01PGA 투어, 2028년 '투어 이원화·승강제' 본격 출범
PGA 투어가 2028시즌부터 기존 단일 투어 체제를 폐지하고, 최정상급 선수들이 경쟁하는 '챔피언십 시리즈'와 도약·재기를 노리는 선수들이 모이는 '챌린저 시리즈'로 대회를 양분한다. 두 시리즈는 연중 병행 운영되며, 시즌 종료 후 챌린저 시리즈 상위 20명이 챔피언십 시리즈로 승격하고, 챔피언십 시리즈 하위권은 챌린저 시리즈로 강등되는 승강제가 적용된다. 브라이언 롤랍 CEO는 "실력이 곧 기회가 되는 메리토크라시를 보장하기 위한 구조"라고 취지를 밝혔다.
챔피언십 시리즈는 투어 우승자, 페덱스컵 상위권자, 메이저 챔피언 등 검증된 최상위 선수들로 구성되며, 별도 대기자 명단 없이 출전 선수 수에 따라 필드 규모가 유동적으로 정해진다. 챌린저 시리즈는 144명 정원(일조량 등 사유로 축소 가능)에 대기자 명단을 두고, 투어 우승 경력자·대학 졸업 유망주·콘페리 투어 졸업생·챔피언십 시리즈 강등 선수 등이 섞여 치열한 생존 경쟁을 벌이게 된다.
승격 통로는 한층 다양해졌다. 콘페리 투어가 챌린저 시리즈 직행 통로로 유지되는 가운데, 가을에 최소 4개 대회로 치러지는 '라스트챈스 시리즈'가 신설돼 상위 3명에게 챔피언십 시리즈 직행 티켓을 준다. 이 시리즈는 연말 퀄리파잉 스쿨(Q스쿨) 이후 시작되며, 의료 사유를 제외한 전 경기 출전이 의무다. DP 월드 투어 상위 선수들의 챔피언십 시리즈 진입 경로도 전략적 제휴 논의 속에 검토 중이다.
과도기인 2026~2027시즌에는 2028시즌 멤버십을 결정할 새로운 포인트 시스템이 도입된다. 챔피언십 시리즈 전 대회(더 플레이어스, 메이저 포함)에 동일한 포인트 배분표를 적용해 팬들이 이해하기 쉽게 만들었고, 컷 통과와 꾸준한 상위 입상을 더 보상하는 '평탄한 곡선' 분포로 시즌 내내 순위 경쟁이 치열해지도록 설계했다. 비회원이 메이저 우승하거나 챌린저 시리즈에서 시즌 2승을 거둬도 즉시 챔피언십 시리즈 멤버십을 얻지만, 이후 대회부터 포인트 적립이 가능하다. 챌린저 시리즈 포인트 세부 규정은 11월 16일 이사회에서 최종 확정된다.
02Original (English) — PGA TOUR
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA Tour on Tuesday announced 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 PGA Tour Boards 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 PGA 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."
The PGA Tour will feature two series of events running concurrently – the PGA Tour Championship Series and the PGA Tour Challenger Series – with players moving between each series annually based on performance. Players will compete within their respective series, with the PGA Tour Championship Series featuring the Tour's top performers, driving a season narrative that identifies the best golfer in the world. The PGA Tour Challenger Series – with fields consisting of PGA Tour winners, accomplished players fighting their way back to the top, rising talent right out of college and breakout stars from the developmental system – will annually promote the top 20 players to the PGA Tour 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 PGA Tour 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, top performers who, by the end of the 2026 season, have earned exemptions through the 2028 season and beyond will have access to the PGA Tour 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 FedExCup Points List.
Membership categories for 2028 are outlined below, as well as transition-year performance benefits.
The PGA Tour Championship Series will be made up of eligible players based on the following membership categories. These players will be eligible to compete in all PGA Tour Championship Series events (note: events such as THE PLAYERS and majors may maintain eligibility criteria specific to their respective events). There will be no alternate list and field sizes will vary based on the number of players committed. The membership criteria include:
The PGA Tour 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:
The PGA Tour will develop a “last chance” series of a minimum of four events in the fall with three cards available for the PGA Tour 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 in order 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:
In order to determine membership for 2028, the following transition-year eligibility has been set.
In 2028, each PGA Tour series will operate its own season-long points system. To make it easier for fans to understand, all PGA Tour Championship Series events will use the same points distribution, including THE PLAYERS Championship and majors. 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.
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.
Points for a finish position by a player who is not a member of the PGA Tour 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 PGA Tour Challenger Series will earn membership on the PGA Tour 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.