Brian Rolapp has unveiled his new PGA Tour schedule, and it’s gotten the approval of the majority of players.
Starting in 2028, the PGA Tour will feature a two-tier system with promotion and relegation. There will be just over 20 events all of equal value, replacing the current Signature Event model, and the Tour Championship will be a match play event.
Players have voiced various concerns about this new schedule in the past. Rory McIlroy called the proposed second tier of the PGA Tour a glorified Korn Ferry Tour, but Rolapp said he spoke to McIlroy to explain his proposal, and they’re now on the same page.
The nine members of the Future Competition Committee voted on these changes. This committee is made up of six players, including Tiger Woods and Patrick Cantlay. Cantlay was the sole person to abstain from this vote, and he recently shared his thoughts on the new schedule.
Patrick Cantlay’s thoughts on new PGA Tour schedule after abstaining from vote
Being one of nine members of an incredibly important committee for the PGA Tour’s future, then abstaining from their biggest vote to date, seems like a statement. On the surface, that’s as good as a no to the new PGA Tour schedule.
You would think, therefore, that Cantlay would have plenty to say about Rolapp’s proposed schedule when speaking to the media, but his comments were veiled at the Travelers Championship.
He said, “First of all, I’m grateful to everyone on the Committee and all the player directors for all the hard work they put in over the past many months, and I’m excited about the future of the Tour and I think it’s in a good spot, and I know all the hard work hopefully pays off.”
What do you make of the planned changes to the PGA Tour?
What do you like? What concerns you about the changes?
Cantlay was asked what the biggest benefit of the new schedule will be for fans, and he replied, “I think as we’ve heard for a while now, getting the best guys together more often is a big thing for fans. I think this system’s going to do that”.
Not everything is finalized with the new schedule, and the tour has just over a year to figure out the finer details. Cantlay was asked what his biggest questions about the new schedule were, and he replied:
“I think like with anything, the details matter. So we’re just going to have to get to work and get all those details right. It’s a complicated system, but I think given the work that we’ve done and how everyone’s going at this problem, we’re going to get it right.”
Unfortunately, Cantlay wasn’t asked about why he abstained from the vote, so we’ll have to read between the lines.
Patrick Cantlay fails to approve new PGA Tour schedule
While Cantlay wasn’t asked why he abstained, his answer was still pretty telling. During all of his answers about the new PGA Tour schedule, he never actually said he liked it.
The closest he came was to say that the tour is in a good spot and that he’s excited about the future. But that’s not specifically about the new schedule. Cantlay also spoke about the benefits of the new schedule, but from the fan’s perspective, not his.
He went on to say that there are still many details they need to get right, and he’s confident they will fix them before it’s implemented. Yes, these are nitpicks about Cantlay’s comments, but they’re all we have to determine exactly why he abstained.
Perhaps Cantlay is concerned that with his recent performances, he’ll end up on the second track. Perhaps he doesn’t like the new format at all. Perhaps he just couldn’t be bothered to vote. Who knows?
But by abstaining, he’s raising some questions about his place on the committee. If he isn’t willing to vote on such an important topic, then what’s the point in him being there?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
