Riviera voices emerge amid August event rumours on new PGA Tour schedule

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Dan Rapaport has shared what he has been hearing from Riviera after talk started circulating that the iconic venue could be added to the closing stretch of the PGA Tour calendar as part of an upcoming schedule overhaul.

From 2027 onwards, the PGA Tour schedule is expected to look quite different. Brian Rolapp is being tipped to lead a major transformation aimed at getting more out of the tour.

Last year, Harris English suggested we could be looking at a condensed 20-event calendar. More recently, Tiger Woods has spoken about how important it is for the tour to stay strong and competitive.

One of those changes could see Riviera and Pebble Beach take over the time slots currently filled by FedEx Cup playoff events.

Dan Rapaport responds to speculation Riviera could host PGA Tour event in August

While it’s always a highlight when the tour heads to Riviera or Pebble Beach, not everyone is convinced that February is the right place for them on the calendar.

However, Dan Rapaport claimed those at Riviera were equally surprised by the reports.

“We’ve heard all this talk, some people saying, ‘oh, it’s a done deal that Riviera and Pebble Beach are going to be played in August’. That is just not true,” he said on Dan on Golf.

“I was at Riviera asking people just last week and they were like, ‘we don’t have a tournament in August. We don’t feel like our golf course is the way we want it and it’s not the time of year that we like’. So there’s definitely a lot of negotiations going on.”

Challenges the PGA Tour could face with a revamped schedule

If the PGA Tour does trim the schedule down to fewer than 25 events, you would like to think that almost every course on the calendar will be notable.

There is already momentum building for the WM Phoenix Open to open the new season, especially after another great week at TPC Scottsdale earlier this month.

But overhauling a major sports league is never easy, especially when existing TV deals are still in place. Sponsors and networks have a big say in how things shape up over the next few years.

The ultimate goal should be a simple craving to compete on legendary courses – such as Riviera, Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass, Harbour Town, and Muirfield Village – when they are presented in their absolute best condition.