PGA Tour makes unexpected announcement ahead of revamping 2027 schedule

The PGA Tour has moved to ease growing uncertainty around its future schedule by confirming The American Express will return in January 2027, according to The Desert Sun.

After months of speculation about a reduced schedule and the potential loss of several long-standing tournaments, officials have now locked in at least one fixture as The American Express will once again take place in La Quinta from 21–24 January, maintaining its traditional early-season slot. 

The announcement, confirmed by The Desert Sun on Monday, ensures the 2027 PGA Tour season will begin earlier than some recent proposals suggested. 

Discussions in recent months raised the possibility of pushing the season into a February start as part of a streamlined schedule, but the inclusion of the PGA Tour's famous desert tournament into the third week of January effectively rules that out.

Recent reports suggested the new PGA Tour schedule could undergo radical change with the possibility of moving away from Signature Events in favour of a more uniform, elite-level structure. 

Some publications had reported potential for the 2027 season to tee off after the NFL season in February, reducing the PGA Tour's direct competition to a bid to improve TV viewing figures.

“It certainly swung the pendulum a little more in the PGA Tour's favour,“ McIroy told reporters. 

While a condensed calendar is still very much on the cards for the PGA Tour next season, one thing is certain - the schedule will continue to commence in January whatever happens. 

The American Express locked in as PGA Tour reshapes 2027 schedule

First played in 1960, The American Express has been a staple of the West Coast swing for decades, famously associated with entertainer Bob Hope during its formative years. 

Its confirmation on the 2027 schedule marks a significant vote of confidence in one of the tour’s longest-running events at a time when the structure of the schedule remains under review.

The decision also reflects the practical realities of staging a tournament of this scale. 

With less than a year to prepare, organisers must now coordinate with venues, sponsors and local infrastructure to deliver the multi-course format the event is known for.

In 2026, the tournament was once again staged with three rounds on the Pete Dye Stadium Course at PGA West, the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and La Quinta Country Club, and the final round on the Stadium Course. 

However, while the date is now secure, the tournament’s long-term positioning within the evolving PGA Tour framework is still unclear. 

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has outlined plans for a leaner circuit from 2027 onwards, potentially featuring around 20-22 events designed to bring the game’s biggest names together more frequently and reduce clashes with the NFL playoffs.

That objective won’t fully apply here. The 2027 edition of The American Express (21-24 January) is scheduled to overlap with the NFL’s divisional playoff weekend, underlining the balancing act the PGA Tour faces as it reshapes its calendar.

NFL's season finale, Super Bowl LXI, is scheduled to be played on 14 February 2027 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Further clarity on the structure of the new-look PGA Tour schedule is expected later this season. 

Key questions remain, including whether The American Express will be elevated into a proposed “premier” tier of events or sit within a secondary schedule beneath the circuit's biggest tournaments.

There is also ongoing uncertainty over how the opening weeks of the season will take shape, and whether Hawaii will still be involved. 

Golf Digest recently claimed both The Sentry at famed Kapalua and Sony Open Waialae Country Club could be facing the axe. 

Sentry's deal with the PGA Tour, however, runs until 2035 so it remains to be seen where the sponsor could move to in the schedule. 

For now, The American Express, which offered a prize purse of $9.2 million, is the first confirmed event on the 2027 schedule as it stands. 

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler claimed victory there in January in what proved to be a milestone win — his 20th on the PGA Tour.

While many details of the revamped schedule are still to be finalised, The American Express has at least secured its place in what promises to be a pivotal season for the PGA Tour.