PGA Tour will offer participants record prize money starting next season in a bid to discourage its golfers from defecting to mega-rich LIV Golf.
The total value of the purses for the 43 non-majors will increase to $428.6 million which is more than $68.3 million from the previous season, according to the tour. The wheels to revamp their pay structures were already in motion due to a number of PGA golfers jumping ship to the rebel league.
PGA Tour offering record prize money is a direct reprisal to the LIV league which offers purses of $25 million for each of its eight events leading to a number of big names defecting to the Saudi-backed league in search of big paydays.
PGA’s eight invitationals will offer purses between $15 million and $25 million.
“We’ve heard from our fans and the overwhelming sentiment was that they wanted more consequences for both the FedExCup Regular Season and the Playoffs, and to further strengthen events that traditionally feature top players competing head-to-head,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement.
Only 70 players will earn a start in the first FedExCup Playoffs event, with the Tour Championship set to begin on August 21 in Atlanta.
Last month the PGA Tour sent a memo to players outlining a new ranking called the “FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List” that bypasses players who have been suspended but not resigned from the circuit.
The move ensured that the LIV Golfers do not negatively impact others’ eligibility
The 2022-23 PGA Tour season will include 47 tournaments and begins September 12 with the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California.
