Memphis’ position as one of the premier sites on the PGA Tour’s calendar will cease following the 2027 FedEx St. Jude Championship.
TPC Southwind — which has hosted the professional golf tournament in Memphis since 1989 and maintained signature event-site status since 2019 — will not be part of the organization’s recently announced Championship Series, according to officials who shared the news Aug. 5 with The Commercial Appeal.
It is currently unclear whether the tournament will be worked into the lower-tiered Challenger Series (set to be implemented in 2028), although Memphis remains a priority market for the PGA Tour, and discussions about the future of professional golf in the Bluff City are ongoing.
“FedEx has been a wonderful partner since
1986, with our relationship evolving and innovating over the years,” the PGA Tour said in a statement provided to The Commercial Appeal. “As we prepare for the FedEx St. Jude Championship next week and again in 2027, we remain in close conversation about the future of our partnership.
“We are grateful to FedEx for all it contributes to the sport, and the positive impact they make in the community, including in Memphis with St. Jude.”
FedEx, in a statement provided to The Commercial Appeal, expressed disappointment in the PGA's decision. But it added it is heartened by its efforts to maintain a presence in Memphis.
"As the PGA Tour continues to evolve its competition structure and schedule, we understand their vision for the future and appreciate the longstanding partnership over the last 40 years," the statement read. "While we are disappointed the FedEx St. Jude Championship will not be part of the new Championship Series, we are encouraged by their plans to find other opportunities to bring professional golf to Memphis.
"Regardless of the tournament’s next chapter, our commitment to Memphis is unwavering. We will find new ways to partner with St. Jude to advance their mission, and we will continue making new investments in this great city we call home."
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital did not respond to request for comment.
The news comes six weeks after the Tour announced a radical revamp of its competitive structure — dividing itself into two distinct levels (Championship Series and Challenger Series). It also comes one week before the fifth installment of the FedEx St. Jude Championship (Aug. 13-16), whose star-studded fields have featured dozens of the world’s top golfers since 2022 as the first leg of the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
An official announcement on the full 2028 schedule (including Challenger Series events) is expected to be made in late January, according to The Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard.
While it has ruled Memphis out for a spot on the Championship Series circuit, the PGA Tour emphasized a desire to maintain its longstanding presence in the Mid-South. The 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship marks the 68th consecutive year Memphis has hosted a PGA tournament.
“As we implement a new competitive model and map out our schedule for 2028 and beyond, we believe Memphis is well-positioned to remain part of the PGA Tour,” according to the tour's statement. ”TPC Southwind is a premier venue in our TPC Network and remains an important asset to the Tour.”
Memphis was initially elevated to signature-event host standing in 2019, when the FedEx St. Jude Classic earned a World Golf Championships designation and was renamed the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
How the new PGA Tour format will work
The Challenger Series is expected to consist of at least 20 events, with purses of $4 million or more, that will give players the opportunity to be promoted to the Championship Series. Challenger Series events will have slightly larger fields of roughly 144 players and will be played concurrently with Championship Series events.
Challenger Series golfers who win multiple events during the season (or win one of the Grand Slam tournaments) would receive an immediate promotion to the Championship Series. And at the end of the season, a minimum of 20 Challenger Series players will receive a promotion to the Championship Series the following year.
Who will play in the 2026 FedEx St. Jude Championship?
Justin Rose is the defending FedEx St. Jude Championship winner, having outdueled runner-up J.J. Spaun in a three-hole playoff in 2025. Rose is currently No. 23 in the FedEx Cup standings, while Spaun is 20th.
The 70-player field for this year’s FedEx St. Jude Championship will not be finalized until the conclusion of play at the Wyndham Championship on Aug. 9. The top 70 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings qualify for the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Scottie Scheffler, who committed to play in Memphis in July, is currently ranked No. 1.
USA TODAY Sports reporter Steve Gardner contributed to this report.
Reach sports writer Jason Munz at jason.munz@commercialappeal.com, follow him @munzly on X.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis golf tournament losing premier PGA Tour status in 2028
