Tiger Woods has welcomed the PGA Tour’s decision to introduce a 32-player match-play competition as part of a revamped Tour Championship format.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp announced the changes on Tuesday, ahead of this week’s Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The new format is scheduled to begin in 2028, with the top 90 players first competing in a stroke-play event to determine the 32 golfers who will progress to the opening match-play stage.
“The conclusion of the season should be worthy of the journey it takes to get there,” Woods wrote on X. “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.”
The current FedExCup Playoffs are held over three weeks, with fields of 70, 50 and 30 players competing in stroke-play tournaments.
Under the new structure, the opening week will consist of a group stage. The 32 qualifiers will be split into eight groups of four, with players competing in head-to-head matches. The top two golfers from each group will advance to the second week, which will be held at a different venue.
The remaining 16 players will then compete across four rounds of match play. The final two unbeaten players will face off for the Tour Championship title, with one golfer ultimately emerging as champion.
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“From the beginning, the goal of the Future Competition Committee was to create an easier-to-follow competitive model for our fans with greater consequence and a stronger season-long narrative,” Rolapp said.
“Throughout this process, we listened carefully to our fans, players and partners. One message came through clearly: the culmination of our season should be worthy of the journey it takes to get there. The result is a season-ending structure that rewards excellence over the course of the year while building toward a reimagined Tour Championship. We are creating something different, something distinct within professional golf that can resonate far beyond it.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
Published on Aug 25, 2026
