey it takes to get there. Today's announcement is a result of the hard work and passion of our players."
Woods added, "Excited to usher in a new era of matchplay on the @PGATOUR."
PGA Tour CEO's reaction
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp praised the new format, describing it as a structure that "rewards excellence over the course of the year while building toward a reimagined Tour Championship."
"We are creating something different, something distinct within professional golf that can resonate far beyond it," he added.
The changes build on recommendations approved in June when the PGA Tour introduced a promotion and relegation model starting in 2028, which will feature a Championship Series and a Challenger Series in addition to the new final format.
The PGA Tour's announcement marks a significant evolution for the sport, aiming to provide a more engaging and consequential season finale for fans and players alike.