Hours Ahead of $20 Million Event, Brian Harman Brutally Bashes PGA Tour’s Latest Change

The golfing season of 2022–23 is nearing its end, and the new season is expected to start with a bang. The format for next season is to follow a calendar-event schedule. The ‘Designated Events’ from this year are rebranded as ‘Signature Events’ for the next season. Through these, the Tour looks to showcase the incredible opportunities and changes it is bringing to the players.

One of the most significant attractions of these new events are the sponsor exemptions, wherein four golfers will be given free passes onto the big purse fields. This new change has brought forth a huge controversy, and the recent Open Championship winner, Brian Harman, is the latest in line to open up about the special dispensation and trash the Tour.

Brian Harman gets candid about the exemptions for the 2024 season

Harman has been part of the PGA Tour for several years now. However, he flew into the limelight just recently when he bagged the Open Championship title at Royal Liverpool this year with a significant lead. As a shoo-in for the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis, he shared some valuable insights during the $20 million event’s presser.

When asked what he thinks of the four sponsor exemptions, the 36-year-old golfer said at the TPC Southwind Press conference, “I think you have to keep the sponsors happy. I think exemptions into tournaments are a part of the game. It’s part of the way that the TOUR operates.”

But that’s not all Harman had to say. Despite agreeing with the PGA Tour’s format, he also shared his personal opinion about the sponsor exemptions. “I wish it would just go right down the list and just be a pure meritocracy,” he said. The released details about the PGA Tour’s new exemption options will explain Brian Harman’s consternation.

The Open Championship winner isn’t the only one with reservations about the Tour’s exemption protocol. Several other pro golfers on the American circuit, including world No. 3 Jon Rahm, are also hoping that these exemptions will be used to benefit players with potential.

The intricacies of the new sponsor initiatives on the PGA Tour

The calendar events are set for 36 tournaments as of now, which includes 12 signature events. All these events, including the full-field events and the signature events, will witness four exemptions at the sponsor’s discretion. This also stands true for the Invitationals as well, namely, the Arnold Palmer, the Memorial event, and the Tiger Woods-hosted Genesis Invitational.

Also Read: 2023 FedEx St. Jude Championship: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

Moreover, the PGA Tour has mentioned in an addendum that up to eight sponsor exemptions will be permitted, which will include players with zero handicaps or less. The conditions include that at least two members of the PGA Tour family must be included in the invitee list for the events, if they are not already exempt.

Also, at least two players from the KornFerry Tour 2022’s Finals Category must receive sponsor exemptions. Moreover, players who are not part of the PGA Tour can only receive seven exemptions from the total list of events. However, players on the Tour can receive unlimited sponsor exemptions throughout the season.

What are your thoughts on the four-sponsor exemption system? Do you agree with the new directives? Share your ideas with us in the comments below.

Watch This Story: Months After Acing the $20,000,000 Event, 2X PGA Tour Winner Secures the Ultimate Once-In-A-Lifetime Achievement