PGA and Recent News

The PGA Tour is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. This organization operates the three major golf tours. This includes the PGA Tour, the top tour; Championship Tour, for golfers 50 and over; and the Nationwide Tour, a developmental tour. It also conducts an annual Qualifying Tournament, a six-round tournament held each fall. The top 25 money-winners on the Nationwide Tour receive opportunity in the following year’s PGA Tour. At the end of each year, the top 125 winners receive privilege for the following year.

For those who win a World Golf Championship or the Tour Championship, a three-year exemption is provided. There is no rule limiting “men only” players. As example, Michelle Wie played in PGA Tour events each year from 2004 to 2008. Charitable fund raising is an important part of the PGA Tour. The fund raising is usually for local charities. In 2005, it reached its one billion dollar goal one week before the end of the season.

During the season, three of the four majors take place in June and August for eight weeks. There had been an anti-climactic schedule but now there are play-offs which take place following the end of September. In 2008, the schedule was changed slightly in that the Tour will take a full week off before the international event. The Tour continued through the fall. The Fall Series started in 2007. Another event which began in 2007 was the introduction of a tournament in Mexico. A tournament in Puerto Rico was introduced in 2008. Another change in 2008 is that the number of players who will continue playing the next two rounds will continue to be low 70 professionals and ties. Another new policy was introduced in late February of 2008 in that there is a 36-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties. Should that cut result in more than 78 players there is a second 54-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties.