When the world’s best golfers disappear for three months, who’s really to blame? That question sparked a heated debate on Golf Today, where analysts Rex Hoggard and Ryan Lavner put the PGA Tour squarely in the hot seat.

The numbers tell a stark story. Rory McIlroy played five tournaments after the FedEx Cup ended in September. Tommy Fleetwood competed in three fall events. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler played zero fall events. Xander Schauffele managed just one appearance at the Zozo Championship in Japan, which he won. The contrast couldn’t be sharper.

Hoggard didn’t mince words during the roundtable discussion. He pointed to a fundamental issue beyond player choice. The tour can make fall events more compelling for players, he argued. His solution involves completely transforming the fall schedule. “If you turn the fall into some sort of international series that gave out a lot of big money, a lot of big world ranking points made it significant,” Hoggard explained. That structure might include many DP World Tour events. Only then would Americans consider getting off the couch.

Yet Hoggard acknowledged an uncomfortable truth about American players. They simply don’t travel during fall. “It’s just a fact,” he stated bluntly. The observation cuts deeper than simple preference. It reveals a cultural divide that the PGA Tour hasn’t figured out how to bridge.

“I’m not proud to say this, but it probably depends on what passport they’re carrying because if they’re Americans, they have a tendency not to travel during the fall.”

Ryan Lavner reinforced this assessment with brutal clarity. He emphasized the stark reality of fall tournaments. “The American stars are largely sitting at home on their couch recovering and recuperating,” Lavner observed. Meanwhile, European players aren’t just showing up. They’re winning everything. The fall schedule lacks big names, making it tough to draw crowds.

Lavner highlighted another critical factor. “American players have made it clear, Scottie Scheffler among them, very content sitting at home for three months,” he noted. Schauffele only wants to play about once when he heads overseas. The pattern is undeniable and consistent.

The analysts pointed to European dominance throughout late summer and fall. McIlroy captured the DP World Tour Championship along with his sixth Race to Dubai crown. Fleetwood finished tied for third. Lavner described the scene vividly. “This love fest between Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose, Ryder Cup, Rory and Matt Fitzpatrick hugging on each other,” he observed. The European camaraderie extended beyond competition. American participation? Virtually nonexistent.

“Any sort of discussion about what should happen with the future of the fall, you have to understand there’s so many different constituents at play.”

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The Cultural Psychology Behind American Fall Resistance

The cultural divide runs deeper than tournament schedules. Americans face the football season starting immediately after the playoffs conclude. Thanksgiving and Christmas dominate the calendar. Europeans embrace year-round competition through the DP World Tour’s extended schedule, which runs into mid-November.

Brian Rolapp’s vision for 2030 might change everything. The newly appointed CEO emphasizes “scarcity” in tournament scheduling. His Future Competition Committee includes Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay. They’re examining the future role of fall in the tour’s global expansion plans. Strategic Sports Group’s $1.5 billion investment adds urgency to these discussions.

Yet even with equity stakes in PGA Tour Enterprises, American stars show little interest in fall events. The analysts made their position clear throughout the discussion. Tour leadership bears responsibility, not individual players. Hoggard believes Scheffler and Schauffele will remain perfectly happy taking extended breaks. After Scheffler’s historic seven-win season and Schauffele’s two major championships, their choices seem entirely justified.

PGA Tour executives have long prioritized finishing before the NFL and college football kick off. That strategy leaves fall events competing for scraps. Until the tour creates truly compelling international events with proper financial incentives, Americans won’t budge. Europeans will keep winning. The divide will persist.