PGA Tour confirms first Championship Series event ahead of huge 2028 shake-up

The PGA Tour has confirmed the first event that will feature in its new Championship Series, with the Travelers Championship earning a place in the Tour's revamped schedule from 2028.

The announcement marks another major step towards the PGA Tour's new competitive structure, which will divide the schedule into a Championship Series and Challenger Series beginning in 2028.

While the full calendar has yet to be unveiled, the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands has become the first tournament officially guaranteed a place in the elite Championship Series.

The Championship Series will feature the PGA Tour's leading players competing across approximately 23 to 24 events between February and August. 

Those events are expected to include The Players Championship, the four majors, FedEx Cup Playoff tournaments and international team competitions such as the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.

The Travelers Championship has steadily grown into one of the Tour's premier events, spending the past four seasons with elevated status. 

It became a Designated Event in 2023 before operating as a Signature Event over the last three seasons.

"Our goal every year is for the Travelers Championship to be one of the best tournaments on the PGA Tour, so being part of the upcoming PGA Tour Championship Series is validation of the collective effort that Travelers, the tournament team, fans and volunteers have invested over the past two decades," said Andy Bessette, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at Travelers.

"We thank the Tour for this opportunity and are excited to partner with them on working hard to deliver a world-class experience."

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp had already hinted that the Connecticut event was among the leading candidates for Championship Series status when he outlined the Tour's new vision during this year's Travelers Championship.

"This has been an extremely successful tournament by every metric," Rolapp said.

"Our members love it. Travelers is an amazing partner. We obviously have an affinity for this course. They do a wonderful job. I think they do a lot of things that we're looking for in a Championship Series event."

First played in 1952, the Travelers Championship has been held annually at TPC River Highlands since 1984, while Travelers has served as title sponsor since 2007.

The tournament has become one of the PGA Tour's biggest success stories both on and off the course. 

Since Travelers became title sponsor, the event has generated more than $40 million for over 1,000 charities, including a record $5 million for more than 270 charities this year alone.

"This partnership with Travelers and with the PGA Tour has taken the tournament to incredible new heights," tournament director Nathan Grube said.

"We're proud of the Travelers Championship, the economic impact it makes on our community and the state of Connecticut, and the hundreds of local charities that continue to benefit financially."

The event has also become one of the Tour's most popular with fans, winning Newsweek's Fans' Choice Award for Best PGA Tour Tournament Event before also being voted Best Golf Tournament for Fans in the USA Today Sports Readers' Choice Awards.

This year's Travelers Championship was won by Viktor Hovland after he prevailed in a playoff.

The 2027 edition will remain a Signature Event before the tournament officially joins the new Championship Series when the PGA Tour's sweeping overhaul comes into effect in 2028.