While Tiger Woods goes through another patience-testing rehabilitation process in the aftermath of the disc-replacement surgery he had in October, he is in charge of reimagining the future of the PGA Tour.
While there is uncertainty about when Woods will be healthy enough to resume his playing career – it won’t be any time soon – he made it clear during his Hero World Challenge news conference Tuesday that the rumored changes to the tour’s structure are coming and could happen as soon as 2027.
Approaching his 50th birthday on Dec. 30, Woods is deeply involved in tour business as chairman of the nine-person future competition committee, which is doing the hands-on work of following the lead of new CEO Brian Rolapp, who envisions a streamlined version of the PGA Tour.
“We are trying to do that in the best way possible so we can introduce this in ’27,” Woods said Tuesday morning at Albany in the Bahamas, site of the unofficial tournament he hosts for 20 leading PGA Tour players.
“Hopefully we get there, hopefully we get to that point. We’re working with all of our partners to create the best schedule and product [and] to deliver all that in ’27 is something we’re trying to do. I don’t know if we can get there, I don’t know if we will get there, but that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Woods offered no specifics on what a new tour model might look like though Rolapp has used the word “scarcity” as a guiding principle, suggesting the tour schedule is bloated and would benefit from being condensed, enhancing the value of each event while potentially limiting playing opportunities.
Rolapp said recently he can envision a PGA Tour schedule that starts around the time of the Super Bowl, which would effectively eliminate January tournaments. There has also been discussion of moving away from the signature-event model to make all tournaments have more-equal prize money and FedEx Cup points.
It would mean some events could go away and others would be forced to move to accommodate what could be a seven-month schedule.
“Yes, there’s going to be some eggs that are spilled and crushed – and broken, but I think that in the end we’re going to have a product that is far better than what we have now for everyone involved,” Woods said.
“And the scarcity thing is something that I know scares a lot of people, but I think that if you have scarcity at a certain level, it will be better because it will drive more eyes because there will be less time.”
There are multiple constituencies in play as the discussions continue. While some sponsors are nearing the end of their contracts – both Sony and Farmers Insurance expire after their 2026 events – others such as Truist have come on board in the past two years.
While reducing the number of events has the general approval of many top players, it leaves uncertain the fate of the tour’s rank and file, who have already seen the number of tour cards reduced from 125 to 100 this year.
The challenge for the committee, which includes players Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Camilo Villegas, Maverick McNealy and Keith Mitchell along with business executives Joe Gorder, John Henry and Theo Epstein, is creating a tour schedule that benefits the most people, essentially creating what Woods called “a whole new product.”
It remains a work in progress.
“We’re trying to give the fans the best product we possibly can, and if we’re able to give the fans the best product we can, I think we can make the players who have equity in the tour, we can give them more of that. So the financial windfall could be fantastic for everyone who’s involved,” Woods said.
“So the [future competition committee has] been meeting, I think we’ve had three different meetings, we’ve got one coming up here. We’ve torn down and looked at so many different models. It’s been a lot. We’ve talked to title sponsors, we talked to CMOs, we talked to tournament directors, we talked to media partners, we’ve talked to a lot of different people and taken a lot in of what they would like to see. Then it’s up to us at the committee to try to put it all together and try to make it work and keep the players informed to what possibly could happen. And we want their opinions as well.”
“I’d like to come back to just playing golf again. I haven’t played golf in a long time. It’s been a tough year. I’ve had a lot of things happen on and off the golf course that’s been tough.” – Tiger Woods
As far as his playing status, Woods said he will not play in the PNC Championship with his son Charlie later this month nor compete in any early TGL matches, though he plans to attend the matches involving his Jupiter Links Golf Club team.
Woods said he was cleared to chip and putt last week and will gradually add to his workout and practice regimen as his body allows. He has made just 11 PGA Tour starts in the past five years and after joking that he planned to play 25 events on both the main tour and the PGA Tour Champions next year, Woods said it’s too early to speculate on when and where he might play.
He has indicated, in the past, an interest in playing a handful of senior events but that is on hold while he goes through another long rehab process.
“I’d like to come back to just playing golf again. I haven’t played golf in a long time. It’s been a tough year. I’ve had a lot of things happen on and off the golf course that’s been tough,” Woods said.
“And so my passion to just play, I haven’t done that in a long time. Just play. So I’ve had to sit on the sidelines for a number of months, and most of this year and quite frankly the end of last year. …
“I’m just looking forward to … playing again, let me do that and then I’ll kind of figure out what the schedule is going to be. I’m a ways away from that part of it and that type of decision, that type of commitment level.”