The PGA Tour has unveiled an overhaul of its competition structure, introducing two new circuits, the Championship Series and the Challenger Series, set to debut in 2028.
The Tour’s board has approved the two-division-tier competition model for fall 2028 and established clear qualification criteria. Throughout the season, the Championship Series and the Challenger Series will run in parallel, with the Challenger Series serving as the primary gateway for emerging players to move up to the premier level of competition.
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“From the beginning, we set out to preserve the meritocracy that makes our sport unique by creating a system where performance dictates opportunity,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said in a statement announcing the changes on Tuesday, Sept. 15. “Through new eligibility criteria and supporting pathways into the PGA Tour, the new competitive model is designed to reward excellence and ensure there is always a clear path for top performers at every stage of their career.”
The revamped format will also introduce a new points system with a flatter distribution curve, rewarding consistency and strong performances rather than just victories. In this system, winners of each Championship Series event, The Players Championship, and the four major championships will receive 300 points, while runner-ups and third-place finishers will earn 200 and 150 points, respectively.
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Who is in the Championship Series?
Eligibility for the Championship Series will include the top 90 players from the previous season’s rankings, the top 20 performers from the Challenger Series, recent winners from the past two years on the Championship Series, and players utilizing a one-time exemption based on career money earned or medical extension.
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The new format will also include a “last chance” mini-series in the fall, featuring at least four high-stakes tournaments that grant top finishers limited spots in the Championship Series.
During the transition to the new competition model, players who have already secured exemptions through the 2028 season and beyond will retain their access to the PGA Tour Championship Series for the full duration of their exemption.
Who is in the Challenger Series?
The Challenger Series roster will consist of players ranked No. 21 to No. 90 on the Challenger Series point list, those relegated from the Championship Series, the top 20 graduates of the Korn Ferry Tour, players finishing No. 2-5 in the PGA Tour University rankings, and five additional qualifiers from the annual qualifying school.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: PGA Tour revamps competition structure with two-tiered system for 2028
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