PGA 2k23

 

PGA TOUR 

Golf is one of the most popular and growing sports on the globe with a record number of 531 million rounds of golf recorded in 2023. (National Golf Foundation) The PGA Tour is the top level of professional golf, the platform enables the best players in the world to gather and showcase their skills to the world. The PGA Tour is built on a prestigious history which act in accordance with a strict set of rules and traditions stretching over decades. 

Having picked the sport up myself last year I have fallen in love with watching the 4 major tournaments that are part of the PGA TOUR roster. The Masters, The US Open, The Open and the PGA Championships. These events hosted by the PGA TOUR allow golf fans to immerse themselves into the pinnacle of golf and see the highest profile players, with the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy battling it out.

Tournament Format & Prize money

The PGA Tour follows a 72 hole stroke play tournament which is played from Thursday to Sunday. Players play individually and a cut is made after the 2nd round of golf is played on the Friday. The field consists of roughly 120-150 players who gain their spot based on rankings or qualifications. The prize money on the PGA Tour is significant and is offered to players in a purse format. The tournament winner will receive the largest cash prize, while the amount decreases for those who place lower in the standings. However, if a player does not make the cut they earn nothing. This can have a lasting impact on a player, as financial losses may occur, along with the loss of sponsorship, networking opportunities and overall exposure.

Schedule 

The PGA has a drawn out, established golf calendar that spans over the entire year. Around 50 events occur annually from autumn to the following summer ranging from smaller tournaments to the prestigious major tournaments. PGA Tour players are expected to play in a minimum amount of events a season to retain their 'PGA Tour card' The higher end players such as Scottie Scheffler are expected to play 15 but most choose to play more.