New PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monaghan has been in his new job less than a week and already there’s suggestions of a major shake-up on golf’s greatest stage.
Those changes could include the likelihood of:
Moving the Players Championship from May back to March and the PGA Championship, and golf’s traditional fourth Major Championship, moving from August to May.
As well, the Tour wants to bring forward the FedEx Cup Play-Off Series so that it ends before the start of the NFL season.
And a reduction of the FedEx Cup Play-Off events from four to three.
The Golf Channel’s good friend and colleague, Rex Hoggard reports these possible changes after meeting Saturday in Hawaii with Monaghan.
New PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monaghan hits the ground running with possible big changes to the PGA Tour schedule.
“I’d say we are early in the process. If we were going to make any changes it’s going to take time,” he said.
“We’ve heard from a number of people who have said it would make since that we complete the FedEx Cup before the start of the NFL season and we think there’s a lot of merit to that, but to do that requires a lot of shifting and moving.”
As for moving the PGA Championship to May, Monaghan remarked to Rex: “It’s not as though we’re going to say this is the schedule, everyone has to adapt. Our responsibility is to work very closely with the PGA of America and it’s got to work for everybody.”
‘Everybody’ clearly includes PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua with whom Monaghan said he’s already had some preliminary discussions.
“Let me just say this,” Monahan said. “Pete and the PGA of America have a tremendous focus on the 28,000 club professionals in our country. The golf season for a lot of people is more relevant early in the season than late in the season. So if you’re focused on job creation and growth of the game, and really energizing the start on the participatory side and the professional side, that’s something that might be interesting to you.
“But beyond that, you’d have to ask him”.
And as for reducing the FedEx Cup Play-Off Series from four events to three, Monaghan said: “If we were to execute the schedule that I just mentioned I think it’s likely.”
