The PGA Tour announced Tuesday membership categories for the PGA Tour Championship Series and eligibility for the PGA Tour Challenger Series, which will replace the Tour's current competitive system beginning in 2028.
Additionally, the Tour Boards on Monday approved eligibility for a “last chance” series, a new PGA Tour Championship Series points system, and performance benefits for the 2027 season that will determine membership composition for the 2028 season.
"From the beginning, we set out to preserve the meritocracy that makes our sport unique by creating a system where performance dictates opportunity," said Tour CEO Brian Rolapp. "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. For fans, this means a clear understanding of what is at stake during each PGA Tour competition, whether that is at an event or across a season."
Rolapp is scheduled to host a virtual news conference to discuss details to the biggest change to the Tour's competitive structure since the FedEx Cup debuted in 2007.
As previously announced in June, the Tour will feature two series of events running concurrently – the Championship Series and the Challenger Series – with players moving between each series annually based on performance. Players will compete within their respective series, with the Championship Series featuring the Tour's top performers. The Challenger Series – with fields consisting of Tour winners, accomplished players fighting their way back to the top, the latest crop of potential stars right out of college and the top talent from the developmental system – will annually promote the top 20 players to the Championship Series.
The new system will ensure upward mobility for top-performing players at each level. The annual promotion and relegation between the two series will be complemented by additional properties, including PGA Tour University and a "last chance" series.
Access available to top performers from the DP World Tour is being considered as part of the ongoing discussions regarding the future of the Strategic Alliance.
Additionally, the Boards aligned on the Korn Ferry Tour continuing to serve as the primary path to the PGA Tour and annually promote players to the Challenger Series. Details on the full developmental system are set to be finalized at the Nov. 16 board meeting.
As the Tour transitions to the new competitive system, there were an assortment of details that had to be worked out. Among them:
top performers who, by the end of the 2026 season, have earned exemptions through the ‘28 season and beyond will have access to the Championship Series for the duration of that exemption. This includes players who have tournament winner exemptions and those who earned a two-year exemption by finishing in the top 30 of the 2026 FedEx Cup points list.
Membership categories for ‘28 are outlined below, as well as transition-year performance benefits.
Who is in the PGA Tour Championship Series?
The Championship Series will be made up of eligible players based on the following membership categories. These players will be eligible to compete in all Championship Series events (note: events such as the Players and majors may maintain eligibility criteria specific to their respective events). Importantly, there will be no alternate list and field sizes will vary based on the number of players committed. The membership criteria include:
- Retained Players – Top 90 players who retain Championship Series membership.
- Promoted Players – Top 20 players who are promoted from the Challenger Series.
- Two-Time Winners – Players who win twice during the Challenger Series season.
- Two-Year Winner Exemptions – Winners of Championship Series events, inclusive of the Players and majors, receive PGA Tour Championship Series membership for the current season and the following two seasons. Winner exemptions do not extend beyond two years for multiple wins in a season.
- Medical Extensions – Medical Extensions will be granted on a limited basis for injury or conditions that materially prevent competition, as determined by an outside review committee of independent medical experts.
- Career Milestone Exemptions – Players with exceptional Tour careers – currently recognized through the career money list – will be eligible to use a one-time exemption on the Championship Series in 2029 and beyond. In order to do so, the player must hold Championship Series membership the season prior and the exemption must be used in the year immediately following loss of Championship Series membership. Career Milestone Exemptions for 2028 are listed below in transition-year eligibility.
- Pathways– Future stars of the Championship Series will be captured through the Tour’s Pathways, including PGA Tour University and a “last chance” series.
- The No. 1 player from PGA Tour University following that season’s NCAA Championship will be eligible for the Championship Series that season and the following season.
- Three cards will be available via a “last chance” series.
Who is the PGA Tour Challenger Series?
The Challenger Series will feature fields of 144 players, with the ability to reduce when necessary (e.g. daylight), and with an alternate list. The membership criteria include:
- PGA Tour Championship Series Relegated – Players relegated from the Championship Series in the previous season.
- PGA Tour Challenger Series Retained – Nos. 21-90 on the previous season’s Challenger Series Points List.
- 20 Players Promoted from Korn Ferry Tour
- The top 20 finishers from the previous season’s Korn Ferry Tour Points List.
- Tournament Winners Exemptions
- Winners of Challenger Series events receive Challenger Series membership for the current season and the following season. Winner exemptions do not extend beyond one year for multiple wins in a season.
- In addition to their two-year exemption on the Championship Series, winners of Championship Series events, inclusive of the Players and majors, in the previous four years are exempt on the Challenger Series.
- Players who win multiple Championship Series events in the same season will have their winner's exemption on the Challenger Series extended for each additional win, up to a maximum of five seasons. Exemptions for multiple wins on the Challenger Series do not extend.
- PGA Tour University
- Nos. 2-5 in the PGA Tour University Ranking earn Challenger Series membership following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship through the following season.
- Players who achieve and accept PGA Tour University Accelerated earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership and can join at the start of a future season.
- Q-School
- The top five finishers from the previous season’s PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament (Q-School).
- Open Qualifying
- The top two finishers at Open Qualifying for Challenger Series events played the same week as Championship Series events.
- There is no Open Qualifying for standalone Challenger Series events.
- Designated Exemptions
- Up to two designated exemptions.
- Medical Extensions
- Medical Extensions will be granted on a limited basis for injury or conditions that materially prevent competition, as determined by an outside review committee of independent medical experts.
