Day Lambasts PGA Tour Creating ‘A Have & Have-Nots Tour’

9 months ago by Comments Off on Day Lambasts PGA Tour Creating ‘A Have & Have-Nots Tour’

Former World No. 1 Jason Day has lambasted the PGA Tour in creating a have and have-nots Tour with too few events where the best players are regularly teeing-up.

In one of Day’s frankest interviews for many a long time, the US-based Aussie spoke frankly declaring it is unfortunate there is now ‘two tours within the one tour’.

Day was speaking to Australian Golf Digest ahead of today’s (Wednesday)  starting $9.3m Farmers Insurance Open on the Torrey Pines host course at La Jolla …. See Footnote below why a Wednesday to Saturday tournament.

Day is among a number of former champions teeing-up on the stunning North and South courses perched high over-looking the might of the Pacific Ocean and having won the title both in 2015 and 2018 titles and among 13 PGA Tour career  victories.

Disappointingly though the touranment has attracted just six of the world’s top-25 ranked players and an event, says the now World No. 33 ranked Day that ‘everyone’ used to play.

“There are two tours within a tour now if you could understand that,” Day said.  “You have the top guys playing the signature events and you have the other side of it too.

“I think that just happened purely because of the way LIV came about.  And it’s unfortunate but ultimately that’s what we’re dealing with now.

“I just don’t know where they’re even taking it. I just keep my head down, I keep my mouth shut and try and play good golf.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is out injured while GolfByTourMiss was last week present in Dubai for the opening event of the 2025 DP World Tour schedule and where Rory McIlroy was both the 2023 and ’24 defending Hero Dubai Desert Classic champion.

Of course, there is now just four regular season events where the game’s best, whether it be LIV or non-LIV, still meet and that is the majors.

“Ultimately … if you wanted everyone to play in a tournament, you have to shrink the schedule down dramatically,” added Day.

Day was asked by Australian Golf Digest what he thought of the PGA Tour’s heirarchy long-term plans.

“I would love to give you the correct answer but I just don’t know where they’re even taking it,” he said.

“I just typically keep my head down, I keep my mouth shut and try and play good golf because I’ve got a hard enough time trying to keep the ball down the middle of the fairway.

“I am trying to tread lightly because I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes”.

FOOTNOTE …

The 2025 Farmers Insurance Open has reverted to a Wednesday to Saturday staging of the event so as not to conflict with the NFL presenting two conference championship games on Sunday, with the AFC and NFC title games scheduled back-to-back.

As well, moving to the Farmers Insurance Open to a Saturday finish on the South Course allows for going ahead on the North Course of the first round of the 36-hole event is on the North Course on Saturday, giving an opportunity for fans already at Torrey Pines to take in the APGA Tour action while the PGA Tour wraps up on the South Course. Then on Sunday, Golf Channel airs the final round for a national audience to experience the APGA Tour for themselves.



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