Wyndham Clark has praised Brian Rolapp for the changes that are set to be implemented on the PGA Tour from the 2028 season.
With the dust settling on the US Open that Wyndham Clark won at Shinnecock Hills, focus has turned to the Travelers Championship on the PGA Tour.
What do you make of the planned changes to the PGA Tour?
What do you like? What concerns you about the changes?
Brian Rolapp revealed earlier in the season that the final signature event of the year would see him provide further details on the plans for the future of the tour.
Indeed, Rolapp announced on Tuesday that the PGA Tour would be split into Championship and Challengers Series, with players able to be promoted and relegated between the two.
Wyndham Clark reacts to the changes set to be made to the PGA Tour
The Championship Series will involve all of the top players, with every tournament somewhat resembling a signature event.
It was important that the PGA Tour did change having largely seen off the threat of LIV Golf.
And speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, Clark suggested that he was extremely pleased to hear about the overhaul to the tour.
“I think it’s the necessary and best changes. In 2020 or ’21, whenever LIV came to be, I think it shook up the golf world for the better of the game. And I think this is one of those things,” he said.
“Brian Rolapp and his team and the advisory board have done an amazing job, looking at the future of golf and saying, okay, we need a plan to make this the best we can possibly make it for the future, and I think this is one of the first big steps, having the top players play in all the events, or at least most of them, and having it to be easier for fans to follow. And then I think the relegation thing is awesome, I think it’s obviously worked in soccer. And it’s going to be great in golf.
“The biggest thing for golf is when people turn on the PGA Tour and they’re watching the Championship Series, they know they’re watching the best players in the world compete, on top courses in major cities. I think that’s the best thing for it.
“And then the matchplay is going to be a lot of fun. The fans are going to love it. It’s going to be fun to be going head to head against Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy or whoever it is, to try to come down and win the Tour Championship, and I think that’s going to be great for TV.”
Wyndham Clark thinks relegation is going to be huge for the PGA Tour
The PGA Tour does see players lose their cards each year. However, it is nowhere near as ruthless as it could be.
Lee Hodges finished in 101st position in the FedEx Cup last year, but has still made 13 starts on the PGA Tour this season.
And Clark claimed that relegation is going to bring a lot to the PGA Tour.
“I think it’s going to be huge. The great thing is there’s going to be relegation and promotion now in two tours. So you have the Championship Series, guys are going to be relegated. But then you’re also going to see in the Challenger Series, guys get promoted,” he said.
“So it’s going to be exciting for fans to see both of those tours grow. You see guys going up and guys going down, and I just think it’s going to be better for the tour. I just think it’s the best thing for golf. And I think what Brian’s done is an amazing thing.”
It is going to be interesting to see how long it takes for the Challenger Series to really build up a strong fanbase.
A Championship Series with 130 players should ensure that all of the big names keep their cards at the top table for some time.
It may just take one or two marquee names to have a terrible year for the Challenger Series to be completely transformed.
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