Tiger Woods: PGA Tour's Future Requires 'Hours Upon Hours' of Work
Tiger Woods on PGA Tour's Future: 'Hours Upon Hours' Spent on Changes
Tiger Woods, the chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competitions Committee, has been deeply involved in shaping the future of the tour. His efforts have included numerous Zoom calls and strategic meetings aimed at redefining the tour’s direction and schedule. During a press conference ahead of the Genesis Invitational, an event he hosts at Riviera Country Club, Woods reflected on the time and effort invested in these discussions.
“I thought I spent a lot of hours practicing in my prime. It doesn't come close to what we've done in the board room,” Woods said. “We're trying to do the right thing. We're making some great strides. The player directors have been unbelievable with their time and their focus and the depth of knowledge and perspective.”
Potential Changes and Public Debate
Several potential changes have been discussed, including the removal of Hawaii events from the schedule and shifting the start of the season to February after the Super Bowl to avoid competition with the NFL. These ideas have sparked debates among players and fans alike.
Last week, the executive director of the Players Championship spoke with Front Office Sports and hinted that the Tour is considering playing more tournaments in major U.S. markets. According to PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, "starting the season big" and "owning the summer" are top priorities.
Implementation Timeline and Rumors
The question remains how soon these changes will be implemented. Woods acknowledged that they could be enacted as soon as next season, though it might take a couple of years to fully implement all the changes. He noted that parts of the schedule could be altered between 2026 and 2027.
Rumors suggest moving events at Pebble Beach and Riviera to the summer and potentially integrating them into the FedEx Cup Playoffs. During a press conference announcing the extension of the Genesis sponsorship through 2030, Jose Munoz, Hyundai’s President and CEO, expressed openness to adjusting the event’s date.
“We are all discussing how we can make this better, and as Tiger mentioned, it needs to be good for everybody, for them, for the sponsors, for the customers and mainly for the followers,” Munoz said. “I think this is a possibility. We're very open-minded and willing to make things better.”
Scarcity and Competitive Model
Woods was asked to explain how the concept of scarcity, which Rolapp introduced during his inaugural press conference at the Tour Championship, would translate into less being more for the Tour. Woods suggested that fewer events would lead to greater competitiveness and opportunities for emerging talent.
“We're going to get more top players playing and we're going to make it more competitive. We'll have fewer cards, so that in itself is going to make it more competitive just to be out here,” Woods explained. “We're trying to create opportunities for that turnover coming from the PGA Tour U or it's the Korn Ferry and trying to get more youth out here because eventually they're going to take over the game.”
Balancing Multiple Responsibilities
Balancing the demands of his role on the Future Competitions Committee and other responsibilities has become a challenge for Woods. He admitted uncertainty about whether he can commit enough time to serve as the U.S. Ryder Cup Captain.
“That's been driving me hours upon hours every day and trying to figure out if I can actually do our team, our Team USA and our players and everyone that's going to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if I can do it justice with my time,” he said. “Serving on two boards and what I'm doing for the PGA Tour, I'm trying to figure out if I can actually do this and serve the people that are involved and serve them at an honorable level.”
Uncertainty and Ongoing Discussions
Rolapp was present during the Genesis Invitational sponsorship extension and scheduled a player meeting later that evening, but it’s unclear if he will share details with attendees. One tournament director noted that there have been many iterations of the revised schedule, making it difficult to predict the final outcome.
"Some things that we've taken a look at we've nixed off the table and there's other opportunities that have grown and we've flushed out," Woods said. "It changes day-to-day, so if you ask me tomorrow, that might change."