“Last Chance” Series Eligibility
The Tour will develop a “last chance” series of a minimum of four events in the fall with three cards available for the Championship Series. All eligible players will be eligible for every event, with no alternate list. Players will be required to participate in all events in the series to earn a PGA Tour Championship Series card, pending any medical exclusion. The series will be contested after the annual Qualifying Tournament (Q-School) and will begin in the fall of 2028. Eligible players are as follows:
- PGA Tour Championship Series Relegated
- Players relegated from the Championship Series the season immediately preceding a “last chance” series.
- PGA Tour Challenger Series Retained
- Nos. 21-90 from the Challenger Series Points List in the season immediately preceding a “last chance” series.
- 20 Players Promoted from Korn Ferry Tour
- The 20 players promoted from the Korn Ferry Tour.
- PGA Tour University Current Season
- Nos. 2-5 in the PGA Tour University Ranking in the current season, following the conclusion of NCAA Championship.
- PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament (Q-School)
- The top 5 finishers from the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament immediately preceding a “last chance” series.
Transition-Year Eligibility
In order to determine membership for 2028, the following transition-year eligibility has been set.
- Tournament Winners
- PGA Tour Tournament Winner exemptions earned by the conclusion of the 2026 season will be honored through the duration of its term on the Championship Series.
- Winners of the Players, majors and signature events in 2027 will earn:
- Championship Series membership through 2029
- Challenger Series membership through 2031
- Winners of Full-Field Events in 2027 during the regular season will earn:
- Championship Series membership through 2028
- Challenger Series membership through 2029
- Winners of FedEx Cup fall events and opposite events in 2027 will earn:
- Challenger Series membership through 2029
- FedEx Cup Points List
- Players who earned a two-year exemption by finishing in the top 30 of the 2026 FedEx Cup Points List will have Championship Series membership for the 2028 season. This two-year exemption will not be awarded for the top 30 finishers in 2027.
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- The top 70 players in the final 2027 FedEx Cup points list (through the FedEx Cup playoffs) will earn Championship Series membership for 2028. Note: The top 70 will be locked following the 2027 Tour Championship.The top 95 players in the final 2027 FedEx Cup fall points list will earn Championship Series membership for 2028.
- Career Milestones
- The top 25 and top 50 members on the PGA Tour career money list at the end of the 2027 season may elect a one-time, one-season Championship Series exemption for 2028. Members utilizing a Career Money Exemption must have played in 15 or more Tour events in 2027.
- Korn Ferry Tour Points List
- The top 10 players in the final 2027 Korn Ferry Tour points list will earn Championship Series membership for 2028.
- The next 30 players in the final 2027 Korn Ferry Tour points list, not otherwise exempt for the Championship Series or Challenger Series, beginning with No. 11, will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership for 2028.
- PGA Tour University
- The No. 1 player in the final 2027 PGA Tour University Ranking will earn Tour membership for the remainder of the current season, following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship, and Championship Series membership for 2028.
- Nos. 2-10 in the final 2027 PGA Tour University Ranking will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the remainder of the current season, following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship, and the top five performers on the 2027 total points list will earn Challenger Series membership for 2028.
- PGA Tour Americas
- The No. 1 player in the final 2027 PGA Tour Americas points list will earn Challenger Series membership for 2028.
- Medical Extensions
- Players who are injured in 2027 and require a Major Medical Extension in 2028 will receive a medical on the Championship Series if:
- Competing in a tournament winner category at the time of their injury ORCompeting out of the top 70 category at the time of their injury ORMaintained a 3-year average of top 70 points at the time of their injury
- All medical extensions for injuries prior to 2027 will be played out on the PGA Tour Challenger Series in 2028.
- Players who are injured in 2027 and require a Major Medical Extension in 2028 will receive a medical on the Championship Series if:
- Final Stage of Q-School
- Top 10 finishers from Final Stage of Q-School in 2027 receive Challenger Series membership in 2028.
- Final Stage exemptions include:
- Players in fully exempt categories on the PGA Tour in 2027 (through top 30 FedEx Cup Points Year 2)
- Nos. 176-200 on the final 2027 FedEx Cup Fall Points List
- Players within the top 75 on the 2027 Korn Ferry Tour Points List
- Top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of the Final Stage entry deadline
- Nos. 2-10 in the 2027 PGA Tour University Ranking
- Top 10 on the 2027 PGA Tour Americas Points List
- Leading player from International Tour partners
- Medical Exemptions/Extensions
How will the PGA Tour Championship Series Points List work?
One of the most noticeable changes is that the Players, majors and signature events will not be weighted differently anymore. The goal is to make it easier for fans to understand. As such, all winners will earn 300 points, with 200 for second, 150 for third, 130 for fourth, down to 30 points for the player who makes the cut to the low-65 and finishes last. The new points distribution model will feature a flatter curve, rewarding winning and top finishes while emphasizing the importance of making the cut. This will create clearer and more compelling storylines on an event-by-event and season-long basis as players are accurately ranked based on performance, with sustained performance over the course of the season rewarded. Additionally, the points list will be easier to follow over the course of the season, as players are competing head-to-head throughout the year and only earn points within their respective series.
Points for a finish position by a player who is not a member of the Championship Series will not be distributed.
A non-member who wins a major championship and/or a player promoted following two wins in the same season on the Challenger Series will earn membership on the Championship Series, but will only be eligible to earn points moving forward following the win.
The PGA Tour Challenger Series points system is set to be finalized at the November 16 Board Meeting.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: 'PGA Tour overhauls competitive structure for 2028'
