PGA Tour launches its next salvo to counter LIV Golf onslaught

The PGA Tour is still pushing back against the ever-growing presence of the LIV Golf League, announcing on Tuesday the merger of the its Latin American and Canadian subsidiaries into one entity called the PGA Tour Americas that will get launch in February next year.

The new tour will have 16 events across Latin America, Canada and the United States from February to September with the top 10 finishers on the points list earning Korn Ferry (subsidiary) Tour membership for the next season.

“As we build on the rich golf history across Latin America and Canada, we are thrilled about PGA Tour Americas and the role this tour will play in preparing players for the next step in their professional golf journey,” said Alex Baldwin, who oversees PGA Tour Americas, the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA Tour University.

“It will be an extremely competitive tour aimed at identifying, developing and transitioning top-performing players to the next level as they ascend through the ranks and strive to reach the highest level of professional golf,” he added in a statement.

The combined tour’s season will begin in February with a Latin America Swing that concludes in May. Eligibility for the Latin America Swing will include the top 60 finishers each from the final 2022-2023 Latinoamérica and Canada points list.

The tour’s Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will also provide access to the Latin America Swing for the winners of a first stage site, as well as additional finishers beyond the 40th position and ties from the final stage of the 2023 Q-School.

The statement said further access to the Latin America Swing would include the Latinoamérica Dev Series and the highest finisher on the 2023 APGA season-long points list who was a member of the APGA Player Development programme.

“The top 60 players from the Latin America Swing will continue to compete in the North America Swing. Additionally, PGA Tour Americas will host a mid-season Q-School, as well as introduce graduates from PGA Tour University (finishers 6-20),” the statement added.

Full eligibility for the new tour will be announced later this year and feature similar categories including open qualifiers, sponsor exemptions and eligible Korn Ferry Tour members. Others will compete in Canada and the United States from June to September looking to finish in the top 10 on the points list and earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the following season.

Other performance benefits include five conditional Korn Ferry Tour for the top two finishers in the Latin America Swing and the top three performers from the North America Swing of the concerned golfers do not finish in the top 10 on the final points list.

The 2024 PGA Tour Americas schedule will be announced in September and final details on eligibility – including priority rankings – as well as purses and points distribution, will be announced closer to the stary of the season in February 2024.