The PGA Tour is facing a glaring issue. They are unable to set the strongest field for their biggest events throughout the season outside of the majors and the PLAYERS Championship. Either Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler is missing from the Signature events. It has a huge negative effect on the ratings of the tournament.

Sean Zak from Golf.com pointed out, “One problem the PGA Tour needs to solve: Three Signature Events between Masters and PGA Champ. ZERO featuring BOTH Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. Hilton Head: Rory OUT, Scottie IN, Doral: Rory OUT, Scottie IN, Quail Hollow: Rory IN, Scottie OUT.”

The RBC Heritage, the Cadillac Championship, and the Truist Championship are hosted between the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship. So far, only the RBC Heritage has been completed. That saw Scottie Scheffler finish at P2 after a playoff defeat to Matt Fitzpatrick.

The world #1 will be returning to action in the Cadillac Championship. After McIlroy’s visit to the White House after his Masters Tournament win, he, too, was expected to appear at Trump Doral next week. However, the Northern Irishman has decided to skip the tournament.

As far as the Truist Championship goes, it will be the last pitstop before the players head to Aronimink Golf Club. That might prompt the world #2 to join the field. Despite the tournament being hosted a week before the PGA Championship. As per sources, McIlroy would want to get some practice in before playing the second major of the year.

As one would imagine, the internet was not happy about the schedule of the two best golfers on the Tour. And they shared their thoughts on Scheffler & McIlroy’s scheduling preferences.

Netizens vent out on the PGA Tour for Scottie Scheffler & Rory McIlroy’s busy schedule

Who would want to play so many Signature events between two majors? Certainly not the two best golfers in the world. Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy’s absence is expected. But the internet is not happy with the PGA Tour’s scheduling blunder.

Someone wrote, “Awful scheduling when Doral became a signature event. @PGATOUR. Also need to move @PGAChampionship back to August.”

The Cadillac Championship was confirmed for the 2026 PGA Tour schedule late last year. While it was worth celebrating the inclusion of a new event, fans weren’t happy with how congested it made the calendar. Moreover, the fan also wants the PGA Championship to be moved back to August. It was regularly played in the eight month of the year until 2018. Moving it back to the old schedule will give the pros some breathing space.

Another comment read, “This is a one -off with Doral being added to the schedule last minute. With the likely reworked schedule starting next year, hopefully the bigger events will be spread out.”

The Cadillac Championship was announced for 2026 in October last year. With the PGA Tour calendar for the new season releasing not long after, Brian Rolapp & Co. wouldn’t have had enough time to find an appropriate time to host the event. At least that’s what the fan believes. Hopefully, their prediction comes true, and this conflict is resolved in 2027.

One of the fans said, “I believe 100% that they are to close together. They should be 6 maybe 7 weeks apart.”

The RBC Heritage, the Cadillac Championship, and the Truist Championship are played within a span of 25 days. Expecting the top players on the Tour to participate in all of them would be preposterous. Especially after an intense battle at Augusta National and the upcoming challenge for the Wanamaker Trophy.

Another fan had the same views as they said, “No real sympathy for PGA tour on this one. How you can even think three signature events between majors was a sensible idea I don’t know. Anyway if they can start working now on having a much more spread schedule next year with proper space given to signatures it can be made up.”

It’s only the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship that are suffering. There is only one Signature event each between the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, and the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. Just goes to show how messed up the schedule is.

Lastly, a fan said, “I understand PGA Tour’s need to have top golfers play together more often but they really can’t expect them to play 2 events before a major. They need to reshuffle the schedule in a way that pros don’t have to choose between signature events and they can actually play all 8.”

From the beginning of February to the end of March, the Tour only had three Signature events and the PLAYERS Championship. The last couple of Signature tournaments are also played a month apart. However, the month of April and early May are the only times top golfers have been put in this predicament.

It’s worth noting that both Scheffler and McIlroy played every big event before the Masters Tournament together. It’s only between the Augusta National trip and the PGA Championship that they have had to choose carefully. So it all boils down to a message about the PGA Tour schedule. Maybe Rolapp can look into it for the 2027 season.