The PGA Tour has revealed that, beginning with the 2028 season, the season‑ending Tour Championship will abandon its traditional stroke‑play finish and adopt a two‑week match‑play structure. The announcement was made by PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp on Tuesday, just before the current Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, and it was met with enthusiasm from several players, most notably Rory McIlroy, who praised the "big swing" in the sport’s format.
McIlroy, speaking at his pre‑tournament press conference, admitted that the new arrangement is "certainly different" but added that he finds it "cool" and that he "really likes" the concept. He believes the change will inject fresh excitement into the culmination of the PGA Tour season and give the final event a distinctive character that sets it apart from recent years.
**From 2028 onward, the FedExCup Playoffs as we know them will disappear.** The current series of three stroke‑play events that determine the FedExCup champion will be replaced by a new, hybrid system. The regular season will continue to award points in the same way it does today, with players accumulating points based on their finishes in each tournament. At the end of the regular schedule, the top 90 players in the points standings will compete in a new event called the PGA Tour Championship Series Finale, a 72‑hole stroke‑play tournament that will crown the season‑long points leader and finalize the rankings.
After that finale, the field will be trimmed once more. The 32 highest‑ranked players in the year‑end points list will qualify for the revamped Tour Championship. Unlike the current single‑week, 72‑hole stroke‑play showdown, the new Tour Championship will span two weeks and will be conducted in a match‑play format reminiscent of the World Golf Championships Dell Technologies Match Play, but with a group‑stage twist similar to the FIFA World Cup. **Week One – Group Stage** The 32 qualifiers will be seeded according to their final points positions and divided into eight groups of four.
Over the first week, each golfer will face the other three players in his group in head‑to‑head matches. The top two competitors from each group – based on match wins, and if necessary, a sudden‑death playoff to break ties – will advance to the second week.
This format guarantees that every participant plays at least three matches, providing fans with a richer viewing experience and giving players multiple chances to showcase their skills. **Week Two – Knockout Match Play** The remaining sixteen players will enter a single‑elimination bracket. They will compete in four‑round match‑play contests, culminating in a final match between the two undefeated golfers. The winner of that final will be crowned the Tour Champion for 2028.
A player’s overall standing in the event will be determined by his record across both weeks, rewarding consistency as well as clutch performance. Rolapp emphasized that each week of the new championship will be hosted at a different venue. "This new format creates an exciting opportunity to showcase some of the most renowned courses in our sport, including places the modern tour has never visited before," he explained.
The specific courses for the 2028 PGA Tour Championship Series Finale and the two‑week Tour Championship will be announced in February 2027, with the Tour promising a rotation among "prestigious courses" that have historically been under‑represented on the schedule. The shift to match play is part of a broader overhaul of the PGA Tour’s calendar. In addition to the revamped season‑ending structure, the Tour plans to introduce a two‑tier system with promotion and relegation, a model more common in European soccer.
This change is intended to keep the competition dynamic, give rising players a clearer path to the top tier, and maintain high stakes for those fighting to avoid dropping down. **Player Reactions** Rory McIlroy believes the new incentives are well‑balanced. He noted that the regular‑season champion will still receive a substantial reward after the final stroke‑play event, while the match‑play Tour Championship will offer a dramatically different, high‑drama conclusion. "It's a departure from what we've had the last few years, but I think it'll be a great thing," he said.
Tiger Woods also voiced his support on social media, writing that the season’s climax should reflect the journey players endure all year. "Today's announcement is a result of the hard work and passion of our players. Excited to usher in a new era of match play on the PGA Tour," Woods posted.
Former major champion Sir Nick Faldo echoed the sentiment on the Sky Sports Golf Podcast, arguing that match play can restore excitement to golf. He explained, "You can pick the characters against each other rather than golf being almost like a wall. You can then get a bit of spice going on.
We might get some great historic matches instead of seeing guys going nuts shooting 10 or 12 under. I'm delighted they're bringing more match play back." **What This Means for Fans and Broadcasters** The new format promises more televised golf, with multiple matches each day and the potential for dramatic head‑to‑head battles.
Broadcasters such as Sky Sports have already hinted at extensive coverage plans, promising live broadcasts of all four rounds of the Tour Championship and the preceding series finale. The rotating venue concept also means fans across the United States will have opportunities to watch world‑class golf at courses that have rarely, if ever, hosted a major PGA Tour event.
In summary, the PGA Tour’s 2028 overhaul replaces the FedExCup Playoffs with a hybrid points race, a 72‑hole stroke‑play finale for the top 90, and a two‑week, 32‑player match‑play championship that includes a group stage and knockout rounds. The change aims to reward season‑long excellence while delivering a more thrilling, story‑driven finish that could attract new audiences and reinvigorate long‑time fans. With endorsements from top players like McIlroy, Woods, and Faldo, the Tour appears poised to embark on this bold new chapter in professional golf.