Some changes have already happened, and many more are to come with the PGA Tour schedule. But amid the uncertainty, the organization has made a move for the $9.6 million Torrey Pines event, the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open.

CBS Sports broadcaster Jim Nantz is all in on the move that would enhance fans’ experience.

“David discussed it really well. I have no idea where the schedule’s going,” stated Jim Nantz, “but as long as the NFL has an open weekend … this to me would be the number one piece of real estate you could have on the West Coast for television.”

The PGA Tour made a bold decision to schedule the 2026 Farmers Insurance Open for a traditional Thursday-to-Sunday finish. It will be scheduled from January 29 to February 1, 2026, at Torrey Pines. This marks a return to normalcy after three years of Wednesday-Saturday formats.

From 2023 to 2025, the event dodged NFL playoff conflicts with Saturday finishes. The PGA Tour avoided NFL overlap by planning the event post-conference championships. However, the experiment comes to an end this year.

This $9.6 million event is the first CBS PGA Tour broadcast of 2026. It aligns perfectly in the NFL’s off-week before the February 8 Super Bowl, boosting TV visibility on the West Coast.

Jim Nantz had multiple duties during the previous Farmers Insurance Open edition.

He called the final rounds remotely from the AFC Championship sites. But this time, he’ll be on site at Torrey Pines South for full immersion.

ESPN airs Rounds 1-2 live; CBS/Golf Channel handle weekend; Paramount+ streams the CBS portion.

“The Farmers Insurance Open is a timeless sports and lifestyle tradition unlike any other in San Diego, and our fans can always count on spending quality time with family or mingling with friends at Torrey Pines while enjoying some amazing golf set against spectacular Pacific Ocean views,” Marty Gorsich, CEO of the Century Club of San Diego, said in a statement.

The Sunday finale amps up the drama at Torrey Pines. Ratings may rise versus prior Saturday nights, recapturing the major-like tension players and fans crave.

However, this is not the only change the PGA Tour is making to its schedule because of the NFL.

Top Stories

Bryson DeChambeau Visits PGA of America as LIV Golf’s Future Looks Bleak

Patrick Reed Cuts Ties With LIV Golf as He Commits to PGA Tour With Public Message

DP World Tour Pro Punished for Failing Doping Test With Lengthy Suspension Verdict

PGA Tour Brings Back 2 More Former LIV Golf Pros While Patrick Reed Confirms Return

LIV Golf Issues Calculated Message as Patrick Reed Walks Away

Plans for a later start to the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is discussing potentially starting the season after the Super Bowl (around mid-February) from 2027 to completely stay away from NFL playoffs. This comes amid broader schedule compression to 20-25 events led by Tiger Woods’ Future Competitions Committee (FCC).

The primary reasons for these changes are the ongoing NFL conflicts. Since most Americans watch NFL Playoffs until mid-February, golf events don’t get enough viewership.

CEO Brian Rolapp, an ex-NFL executive, supports the FCC’s decision. He knows that football dominates ratings. Thus, a post-Super Bowl kickoff would streamline not just the calendar but also TV slots and boost viewership. Players like Harris English endorse equalizing 20-22 events, freeing schedules while dodging the NFL.

However, others like Tom Hoge are against it.

Farmers’ 17-year deal ends post-2026. This is fueling speculation whether the event gets a slot at all in the new schedule or vanishes. But Century Club CEO Marty Gorsich sees opportunity in changes.

Torrey Pines would likely stay via new sponsorship. Many golfers, including Xander Schauffele, are fighting to preserve it.

“I am biased obviously, born and raised in San Diego, and was running around here when I was a teenager in high school. I think I would feel like Torrey’s safe if you kind of look at the schedule, and find a home, just because this property’s iconic. It’s a beautiful and big property. It’s a tough golf course, and it usually has pretty good winners on it,” Xander Schauffele told the media.

While there is no official 2027 PGA schedule yet, chances are that it will compress a little. With compressed schedules, more elite golfers can play almost all the events across the campaign. On the flip side, though, this reduces the chances of new and upcoming golfers showing their talent.

As the PGA Tour weighs a tighter, post-Super Bowl calendar, the future of events like Torrey Pines remains a focal point in the broader push for stronger viewership and cleaner TV windows. Against that backdrop, the return of the Farmers Insurance Open to a Sunday finish stands out as a timely statement, one that Jim Nantz and CBS see as a chance to give the West Coast stage back its full spotlight.