In its latest power play against LIV Golf, the PGA Tour has announced a host of new ‘elevated events’, an expansion of the Player Impact Program and guaranteed financial security under the “Earnings Assurance Program”, where both PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour Players will be guaranteed to earn $500,000 a year regardless of performance.
The world’s leading golfers, those believed to have been in the players only meeting at last week’s BMW Championship, have committed to playing at least 20 PGA Tour events a year, commissioner Jay Monahan has announced.
The 20 events include the four major championships, the Players Championship and the “12 “elevated” tournaments on the PGA Tour which will have an average purse of $20million, along with three more regular PGA Tour events.
“Our top players are firmly behind the Tour, helping us deliver an unmatched product to our fans, who will be all but guaranteed to see the best players competing against each other in 20 events or more throughout the season,” Monahan said in a press conference ahead of the Tour Championship.
“This is an extraordinary and unprecedented commitment, a testament to who these guys are and what they believe in. To now have our top players rally around this organization and commit to a portfolio of tournaments like never before, I think our fans, our partners, our players are going to love it. I promise you, there’s more to come.”
The Player Impact Performance has now double in sized with the bonus pool set at $100million with 20 players to be recognised for capturing awareness from the casual and core fan base – a golfer must compete in all the elevated events to be eligible for the bonus pool.
Meanwhile, the “Earnings Assurance Program” will guarantee PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour players earn $500,000 a year regardless of results. The PGA Tour will fund any difference below $500,000 not earned in prize money, providing a player participates in 15 or more events.
