PGA Tour announces major Championship Series plans ahead of 2028 launch
The PGA Tour has revealed the first events in its new 2028 Championship Series, which will feature the world’s best players competing more regularly in a revamped schedule.
The PGA Tour’s new era is beginning to take shape, with the first five events confirmed for the revamped PGA Tour Championship Series, which will launch as part of a major schedule overhaul in 2028.
First introduced by PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp at the Travelers Championship at the end of June, the radical new structure will see the world’s best players compete more regularly against each other across a premium schedule of 23-24 events.
Under the new changes set for 2028, players will be split between two different series of tournaments, the top-tier PGA Tour Championship Series and the lower-tier PGA Tour Challenger Series.
To further spice things up, there will be the addition of promotion and relegation.
The PGA Tour Championship Series will include all four majors, The Players Championship, a reimagined postseason and an annual team competition featuring either the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup dependent on the season.
Golf Channel reporter Rex Hoggard last week revealed that Championship Series events could feature purses of up to $37 millio, with one veteran tournament director stunned by the size of the proposed figures.
The full PGA Tour 2028 schedule is expected to be announced early next year, but the first five tournaments for the Championship Series have now been confirmed.
2028 PGA Tour Championship Series Event - Confirmed |
|---|
Travelers Championship |
Sompo Championship |
The Sentry |
Arnold Palmer Invitational |
Cadillac Championship |
The opening wave of announcements highlights the PGA Tour’s plans to combine established tournaments with new markets as it prepares for a new competitive structure.
The Travelers Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Cadillac Championship are all current high-profile events, while The Sentry brings one of golf’s most recognisable venues into the new series.
Torrey Pines has hosted multiple majors, including the U.S. Open, and has long been regarded as one of the PGA Tour’s most prestigious stops.
The Sompo Championship represents the biggest change, with the event set to join the PGA Tour calendar as a full-field tournament in Napa in 2027 before transitioning into a Championship Series fixture in 2028. The venue and market details will be announced at a later date.
The new structure also reflects the PGA Tour’s ambition to expand into new destinations.
As part of Rolapp’s long-term vision, the Championship Series will combine established tournaments with potential new markets, including Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C.
Reigning U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark has welcomed the changes and believes expanding into new locations could help grow the game.
“I’d love if we expanded west where I’m from, maybe play somewhere in Denver or Seattle, some of those untapped markets that we don’t go to,” Clark said.
“I’m really excited for ’28. I think it’s going to be the best thing for golf.”
Clark also praised the work of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council and Rolapp in creating the new format.
“I think it’s amazing that this plan that both the PAC and Rolapp put together is going to come true.”
While the exact dates and order of the 2028 tournaments are still to be confirmed, the PGA Tour expects more Championship Series announcements in the coming weeks.
The first five confirmed events offer an early look at the Tour’s future direction — combining iconic venues, established championships and new opportunities.
The 2028 season may still be more than two years away, but the foundations of the PGA Tour Championship Series are already being laid.
Andy Roberts first joined GolfMagic on a month's work experience back in April 2011.
Andy then assumed the role of GolfMagic Editor in 2015.
