PGA Tour announces 2028 two-tier structure; no return pathway for LIV players

The PGA Tour announced a two-track membership structure starting in 2028, with 114 players in a Championship Series and a separate Challenger Series, determined by performance across the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Tournaments will neither backfill nor hold alternate lists should a player withdraw, and no sponsor exemptions will be granted, per CBS Sports. Players will be eligible to compete in all Championship Series events, though the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, Open Championship, and The Players Championship may maintain their own criteria. LIV filed for bankruptcy protection last week, according to the BBC and the Guardian, leaving the business seeking to launch a 2.0 version. The timing has prompted major players to reconsider their futures. According to the BBC, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith are contemplating their futures after the bankruptcy filing. Rahm told the BBC: "There's a long legal process they have to go through before a lot of things fall into place. I really can't give you an answer right now." The new structure creates friction with the DP World Tour. According to the Guardian, Rory McIlroy said: "I don't see any reason why a DP World Tour player would go to the Challenger Series. I don't see that as an upward move in your career. I see it as a very lateral move." The Guardian reports that Rolapp said: "We have not determined what the DP World Tour cards will be, as of yet. That's under discussion. I don't see any scenarios where there's no Championship Series cards." Currently, the leading 10 finishers on the Race to Dubai earn PGA Tour cards, per BBC Sport, but that arrangement may change.