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PGA Tour Announces Finale Overhaul

The PGA Tour is set to radically transform its season finale, the TOUR Championship, beginning in 2028. The long-standing starting-strokes format will be abandoned in favor of a dramatic, two-week event designed to inject new excitement into the conclusion of the FedExCup season.

The new structure will feature a 32-player field divided into eight groups of four for a three-round stroke play stage. The top two from each group will advance to a 16-player, head-to-head match play bracket to determine the champion, reviving a format not seen as a finale since the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. PGA Tour executive Brian Rolapp described the move as part of a larger strategic vision, stating, "The current model is just the start of a broader evolution."

Equally significant is the end of an era for East Lake Golf Club, which will lose its status as the permanent host after more than two decades. The championship will move to a rotation of prestigious venues to reach new markets. Tournament director Alex Urban reflected on the course's history as a place "where legacies...were cemented and made," acknowledging the weight of the decision. Underscoring the theme of change, the course itself just underwent a complete renovation, with veteran Gary Woodland saying it felt like a brand-new layout.