The growing chasm on the PGA Tour is no longer a theory but a stark reality on display this week. The Genesis Invitational brought together 41 of the top-50 players, but this week, the Cognizant Classic has no players from the top 20. The $9.2 million purse is overshadowed by Genesis and API, offering more than double the prize. Tiger Woods gave this a thought and is working on a plan to determine which version of the PGA Tour moves forward.

“Change is coming to the PGA Tour, as are tough conversations for Brian Rolapp,” Eamon Lynch wrote.

Rolapp is not just sharing a vision or asking people to protect their own interests. He is taking apart the image the Tour has built over the years: the idea that all members and tournaments are treated the same. The truth is, there is a divide, and now, it is about to become official.

Rolapp is running two products: one for the top stars who bring in big TV money, and one for the rest. In a for-profit world, only one of those can be the main focus, and we all know which one it is. The push to formalize a meritocracy is clear, but it leaves those outside the top tier paying the price.

For instance, the Cognizant field was hit hard before play even started. Ben Griffin and Jacob Bridgeman withdrew, and then Adam Scott, the last big name, pulled out as well. This would affect the event, with maybe fewer viewers tuning in, and eventually, even the sponsors might just take a step back.

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The Tour’s structure is set for a major overhaul in 2026; the number of fully exempt cards will fall from 125 to 100, field sizes will be capped at 144, and some events will be limited to 120 players. The Korn Ferry Tour will now promote only 20 players each year, down from 30. Kevin Kisner has already voiced his concerns, saying he would rather see a unified 25-event schedule where all sponsors are treated equally.

At the Genesis Invitational press conference, J.J. Spaun said the pathway to PGA Tour status “is harder now,” a three-word acknowledgment that the compression is already being felt before the formal announcement has even landed. Woods confirmed at the same event that the Korn Ferry could evolve into a broader, two-tiered system focused on youth development rather than functioning solely as a feeder to a shrinking main tour.

To soften the blow, the Tour has rolled out two financial programs.

• The Member Support Program sets a $150,000 earnings floor for players ranked 126th or lower in the previous FedExCup, provided they play at least 12 events across the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour.
• The Pathways Player Achievement Grant awards $15,000 upfront to Korn Ferry players ranked 21st-75th, the top 10 from PGA Tour Americas, and the top 5 from PGA Tour University.

This money comes from funds that used to be $500,000 in advances for fully exempt members. But the real question is whether a $150,000 floor can make up for the loss of field access and ranking points that come with being pushed down to a lower tier.

Other major American sports leagues have already answered that question. They formalized their own hierarchies long before golf did.

The PGA Tour’s tiered model mirrors the NBA, NFL, and USL playbook

The NBA’s G League, established in 2001 as a feeder system, has been locked in a wage gap that persists. A G League player gets $40,500 for a season that lasts five or six months. An NBA rookie starts at about $1.1 million.

The NFL practice squad is no different, as players take $12,500 to $13,000 a week, with no guarantees. They can be cut at any time. The minimum on the main roster is $795,000, and there is no real protection for those on the edge.

In American soccer, the USL is launching “USL Premier” in 2028 to create a three-tier pyramid. Here, the relegation will have severe consequences, leading to collapsed sponsorship, reduced media visibility, and wage cuts.

The pattern across every league is the same: formalizing tiers as it protects the elite product’s broadcast value. But Ggolf has always been different. Every player got a tee time. Every sponsor had a chance, and every tournament mattered. Now, Rolapp and Woods are changing that. Golfers are waiting for the March announcement at The Players, and so is the golf world.