The gap is growing between golf's stars and its journeymen

If you are a rank-and-file PGA Tour golfer then you have every reason to feel a little miffed right now.

Why? Because while the big boys continue to cash in, you are in the middle of a period where you are largely twiddling your thumbs.

Playing Opportunities Are Being Restricted on PGA Tour

Let me explain. First we had The Masters and that was immediately followed by the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town, which was a Signature Event and featured a restricted field. 

Then came the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a one-off tournament that saw golfers playing in pairs.

This week we have the Cadillac Championship at Donald Trump’s Blue Monster Course at Doral and guess what? It is another Signature Event with another elite field. 

You may find this hard to believe but hot on the heels of the Cadillac comes the Truist Championship and yes, you are right - it is yet another Signature Event. At least the journeymen get the chance to play in the Myrtle Beach Classic during the week of the Truist, with a total prize fund of $4 million and 300 FedEx Cup points going to the winner. The man who triumphs at the Truist will win getting on for $4m from a total prize fund of $20m as well as 700 FedEx Cup points.

And then comes the season’s second major, the US PGA Championship.

There is some hope though. Twelve months ago, Ben Griffin won the Zurich Classic in New Orleans alongside Andrew Novak. At the time, Griffin was a relative unknown but he went on to win twice more in 2025 and played well enough to secure a captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup. But that is an exception.

Here is the real irony. While the journeymen are struggling for playing time, the best golfers in the world face a gruelling schedule. 

Why Some Are Complaining About The Schedule

As Patrick Cantlay said: "It is a busy stretch. There's a lot of big tournaments throughout the year so it's no surprise that at one part of the year it's a little congested. Hopefully my game is rounding into form at a busy time, at an important time of the year."

Unsurprisingly Cantlay was one of those who opted to miss New Orleans, a tournament he has won in the past with Xander Schauffele. Shane Lowry had to find a new partner after Rory McIlroy decided to sit it out. Mind you, he didn’t do too badly with his replacement partner, playing the week in the company of Brooks Koepka - who missed out on playing the RBC Heritage as first alternate.

There is much talk about the future shape of the PGA Tour but it is abundantly clear that something has to be done to level the playing field. Those who finished in the top 50 last year clearly have a huge and some would say unfair advantage. 

Not so very long ago those who qualified for the tour through the Korn Ferry Tour and qualifying school had the same chance of success as everybody else. That is no longer the case and it could get worse, with Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp saying that he wants 16 Signature Events in the future, thus only increasing the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

Here is Griffin’s take. He said: "I just hope there are a lot of events in the future, I hope there are a lot of opportunities for players and as far as how it’s going to roll out, not really sure, but regardless as players we just have to continue to chase and continue to try to play our best."

World number one Scottie Scheffler has told Golfweek he is unlikely to play in the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow, where he won the PGA Championship a year ago. Scheffler has made it known that he doesn’t like playing Signature Events on tough courses the week before majors, and he faces the added burden of defending the week after the PGA at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, his hometown event in Dallas, followed by the Charles Schwab Challenge in nearby Fort Worth. Another signature event, the Memorial, where he is the defending champion as well, comes next.

It is a problem the journeymen would love to be wrestling with as they ponder how on earth they can make proper progress within the game.