Calls Mount Against Jay Monahan’s PGA Tour to Restore 77-Year-Old Practice After Rookie Pro’s $300K Phoenix Open Feat

The PGA Tour was in dire straits. Dwindling viewership was a clear indication of the change that needed to take place. And it was with that in mind that Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour addressed a few issues in late November last year. The goal was to seek “the best version of the PGA Tour for our fans, players, tournaments, and partners“. Sounds fine, doesn’t it? Well, not if you count the casualties. From “the competitive and schedule enhancements” to reduced field sizes, the PGA Tour Commissioner’s statement was far from popular. And most affected of all was a beloved tournament – the Phoenix Open.

The Phoenix Open, one of the long-standing events of the Tour, is also slated to undergo key changes from the year 2026. “This will be the FINAL General Qualifier for the WM Phoenix Open, as the PGA Tour will be ending Open Qualifying starting in 2026. Open Qualifying has been a tradition for the Phoenix Open since 1948. The Southwest PGA oversees all qualifying for the WM Phoenix Open. We invite and encourage the public to come out, FREE of charge, to support the competitors and watch some great golf,”  said a statement released by Southwest PGA. And golfing fans were incensed.

For context, the Phoenix Open, which was established in 1932, has had Monday Qualifiers in its program since 1948. The 77-year-old tradition has been a key part of the tournament across the years. So, when the announcement came regarding the cancellation of Monday Qualifiers fans were certainly miffed. While their collective plea initially fell on deaf ears, the fans were given deliverance in the form of Will Chandler.

Chandler got into the Phoenix Open as one of the three entrants of the Monday Qualifier system. He then outplayed several of the pros around him scoring an amazing 15 under par and ended up finishing T6 in a tournament he was not even sure he would get to participate a week ago. Safe to say, the Monday Qualifiers proved to be a game-changing aspect for Chandler. And Monday Q Info, a golf news website, took to X to highlight exactly that to reiterate the importance of the qualifying system, currently active. “Shame on the Tour and Policy Board for ending stories like this and throwing away 77 years of Monday Qs at this event.”

Like Monday Q Info said, “he will always remember this round.” Chandler displayed a solid game throughout the tournament, showing the PGA Tour and the World that there is more talent out there that the veteran pros. And fans were quick to try and attract the PGA Tour’s attention to the rookie’s remarkable performance at Arizona. One thing is clear – despite the impending doom, fans are rallying to keep the beloved tradition.

Fans ask Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour to rethink their decision

For his last round, Chandler was paired with World No.1 Scottie Scheffler and Cameron Young. The 27-year-old showed nerves of steel to outplay both of them, with a remarkable 5 under par catapulting him into T6 and earning him $300,000 in prize money. Golf Podcast ‘Pull Hook Golf’ pointed out that without the Monday Qualifiers, this would not have taken place: “Sadly, this story will never happen again because of the @PGATOUR removing Monday Q’s for the WMPO. It’s truly a major letdown!”

One distraught fan made a sincere request to the PGA Tour and the top players behind the majority of the decisions made by the Tour. The netizen wanted them to bring back the Monday Qualifiers, saying: “It’s not too late to reverse this horrific decision @PGATOUR @TigerWoods @McIlroyRory.”

Will Chandler had earned his PGA Tour card this season after a remarkable performance at the PGA Tour Q-School last fall. After not qualifying for the WM Phoenix Open, he signed up for the Monday Qualifier – going on to shoot 7 under par at the Pinnacle Peak Country Club. Amping up the 27-year-old’s journey, one fan rightfully stated, “Sport isn’t just about the best players winning loads of EEE all the time it’s also about the individual stories like Will’s.” And we can’t help but agree.

Most fans fall in love with the sport because of the stories it generates. With the removal of the Monday Qualifiers, such serendipitous instances will be sporadic – if not once in a blue moon. For such hardcore fans, the PGA Tour might not be appealing anymore. A user clarified, “The tour is going to lose the hard core golf fan in their quest to attract/keep the casual “Tiger” fans.”

A Jay Monahan parody account went the sarcastic route: “No need to thank us. We are trying to become @livgolf_league with our closed process and invite only.” The netizen drew comparisons to the exclusivity that LIV Golf had and what the PGA Tour was trying to do by getting rid of the Monday Qualifiers.

Will Chandler’s success and the subsequent support he has gotten from fans for his journey, is a clear indicator that the 77-year-old tradition of Monday Qualifiers needs to remain, because it is happenstances like these that flavor a sport. While changes are in order for Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour, the kind of changes they make also have a long-term impact on the quality of the experience they offer. What do you think of the PGA Tour’s decision?