Billy Horschel explains what he would do if he had "full control" over PGA Tour
Multiple PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel has suggested the North American circuit should only have 25 tournaments per year that are all equal.
Multiple PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel has suggested the North American circuit should only have 25 events per year and all of them "should be equal".
There has been plenty of chatter in recent years over how Tour should be structured and how many fully-exempt members it should have, especially since the emergence of the PIF-backed LIV Golf.
In response to the breakaway tour, the established circuit opted to create a series of lucrative "signature events" for the top-ranked players in the FedEx Cup standings.
There are other pathways to qualify for these $20m tournaments, but critics have suggested that the Tour is quickly becoming a closed shop and reduces meritocracy.
Elsewhere, the PGA Tour have confirmed that only the top 100 players at the conclusion of the FedEx Cup Fall will retain fully-exempt membership, down from 125.
Horschel told Fried Egg Golf it has always confused him that since he has been on Tour not everyone with full status is guaranteed starts.
The eight-time winner, who recently returned to action following surgery on his hip, reckons that going forward each PGA Tour event should have 120-man fields with similar prize purses.
"Ideally I think you have about 25 events per year, and I would make every event equal," he said.
"I don't know if it actually works where every event has the same purse and offers the same number of points because when you go to bigger markets – Chicago, Philly, New York, Boston, LA – they are going to put up more money because it's a bigger market and they want to be the premier event.
"But I say we go to a 25-event schedule where we try to make every event the same. Every tournament has a 120-man field.
"It's a smaller tour, but it gives every member of the PGA Tour the full ability to play all 25 events.
"From the time I got on Tour, I've always said that it’s weird to not be guaranteed a spot in every open PGA Tour event as a member of the Tour."
He added: "If there is a way to create a tour where every full-status PGA Tour member is guaranteed to play every PGA Tour event that is open, it would benefit both the PGA Tour as an organization and the players themselves."
The PGA Tour unveiled its 2026 schedule in August. There are eight signature events either side of the major season and three playoff events.
Field sizes have also been reduced. A "full-field event" will generally see 144 players in action, down from 156.
Some events may have field sizes of 132-120. The Tour say it is to improve pace of play.
Date | Tournament | Venue |
Jan. 8-11 | The Sentry | TBC |
Jan. 15-18 | Sony Open in Hawaii | Waialae Country Club |
Jan. 22-25 | The American Express | Pete Dye Stadium Course |
Jan. 29-Feb. 1 | Farmers Insurance Open | Torrey Pines Golf Course |
Feb. 5-8 | WM Phoenix Open | TPC Scottsdale |
Feb. 12-15 | AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | Pebble Beach Golf Links |
Feb. 19-22 | The Genesis Invitational | Riviera Country Club |
Feb. 26-March 1 | Cognizant Classic | PGA National Resort |
March 5-8 | Arnold Palmer Invitational | Bay Hill Club & Lodge |
March 5-8 | Puerto Rico Open | Grand Reserve GC |
March 12-15 | The Players Championship | TPC Sawgrass |
March 19-22 | Valspar Championship | Innisbrook Resort |
March 26-29 | Texas Children’s Houston Open | Memorial Park Golf Course |
April 2-5 | Valero Texas Open | TPC San Antonio |
April 9-12 | Masters Tournament | Augusta National Golf Club |
April 16-19 | RBC Heritage | Harbour Town Golf Links |
April 23-26 | Zurich Classic of New Orleans | TPC Louisiana |
April 30-May 3 | Miami Championship | Trump National Doral |
May 7-10 | Truist Championship | Quail Hollow Club |
May 7-10 | ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic | Dunes Golf and Beach Club |
May 14-17 | PGA Championship | Aronimink Golf Club |
May 21-24 | The CJ Cup Byron Nelson | TPC Craig Ranch |
May 28-31 | Charles Schwab Challenge | Colonial Country Club |
June 4-7 | Memorial Tournament | Muirfield Village Golf Club |
June 11-14 | RBC Canadian Open | TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley |
June 18-21 | U.S. Open | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club |
June 25-28 | Travelers Championship | TPC River Highlands |
July 2-5 | John Deere Classic | TPC Deere Run |
July 9-12 | Genesis Scottish Open | The Renaissance Club |
July 9-12 | ISCO Championship | Hurstbourne Country Club |
July 16-19 | The Open Championship | Royal Birkdale Golf Club |
July 16-19 | Corales Puntacana Championship | Puntacana Resort & Club |
July 23-26 | 3M Open | TPC Twin Cities |
July 30-Aug. 2 | Rocket Classic | Detroit Golf Club |
Aug. 6-9 | Wyndham Championship | Sedgefield Country Club |
Aug. 13-16 | FedEx St. Jude Championship* | TPC Southwind |
Aug. 20-23 | BMW Championship* | Bellerive Country Club |
Aug. 27-30 | Tour Championship* | East Lake Golf Club |
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