PGA Tour to feature promotion and relegation from 2028

The PGA Tour will feature promotion and relegation from the 2028 season after approving the creation of a two-tier series format as part of a major shake-up of its structure.

The top-level competition will be known as the PGA Tour Championship Series and feature the leading players going head to head in 23-24 events per year with the regular season running from approximately February to August.

That will run concurrently with the lower PGA Tour Challenger Series with a structure of promotion and relegation in place between the two each season.

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The Championship Series tournaments will feature 120-player fields with 72 holes and a 36-hole cut. They will feature the $20m purses which are used for the current limited-field Signature Events, of which there are eight in 2026.

Players are not required to play them all and those tournaments will not have sponsor invitations or an alternate list.

The Championship Series will include 15 regular-season events in addition to The Players Championship, the four majors, the Tour Championship - which will form part of a "reimagined" post-season including some form of matchplay - and, depending on the year, the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup.

Reacting to the news, world No 2 Rory McIlroy said in a statement: "Today's announcement is a positive step for professional golf.

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"As more details emerge, it is encouraging to see the PGA Tour reaffirming the importance of meritocracy and creating a structure that will serve both players and fans well into the future."

Tiger Woods chaired the Future Competition Committee which recommended the new structure to the PGA Tour boards and wrote on X: "This is an exciting moment for the game of golf.

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"It has been a privilege to lead the Future Competition Committee and I am proud of the work we have done to build the best version of the PGA Tour for future generations of players and fans."

The PGA Tour says it has lined up 10 of its expected 15 regular-season events, with the remaining tournaments to either be filled by existing events or new venues such as Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington DC.

The ⁠PGA Tour Challenger Series will be the primary pathway to the Championship ‌Series, offering players the chance to advance to the top of the sport across a minimum of 20 events running concurrently with the leading series. These events will be played on traditional PGA Tour courses.

There will be 144-player fields and minimum purses of $4m at each event, while around seven of the tournaments will be played on weeks the top series is not in action.

In a letter to fans, PGA Tour chief executive officer Brian Rolapp said: "Today marks a pivotal moment for the PGA Tour as we move forward with a new competitive system, starting in the 2028 season.

"Throughout this process, we have listened closely to players, partners and our fans. You told us you wanted to see the best players in the world competing against one another more often.

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"You wanted clearer stakes as the season unfolds. And you wanted a more dramatic finish to the season that rewards excellence and makes every tournament matter.

"This new model is our response."

"Top players" from the Championship Series will also be eligible for a limited series of elevated international events in the autumn "with the intent to be delivered in partnership with the DP World Tour".

How will promotion and relegation work?

The PGA Tour says the ability to move between the two series will create "true meritocracy" of competition.

The series will each feature bespoke points systems. The Championship Series will have a consistent points system across every event, while the Challenger Series' system will also elevate points for majors and events played on weeks the top series is not in action.

The top 20 finishers in the Challenger Series standings will be promoted to the Championship Series.

The top 90 players in the Championship Series will retain membership at the top level for the following season.

Those who fail to retain their Championship Series membership during the regular season could then retain it via the "last chance" series of four to six events held during the autumn when a "limited number" of spots in the top series will be up for grabs.

Championship Series players who fail to do so will then drop down to the Challenger Series.

Challenger Series players can also earn immediate mid-season promotion if they win multiple events in the same season at that level or a major.

The PGA Tour heads to TPC River Highlands for the Travelers Championship this week, live on Sky Sports. Watch round one from 12.45pm on Thursday on Sky Sports+ Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.