PGA Tour Considers Field Size Reduction and Membership Cut for 2026 Season to Improve Pace of Play
The PGA Tour is proposing changes for 2026 that would cut both membership numbers and field sizes, aiming to address longstanding pace-of-play issues and to prevent delays due to darkness, according to recent reports.
The Player Advisory Council (PAC) suggests limiting maximum field sizes at events to 144 players, down from 156, with specific events, including The Players Championship, seeing reduced fields of 120. Additionally, eligibility for full PGA Tour membership would be tightened, with only the top 100 in the FedEx Cup standings gaining exempt status, a change from the current top 125 cutoff. This change would impact aspiring Korn Ferry Tour players, as only 20, instead of 30, would now earn PGA Tour cards.
Further proposed modifications include reducing or eliminating Monday Qualifiers for events with fewer than 144 players, although these qualifiers would remain for the FedEx Cup Fall. Despite the cuts, exemptions for top finishers on the DP World Tour and Q-School remain unchanged.
The Tour’s restructuring also aligns with its recent emphasis on supporting top-tier players through initiatives like Signature Events and equity stakes. A final decision on these changes will be voted on by the Policy Board on November 18, 2024, potentially reshaping the Tour’s competitive structure moving forward.
