There has been a perception that those who have been earning their living on LIV Golf have pocketed obscene amounts of money.
And, indeed, Jon Rahm topped the 2026 money list with a staggering $25m.
But before you go choking on your Corn Flakes, consider this - before a shot had been struck at the Tour Championship (which he ultimately won and secured the $10m pot), Scottie Scheffler had pocketed nearly $21m in prize money alone plus a further $23m for clinching top spot in the FedEx Cup. He is also now the Tour’s all-time money winner, finally dislodging Tiger Woods. His first full season was only 2019!
A further 14 players had earned at least $7m, 30 picked up $5m+, 47 pocketed $3m and everybody in the top 106 had at least $1m in prize money.
Although the PGA Tour is awash with cash it can clearly be seen from these figures that there remains a huge gap between the haves and have-nots - and that is only going to increase moving forward.
(Image Credit: Rolex/J.D. Cuban)
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has confirmed that from 2028 the Tour Championship is going to be changed yet again. It will be played across two weeks, at two different courses, and adopt a head-to-head format.
The changes, which will come into effect from 2028, will conclude a new top tier of events, the Championship Series. Tournaments will feature 72 holes of strokeplay with a cut, with players accumulating points in each. The top 90 on the season-long points list, who will retain their PGA Tour cards, will then progress to the PGA Tour Championship Series Finale. Note that only the top 90 will keep their cards.
It will follow the same format as the previous events in the season and will finalise the points list, where the season-long winner will be recognised. It will also set the field for the Tour Championship.
Only the top 32 players on the season-long list will progress to the Tour Championship, which will look very different from the familiar 72-hole strokeplay format.
Instead, for the first time since the 2023 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, match play will be seen on the PGA Tour, with the Tour Championship being held over two weeks at different venues. Currently, the tournament is held at East Lake but from 2028, it will rotate between prestigious venues that have yet to be confirmed.
The first week will feature a three-round group stage with the 32 players in eight groups of four. The top two players from each group will advance to week two, with playoffs in the event of ties. Are you keeping up with this?
Week two of the Tour Championship will feature a four-round, match-play bracket to determine the Tour Champion. All 16 players will compete in all four rounds. Players will advance based on their win-loss record, with the final two undefeated players competing to be named Tour Champion. The records of players over all four rounds will determine the final championship standings.
Rolapp said: "Throughout this process, we listened carefully to our fans, players and partners. One message came through clearly: the culmination of our season should be worthy of the journey it takes to get there. The result is a season-ending 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."
Does Rolapp really expect us to believe that the majority of golf fans want to see the climax of the PGA Tour decided via two restricted-field matchplay events? I am sorry, but I am just not buying this. The WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play was dropped for a very good reason, namely that fans failed to engage with it. Apart from the Ryder Cup, Americans just don’t get matchplay. Many of them sit in the grandstands on the 18th green all day long, seemingly oblivious to the face that they may end up not seeing a single shot played in anger.
But, of course, Rory McIlroy, a three-time winner of the FedEx Cup, has ben making all the right noises, claiming that the return of matchplay shows fans have been listened to by the decision-makers.
He said: "I think the PGA Tour and the Future Competition Committee and Brian and everyone involved have really taken on board what the fans have been calling for and have wanted, which is matchplay. Brian took me through the plan for the first time. I didn't really know anything about it. It's certainly different. Two weeks, two different venues, but it's cool. I think they've taken a big swing, and conceptually, I think I really like it."
The FedEx Cup play-offs have gone through numerous changes, currently consisting of a three-event strokeplay series which begins with the top 70 players from the season-long points list. While the events have undoubtedly been lucrative for players, there have been consistent regarding fan engagement.
McIlroy added: "They've been great for players. Obviously we play for a ton of money, and it's sort of like the culmination of the entire season. The players have been rewarded. I think what the Tour are really trying to do is listen to the fans and what they want, and this idea of matchplay over two weeks is something that came mostly from what the people that watch golf wanted, so I think that's a really good thing."
There we go again being told that this is what golf fans want. I would be extremely interested to hear your views on this. For me, there is nothing to beat the drama of the conclusion of a 72-hole golf tournament. I love the Ryder Cup but that is matchplay in its purest form, with tens of thousands of fans following every game, each and every one of them invested in the outcome.
There have been doubts over McIlroy’s PGA Tour status, because he has failed to play the minimum number of tournaments needed to retain his exemption. You can be sure that if it had been any other player then there would be consequences but it seems that the Northern Irishman is a special case.
Rolapp said: "In my position, I have a fair amount of discretion on this matter. Having Rory participating in the FedEx St. Jude Championship and the Tour Championship was great.
"Regarding the rule itself, we are questioning looking at it. It's a rule that applies just to dual members. It's questionable if it even has a place in our new competitive model. It is one of many rules and regulations we will look at as we change the competitive model."
It would be interesting to know what the majority of the membership feel about this.
Rolapp also confirmed there are no plans to revive the Returning Member Programme, which was introduced ahead of the 2026 season. It offered the chance for certain LIV golfers to resume their PGA Tour careers immediately, rather than face a 12-month suspension after their last LIV Golf start, with Brooks Koepka taking up the opportunity.
Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith were also eligible, but opted to stay on LIV Golf. With the future of LIV uncertain, to say the least, Rolapp has no plans to change things. He said: "There are no plans for Returning Member Programme like you saw earlier this year."
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