PGA Tour adding big-ticket events for 2023 season to compete with LIV Golf
The PGA Tour issued its response to LIV Golf tempting pro golfers by using huge paychecks as bait.
This week, the Tour announced it will add events to its 2023 schedule, including about three events for the top 50 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings, with the purse for these events being upward of $20 million.
There are different reports as to whether all of those events will take place in the fall or be spread throughout the 2023 season.
Golfweek further explained that "only the top 70 players in FedEx Cup points will qualify for the first playoff tournament, the FedEx St. Jude Championship." The top 50 from that event will move on to the BMW Championship, and the top 30 from there will play in the Tour Championship. The three events are expected to be played across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
This pivot by the PGA Tour comes as it continues to battle with players wanting to try out the new LIV Golf. The breakaway league — which has caused a ton of controversy for being funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund — features a smaller field and doesn't have cuts, but it pays participants huge sums of money.
So far, the PGA Tour has suspended 17 golfers who have chosen to play in the breakaway league, which has event dates that conflict with Tour events. Multiple big-name golfers will not participate in this week's Travelers Championship because they have chosen to join LIV Golf.
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