AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A trip to the Masters and a chance to play in two $20 million tournaments are among the incentives for PGA Tour players to play this fall if they don’t reach the FedEx Cup playoffs.
The PGA Tour sent out a memo Monday that offered a few more details on the overhaul that starts in 2024, and Commissioner Jay Monahan is scheduled to be in San Antonio this week to answer any questions from players.
What previously was announced is the top 70 in the FedEx Cup advance to the postseason. The top 50 who reached the BMW Championship — the second playoff event — are locked in for all eight designated events that offer a $20 million prize fund.
The fall schedule, which hasn’t been announced, is open to everyone. The FedEx Cup points list that starts in January will continue into the fall, but only for those players who finish outside the top 50.
Winners still get an invitation to the Masters, and it gets them to Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. The extended FedEx Cup points list will be used to determine the leading 10 players who will get into the two designated events after Hawaii (presumably Pebble Beach and Riviera).
After that, the 2024 FedEx Cup standings will be used to fill those 10 spots.
In a memo sent to players the PGA Tour outlines eligibility for designated events starting next year. pic.twitter.com/MRyQoGbar9
— Rex Hoggard (@RexHoggardGC) March 27, 2023
The memo also lays out FedExCup points distribution for next year with designated events giving 700 points to the winner compared to 500 points for winners at “full-field events.” The majors and The Players award 750 points. pic.twitter.com/r7tvZFTqaZ
— Rex Hoggard (@RexHoggardGC) March 27, 2023
The tour also provided clarity on the five players who get into $20 million events under the “swing” category. Those will be determined by a separated points list of full-field tournaments between designated events.
Once that designated event is over, however, the “swing” category starts anew. Whatever points such a player earns in a designated event won’t count toward the next one.
Now officials have to figure out where to place the five other designated events after the West Coast swing to keep them properly spaced.
Also, anyone winning a PGA Tour event (except for opposite-field events) will be eligible for every designated event the rest of the year. Opposite-field event winners get 300 points, which likely would make them eligible through the current FedEx Cup standings or the swing category.
The memo said 750 points would be awarded to the winner of the four majors and The Players Championship, 700 points for the designated events and 500 points to everything else (except for opposite fields, which get 300).
Still to be determined are any restriction on who gets the four sponsor exemptions to the $20 million event, and when to reshuffle the ranking of new members coming from the Korn Ferry Tour (30 players), the European tour (10) and Q-school (5).
