Drip, drip, drip.
That is the sound of the PGA Tour slowly releasing the tournaments that will make up its Championship Series beginning in 2028. On Thursday, for the fourth straight day in a row, another tournament was officially confirmed.
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This time it was the Arnold Palmer Invitational, continuing a proud legacy of 48 years as the annual stop in Orlando.
“For more than two decades, Mastercard has been proud to partner with the Arnold Palmer Invitational, helping create unforgettable experiences for fans while honoring Arnold Palmer’s enduring legacy of excellence, generosity and community impact,” said Michael Moutenot, senior vice president of marketing and communications at Mastercard, the tournament’s presenting sponsor.
Akshay Bhatia celebrates with caddie Joe Greiner after winning the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.
The Tour announced in June that it planned to create a two-tier Tour consisting of the Championship Series, which will consist of approximately 23-24 events, inclusive of the Players Championship, major championships, postseason and international team events (Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup), with the season running from February through August. The 120-man field events will compete for $20 million purses with a cut to 65 and ties.
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So far, the Tour has announced this week that the Travelers Championship, a new event sponsored by Sompo at a course and city to be determined, and The Sentry at Torrey Pines in San Diego, will be part of the top-tier circuit. So far, none of the Challenger Series events, an aspirational circuit with full fields of 144 and purses of $4 million, have been named.
The API celebrates Arnold Palmer’s impact on the game of golf along with his impact on the community.
“Mr. Palmer believed in challenging the world’s best players while creating an unforgettable experience for fans. As a PGA Tour Championship Series event, we will continue to deliver championship golf at Bay Hill and give back to the Central Florida community,” said API tournament director Drew Donovan.
The 2027 Arnold Palmer Invitational will be contested from March 15-21 with broadcast coverage on NBC and Golf Channel. Akshay Bhatia won the 2026 event in a sudden-death playoff victory over Daniel Berger for his third-career win.
Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Arnold Palmer Invitational joins PGA Tour Championship Series
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