How it works: Promotion and relegation on the PGA Tour

With the PGA Tour Boards approving a series of recommendations from the Future Competition Committee, a new competitive structure will be implemented on Tour beginning in 2028. The new model will feature two distinct series of tournaments – the PGA Tour Championship Series and the PGA Tour Challenger Series – which will run concurrently.

A key component to the new system will be a true meritocracy, including both promotion and relegation, as players and fans have clear guidelines on the stakes for each tournament.

Let’s dive into how promotion and relegation will work on the PGA Tour beginning in 2028:

Points lists

The PGA Tour Championship Series and the PGA Tour Challenger Series will utilize separate and distinct points lists, each geared toward rewarding winning, emphasizing top finishes and reinforcing the importance of making the cut. Players will earn points only within the series for which they are eligible.

The PGA Tour Championship Series will utilize a single, consistent points system across every event, unlike it is today with four types of events offering different point allocations.

The PGA Tour Challenger Series will award points in a consistent manner, with elevated points offered for majors as well as events played during PGA Tour Championship Series off weeks. The PGA Tour Challenger Series points system is set to be finalized at the November 16 Board Meeting.

PGA Tour Championship Series players will not be eligible for PGA Tour Challenger Series events.

Promotion to PGA Tour Championship Series

A minimum of 20 additional spots will go to the top finishers from the PGA Tour Challenger Series, players who distinguish themselves across a schedule of at least 20 events.

PGA Tour Challenger Series players who finish inside the top 20 on the season-long points race will have PGA Tour Championship Series membership for the entire subsequent season, with guaranteed entry into every regular season event outside of the majors and THE PLAYERS, which may maintain their own eligibility.

Unlike today, PGA Tour Championship Series event eligibility is the same for each event, so players on the PGA Tour Championship Series are guaranteed access to every event.

PGA Tour Challenger Series players who finish outside the cutoff for promotion will still have an opportunity for promotion via the “last chance” series, a minimum of four events played in the fall with three PGA Tour Championship Series spots available to top finishers. Full eligibility for the PGA Tour Championship Series and last chance series is available here.

In 2027 only, as part of the transition to the new competitive structure, specific transition-year eligibility will apply. The top 10 players in the final 2027 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn PGA Tour Championship Series membership for 2028. The next 30 players in the final Korn Ferry Tour Points List, not otherwise exempt, will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership.

In-season promotion opportunities

The other in-season promotion option is winning a major championship. Entry criteria for each major will be determined by the respective organization, meaning that PGA Tour Challenger Series participants could qualify for majors despite those events appearing on the PGA Tour Championship Series schedule. Should a player who is not a PGA Tour Championship Series member win a major, he would earn an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour Championship Series.

Relegation to PGA Tour Challenger Series

The top 90 players from the season-long points list will retain PGA Tour Championship Series membership for the following season. Those who fail to retain their membership during the regular season could retain it via the “last chance” series held in the fall.

All PGA Tour Championship Series players who fail to regain their status via the “last chance” series will be eligible for the PGA Tour Challenger Series the following year.

Those criteria will take effect at the start of the 2028 season. However, in 2027, as part of the transition to the new competitive structure, the top-95 finishers in the FedExCup standings will earn PGA Tour Championship Series membership for the 2028 season.

Promotion to PGA Tour Challenger Series

Multiple pathways will lead to promotion to the PGA Tour Challenger Series.

The top 20 players from the Korn Ferry Tour will be promoted annually. Nos. 2-5 in the PGA Tour University Ranking in the current season will also earn membership mid-season following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship.

The PGA Tour's annual qualifying tournament, known as Q-School, will conclude prior to the beginning of the “last chance” series and will also offer the opportunity for players to earn access to the PGA Tour Challenger Series in addition to pathways developmental properties. The top five finishers from the previous season's Q-School will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership.

However, in 2027, as part of the transition to the new competitive structure, the top 10 finishers from the Final Stage of Q-School will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership in 2028.

There will also be relegation out of the PGA Tour Challenger Series, the details of which will be released at a later date.