Under new CEO Brian Rolapp’s leadership, sweeping changes are being made to the PGA Tour.
Brian Rolapp said he wouldn’t be bound by traditions when he first took the role in the summer of 2025, and that’s become blatantly obvious in recent months.
Harris English revealed planned changes to the 2027 schedule, which will cut down the West Coast Swing and start the season after the Super Bowl. This will remove a series of iconic courses from the PGA Tour schedule.
Then, Rolapp welcomed Brooks Koepka straight back onto the tour after he jumped ship from LIV Golf, proving his flexibility and boldness when making the biggest of decisions.
And now that the 2026 PGA Tour season is finally underway, Michael Kim explained how a change to the tour this year is already helping to address one of golf’s glaring issues.
Michael Kim said something happened for the first time in his PGA Tour career at the Sony Open
The pace of play on the PGA Tour is one of the most significant points of frustration for fans. It’s something they have tried to tackle for years, and rule changes in 2019 went some way to fixing the issue, but slow play still plagues the tour.
However, the PGA Tour implemented a new rule this season that Kim says has dramatically improved the pace of play. The maximum field size for standard one-course events has dropped from 156 players to 144, starting at the Sony Open, which is taking place this week.
These changes, approved by the PGA Tour Policy Board in late 2024, are primarily designed to improve the pace of play. And so far, it’s worked.
How long should an 18 hole round of golf take?
Kim posted to X after his opening round of the Sony Open, “This might be the first time (at least while I’ve been on tour) that we finished an entire Thursday/Friday round on schedule.
“Some players were really skeptical about the field reductions, but it’s made a difference here, which I’m surprised at.”
Yes, it’s only one round, but it’s definitely a positive sign that the tour’s changes have worked. That’s another big success in what has been a week of significant wins for the PGA Tour!
Why the PGA Tour’s reduced field sizes were criticized by players and fans
They have made some progress in fixing the pace of play, but the PGA Tour’s rule change was a subject of massive controversy. Many felt that reducing field sizes was yet another alteration to the tour that disadvantaged players further down the roster.
The number of fully exempt tour cards has been reduced to 100, down from 125, and the number of cards awarded to the Korn Ferry Tour has been reduced from 30 to 20. It’s a continuation of a trend of prioritizing players at the top of the rankings, as players fighting for their tour careers suffer.
That’s also a subplot of the Koepka saga following his departure from LIV. The PGA Tour cut Koepka a deal so he could return, and offered that same deal to only three LIV players: Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith.
What is the one golf rule you would change if you had the opportunity?
By doing so, Rolapp is making clear that he prioritizes star power. That’s his vision for the future of the tour. That’s great for TV ratings, as is the improvement to the pace of play, but it’s not so great for the lesser-known players looking to make a name on the tour.
And now, those players have fewer opportunities on the PGA Tour with reduced field sizes. So while Kim says these changes have improved the pace of play, what will be the cost for countless players fighting for survival?
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