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PGA Tour will announce increased purses for four tournaments – with at least $20MILLION in prize money – as storied tour continues to fight with Saudi-backed LIV Golf
- A total of 13 tournaments have been chosen to receive elevated purses – with four of those being put on a rotating basis – with a minimum of $20m in each
- The WM Phoenix Open, RBC Heritage, the Wells Fargo Championship and the Travelers Championship will be the first of those four tournaments
- These purses replaced initial plans for a limited international tour with similarly large purses that were seen as a way for the PGA Tour to compete with LIV
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The PGA Tour has revealed which four tournaments will be the first in the rotation to receive increased purses of at least $20million in 2023.
Back in August, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced the tour would not go through with plans for a previously announced global series. Instead, he revealed that the purses for 13 events would be raised – with four tournaments being put on a rotation to be announced.
Monahan announced these plans at a time where LIV Golf was drawing more and more players away from the tour – including high-profile names like Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka.
As the two competing golf circuits continue their war of attrition, the PGA Tour is making more money available to its membership.
That includes these soon-to-be-announced tournaments. This initial group of four will be rotated out on a year-to-year basis
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan revealed the four tournaments getting increased purses
Tournaments like the Phoenix Open will see elevated prize purses averaging around $20m
The four tournaments for this season will be the Waste Management Phoenix Open – played at TPC Scottsdale near Phoenix, Arizona, the RBC Heritage played at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the Wells Fargo Championship played at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Travelers Championship held at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.
When the plans for a global tour were initially revealed, they were seen as a way for the tour to directly compete with LIV – both in playing structure and prize money as well as the global reach of the sport.
Purses at those global events were planned to be as much as $25m featuring the top 50 players in the standings for the FedEx Cup and the best performers at some events from the fall. They also would not have any cuts in the events.
Instead of that limited series, the PGA Tour chose to increase the size of the purses for 13 tournaments with an average size of $20m for each.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has made a number of changes in an attempt at keeping players happy and where they currently are.
The tour guaranteed a minimum salary of $500,000 to rookies, which can be received up front, and lower-ranked players will get a $5,000 stipend for each missed cut.
Additionally, the top players have committed to playing at least 20 tournaments per year – which can include the four majors.
The initial announcement of the international series came at the Travelers Championship back in June at a press conference.
Following the 2023 calendar, the Tour plans to return to a streamlined schedule running from January to August.
Two of these four tournaments just revealed will be played immediately following a major. The RBC Heritage is traditionally played the week following the Masters, while the Travelers Championship is usually held after the US Open.
Monahan announced these plans at a time where Greg Norman’s LIV Golf was attracting stars
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