The PGA Tour boss, Jay Monahan just made a big move—closing in on a game-changing deal with LIV Golf’s Saudi backers. It took long enough. Along with Adam Scott, a player director on the PGA Tour board, Monahan met with former President Donald Trump at the White House. In a statement released after the meeting, Monahan shared that they had asked Trump to get involved in the negotiations “for the good of the game, the good of the country, and all the countries involved.”

“We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for the reunification of men’s professional golf,” Monahan said. The statement was co-signed by Monahan, Scott, and Tiger Woods, who serves as vice chairman of the PGA Tour Enterprises and is the only player director with a term without limits. This move marks a significant step as the PGA Tour works toward reuniting the world of professional golf, potentially reshaping its future for the better.

That’s not all for the changes. The format for the 30-man field tournament held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta each August, which decides the winner of the season-long FedEx Cup, is once again under evaluation. Since 2007, the Cup format has seen many changes, the latest in 2019 with staggered starting strokes. It gave Scheffler a two-shot lead, he won the Cup but didn’t post the lowest 72-hole score. The Tour is now considering to enhance the broadcast experience, competitions, player profiles, and on-site experience, as part of its Fan Forward initiatives.

Jordan Spieth was asked about these changes. He replied, “Whoever it was didn’t want two different champions; it was confusing on the same green. Then you go to the stroke format and, although easier to follow, I think the idea is that the tour networks and fans believe there’s a possibility of a better format. Whether that involves any kind of head-to-head matches or fewer guys on Sunday all playing for it, I think everything’s pretty much on the table.”

Although confirmed on February 24, 2025, there is still no update. So he too lacks clarity. But, whatever works for the fan engagement works best for the Tour. Stating his confusion, Spieth added, “How the week starts, 20,000 part, 800 part, 700 part – it’s hard for people to kind of grasp it and get behind it. It’s a very difficult thing to understand or try to figure out, how you reward a season-long champion in a four-round event without diminishing the whole regular season, but also creating exciting drama, and a dramatic finish on Sunday. So, how will you do that? I don’t know,” ahead of the Cognizant Classic.

Nonetheless, he did admit that he is not a big fan of how they have done it because it will only create all the more confusion according to him. He feels something must be done about it. “Mostly the ratings haven’t been great the last couple of years, so that’s probably part of the reason behind it. But it’s not something; it’s a very untraditional model for trying to crown a champion,” he concluded. But well, time and again, the Tour Championship has been bashed by the players. World No. Scottie Scheffler, who won the 2024 edition, too was a part of it.

PGA Tour pro not convinced with the Tour Championship format

World number one Scottie Scheffler has expressed his dissatisfaction with the setup of the Tour Championship, calling it a “bit of a strange format.” Despite being ranked number one, Scheffler pointed out the oddity of getting extra strokes during the tournament, joking about the inconsistency. However, he admitted it should still be an enjoyable week.

When asked about the format’s effectiveness in identifying the best golfer of the year, Scheffler was candid. “I get it. It’s made for TV,” he said. “But as far as identifying the best player throughout the year, I don’t think it’s the best format.” His comments reflect his belief that the format may not accurately determine who the best player is.

Interestingly, despite starting with a two-shot lead last year, Scheffler was overtaken by Rory McIlroy, who won the 2022 Tour Championship. Before 2019, the winner of the Tour Championship didn’t always win the FedEx Cup, with Tiger Woods winning the tournament in 2018, but Justin Rose claiming the FedEx Cup title. This discrepancy led to the change in format, but the current system still seems to favor rewarding consistent play over determining the year’s best overall performer. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section below!