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PGA Tour tipped for major change fans will love but players like Rickie Fowler won’t

Originally posted on HITC | By Guadalupe Carniel | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 12:33 PM ET

Johnson Wagner reckons the PGA Tour could be on the verge of a major shift that fans would really get behind.

But not everyone would be thrilled about it. Take Rickie Fowler, for example—he might not be too keen on what’s being discussed.

Fowler was one of the biggest names in golf about ten years ago, but his form has dropped off since then. Even so, he still pulls in a crowd wherever he plays.

The tour itself has changed a lot over the years, with new faces breaking through all the time and shifting the landscape.

Now that Brian Rolapp is in charge as CEO, there’s talk that even bigger changes could be on the way next year.

PGA Tour tipped to make a big change that fans will get behind

With Rolapp now at the helm, the PGA Tour is expected to roll out several changes ahead of the 2026 season.

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He said he wasn’t shy about taking risks, and Johnson Wagner has called for one change in particular. Wagner spoke on the Trey Wingo Podcast about how things look right now for the PGA Tour.

When asked what he thought needed to be different, this was his response: “As I look at it from the media perspective, it’s completely different from how I look at it from a former player perspective.”

Johnson Wagner references Rickie Fowler in PGA Tour field size discussion

Wagner brought up Fowler while explaining why he thinks the PGA Tour should consider a new approach moving forward.

While removing the Fall Series might benefit fans, it wouldn’t be as popular with players ranked around the top 100 of the FedEx Cup standings.

Wagner explained: “I think field sizes need to be 100-man field. 20 weeks plus the majors. Play big purses, and all 100 players who keep their cards play in those events.

“Of those 100 who play in those events, maybe the top 70 keep their cards then 15 from DP World and 15 from Korn Ferry get their cards.”

“So a guy like Rickie Fowler, who last year was outside the top 100, he would then have to go back down to that Korn Ferry Tour.”

Wagner was referring to the 2024 season when Fowler finished outside of the FedEx Cup top-100 at first before falling just inside by season’s end. Under Wagner’s proposal, Fowler would have been required to join to earn his way back for next year.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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