Initial Reactions to the Early 2027 PGA Tour Schedule

Josh Carpenter of Sports Business Journal published the tentative PGA Tour schedule for the first half of 2027 that was communicated to players in a memo Tuesday.

A five-pack of initial reactions:

1. A schedule that satisfies every golf fan and player does not exist. Balancing rest, cadence into major championships, golf course availability, travel, weather, player preferences, sponsor demands, and a million other considerations is an impossible juggling act. Overall, next year’s schedule looks very similar to this year's. The lead-ins to the first two majors are largely unchanged. The Hawaii swing, as expected, has sadly been deleted. There are a handful of tweaks here and there, but the Tour is mostly running back the same schedule it puts out every year. If wholesale change is coming under Brian Rolapp’s tenure, it won’t arrive until at least 2028.

2. The biggest beneficiary of the changes is likely the Cadillac Championship at Trump Doral. This year, the Cadillac was hosted on the last weekend of April as the first of two signature events leading into the PGA Championship. Several top players on Tour, including Rory McIlroy, skipped the tournament. Most of Miami skipped too, as attendance was sparse amid sweltering heat and a Formula 1 weekend taking place concurrently in the same city. Next year, the Cadillac moves to the first weekend of March, directly before the Players Championship. With a less congested spot on the calendar and more favorable weather, the Cadillac should attract both a stronger field and a bigger crowd than this year.

3. I expect the biggest loser of the schedule tweaks to be the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which has been shifted from the week before the Players to the week after. It’s difficult to imagine players having the juice to go full throttle at Bay Hill on the immediate heels of the Players, especially for anyone who also played at Doral. On top of that, Arnie’s event will now overlap with the opening weekend of March Madness, one of the most anticipated weekends in American sports. The API isn’t exactly set up for success in 2027, but again, trade-offs!

4. At this year’s Players Championship, Rolapp laid out a vision for the PGA Tour that included opening the season with a big, marquee event at an iconic venue. Evidently, his ambition is on hold until at least 2028. Starting the golf season with the American Express is like starting the NFL season with Cardinals-Dolphins. Rest in peace to the Tournament of Champions at the Plantation Course at Kapalua. At least we will always have the memory of one of pro golf’s truly excellent viewing experiences.

5. As for the elephant in the room, yes, TPC Craig Ranch’s future is secure. The CJ Cup Byron Nelson remains a key fixture on the PGA Tour calendar, shifted up a few weeks to a new late-April date. The upside? Expect drier conditions and a slightly better chance to witness the House that Lanny Built in all its grandeur. The downside? If ownership decides to tear the course up again and sink another $25 million into enhancing the challenge before next year’s tournament, the clock is ticking!