LIV Golf Inspired Change? PGA Tour Plans Contentious Measures to Eliminate Slow Play

Slow play has been one of the most controversial discussions on the PGA Tour this season. The pot was vigorously stirred during the final round of the 87th Masters, when Patrick Cantlay took his sweet time to finish the round. Since then, many fans and players have shared their opinions about how they feel about slow play. But amongst all the angst, there hasn’t been a credible solution to the problem yet. Right? Well, it seems like now that’s all about to change.

The PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, recently shared the probable solution to the issue that the Tour may adopt in the future. And to many, it seems like this move is inspired by the Tour’s rival, LIV Golf!

PGA Tour’s contentious measures to eradicate the issue of slow play

Annika Sorenstam was one of the legendary golfers who made everyone know what she thought of slow play. She was not the only one, though. Many people in the golf world have expressed how they feel about slow play and how it is against the rule. 

Monahan, speaking on behalf of the Tour, recently explained that slow play was something they were determined to address. And it wasn’t just empty words; he had a possible solution too. But the remedy for the pace seems to come straight out of the books of the Tour’s biggest rival, LIV Golf!

“I would remind everyone that when we get into the 2024 season, these designated events are going to have player field sizes anywhere from the mid-60s to 80,” said the commissioner as per Golf.com’s recent report. “If there’s anything that you can do to improve the pace of play, that’s it,”

But fans couldn’t help but notice how the field size looked somewhat similar. Well, that’s because it’s quite close to the field size of LIV events, which currently have a field of 48!

Read More – ‘Couldn’t Take it Anymore’: Patrick Cantlay’s Controversial Play at the 2023 Masters Leaves Golf Fans in Fumes

It sure seems like LIV Golf is the inspiration being the Tour’s choice to reduce the field size and keep fans hooked.

And even though it seems hypocritical to the golf world, the commissioner believes that this is the way to go about to improve the pace of the game. “And I think that’s going to be a nice change for us and for our fans,” he said.

How does the PGA Tour determine field size?

The size of the field at PGA Tour events varies based on several factors. The most prominent is whether the tournament is classified as an open event or an invitational. Another, of course, is the time of year. Open events typically have fields consisting of 132, 144, or 156 players.

On the other hand, tournaments that do not qualify as open events may fall under ‘Special Eligibility’ and may have different field sizes depending on the category they belong to. Invitational events, for example, have a field size of 120 players,while some events have 78-player fields and are designated as no-cut tournaments.

What is your take on the slow play measures that the PGA Tour commissioner just suggested? Let us know in the comments below.

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