Gary Player urged the PGA Tour to make a big rule change back in 2018 but as things stand, his suggestion has still not been put into practice.
Player is one of the most successful golfers in PGA Tour history, although he only won 24 events on the American circuit.
Nine of those were major championships and he traveled the world competing, winning an incredible 159 times across the globe.
Player rates himself as the third best golfer of all time, behind only Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, Player and Nicklaus enjoyed a fierce rivalry on the golf course, and any tournament they played in would draw huge crowds.
The stars of today include the likes of this year’s Open champion Scottie Scheffler and 2025 Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
PGA Tour rule change Gary Player wanted still hasn’t been implemented
Player is not just a fan of playing golf; he’s a huge lover of watching the game as well.
And seven years ago, he came up with an idea which he believed would make the game better for not only the fans, but the sponsors of the PGA Tour events as well.
Player insisted back in 2018 that something needed to change on the PGA Tour regarding the biggest stars being obligated to play in certain events, when writing a column for Worldwide Golf.
“While there was plenty to enjoy from a spectator perspective in 2018, the powers that be have to look at the system of scheduling where each tournament needs to have the required number of leading players competing, for the sake of the sponsors.
“I’ve been making this point for many years that sponsors have to be provided with genuine value for their sponsorship money. When the economic situation is worrying, then tournament golf should worry. The tournament sponsors want to see the best players in the world playing in their event. If they don’t get a field of the highest calibre then they start looking elsewhere to invest their money.
“It seems to me that we are looking at a situation where the tail is wagging the dog. There are simply too many golf tournaments across the globe. There has to be a system where each event has the required number of leading players competing, which has to be managed equally. The powers that be in golf have to realise that at the moment the schedules are unrealistic. We have players switching Tours and events at late notice, which has a harmful effect on the sponsors.
“World golf is heading for serious problems unless they act quickly.“
Player makes a great point here. Interestingly, the PGA Tour have added Signature Events with increased purses to their schedule since those comments from Player.
However, the players are still under no obligation whatsoever to play in them, as Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler proved last season by missing certain events.
Gary Player wanted to see what Bryson DeChambeau and Matt Fitzpatrick have done banned
Back in August, Player made it very clear that he wanted one rule in the professional game to be changed.
Player urged golf’s governing bodies to make leaving the flagstick in illegal, just like it used to be.
In fact, I don’t think you should be allowed to leave the pin in the hole. It was basically DeChambeau who changed that. He came out with a lot of statements and facts which I don’t believe are correct.
“The thing is that when they have the pin in, this can help a lot. The average guy has got big hands so he squeezes his hand in [the hole] and pulls it and pulls the cup up with it.
“Once the cup is raised even that much [a millimetre], it invariably stops the ball from falling in the cup. There should be a rule – it must come up. Just like it used to be.“
While some fans may well agree with Player on the flagstick issue, plenty will oppose his opinion as well.
However, the South African legend’s views on the game’s biggest stars being obligated to play in certain events is one we can surely all get behind.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
