PGA Tour: Patrick Cantlay gives the first signature events an “A” grade
Special PGA Tour events have been a relevant topic lately, as all 50 players who qualify for this week BMW Championship You will also receive access to every signature event of the next season.
In these eight tournaments, the number of participants is limited and the prize money is higher. FedEx Cup Points are also available. But they serve an even greater purpose: to ensure that all the top players on the PGA Tour compete side by side at some of the most iconic, non-major venues such as Riviera, Bay Hill and Muirfield Village. The rise of Golf Club led the tour to introduce its signature event model a year ago, hoping to keep players happy while creating a better product for fans on site and those watching from home. It debuted during the 2024 season, which concludes next week in Atlanta at the Tour Championship.
For this reason, a reporter asked Patrick Cantlay, a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, to think about these signature events in the run-up to the BMW Championship.
“I think they went really well,” Cantlay said.
“I’ve talked to some of the guys and they say the events are some of the best they’ve played during their time on the PGA Tour. I think the sponsors are happy with that. The golf courses are in great shape. I think they’ve gone really well.”
Cantlay also gave the signature events an “A” grade. However, there is always room for improvement, and the The PGA Tour has already made two adjustments for signature events in 2025.
First, the field will be expanded from 70 to 72 players, allowing a few more players to compete in the biggest events of the season. Some tournaments will also use alternate lists to determine these fields. These are based on the Aon Next 10, which determines who competes in each signature event based on performance to that point. The other adjustment is for Tiger Woods, who can compete in any signature event.
Nevertheless, Cantlay and the board will continue to analyze the structure over time.
“I think that’s something we should always keep in mind,” Cantlay added.
“But I think you have to give it some time. We’ve made some significant changes in the last year or two, so we have to analyze this year because it was a significant change and see what the impact is. I know we’re doing that at the (player advisory board) and board level.”
The eight signature events for next year remain the same as this year, with The Sentry in Kapalua being the first in early January.
Jack Milko is the golf editor at SB Nations Playing Through. Be sure to check out: @_Playthrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well as.