PGA Tour to announce 4 occasions added to elevated $20M tier

RIDGELAND, S.C. — The PGA Tour is about to announce this week that the WM Phoenix Open, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo Championship and Vacationers Championship can be amongst 13 elevated occasions with not less than $20 million purses in 2023, sources confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday.

They are going to be part of 9 different elevated occasions during which the PGA Tour’s prime gamers have dedicated to play in to beef up these fields, because the Tour continues to battle the upstart LIV Golf circuit for the perfect gamers on the planet.

Golfweek first reported particulars of the 4 new elevated occasions.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan beforehand introduced that the Sentry Event of Champions, Gamers Championship, three Invitationals (Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial), WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play and the three FedEx Cup playoff occasions (FedEx St. Jude Championship, BMW Championship and Tour Championship) can be among the many elevated occasions.

The opposite 4 elevated tournaments are anticipated to rotate on an annual foundation to carry stronger fields at further occasions as soon as the PGA Tour returns to a calendar-based schedule in 2024.

The schedule adjustments had been a part of suggestions made by gamers after a gathering led by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy earlier than the BMW Championship in Wilmington, Delaware, in August. Prime Tour gamers have dedicated to taking part in in every of the 13 elevated occasions, 4 main championships (in the event that they’re eligible) and three different Tour occasions every season.

Two of the brand new elevated occasions in 2023 can be performed the week after a significant. The RBC Heritage, scheduled for April 13-16 at Harbour City Golf Hyperlinks in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is the week after the Masters. The Vacationers Championship, scheduled for June 22-25 at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, is the week after the U.S. Open, which can be performed at Los Angeles Nation Membership.

“You are elevating nice occasions,” Spain’s Jon Rahm stated. “They’re all superb golf programs, all superb occasions, plenty of historical past, all of them. In order that they’re worthy of it. Hilton Head and Vacationers after majors? I am not eager on taking part in after a significant, however I’ve seen individuals do it and I’ve seen individuals do effectively, so there is no cause why you’ll be able to’t.”