Slowplay has been a burning issue for some time now. Is reducing the field size a solution to curb it, though? It seems Tour officials think so, and a certain pro also has stern thoughts. The recent proposal for the field size changes in the PGA Tour from 2026 has been under the radar since the details were revealed.

Michael Kim shared his thoughts about the newly proposed field size changes of the PGA Tour on X. He clearly stated that the field size is a major issue behind the slow play. He has played 223 events on the tour, so he knows a few things. “The slow play issue on the PGA Tour is NOT just about a few slow guys.” He clarified that too many pros on the field are to blame for slow play.

Kim shared an example of what it is actually like on the course by saying, “Have you guys ever played in a big shotgun tournament with 3somes or 4somes on every hole? Or even a public muni where tee times are stacked?” The tweet oozed Kim’s frustration as he continued, “It’s a pace of play nightmare because there’s no flow. It’s not just because guys need to play a bit faster. Guys lose golf balls, 3 putt, need a ruling, all these things end up causing a big jam.”

Kim explained that moving around the course can also become a major concern by saying, “Just because you tell certain drivers to go faster doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be traffic during rush hour.” So, is Kim saying that now that the field size of regular events will be 144, things will fasten a bit? Maybe it could be, but that is not guaranteed, and Kim knows.

He shared his opinions about the faults in the proposed plan: “The recent changes aren’t going to be a big change, but just telling slow guys to play faster won’t fix the problem.” Kim further added, “I’m the one that has to play with these slow guys, and it’s super annoying, but there’s no quick fix unfortunately,” expressing his annoyance at playing with so many pros on the course.

It is worth noting that Michael Kim is ranked at 115 in the FedEx Fall Rankings. This puts him 15 positions behind the top 100 list of players who will be allowed to participate in PGA Tour events according to the new proposal. He is also in danger of not qualifying if his rank further drops to above 125. Hence, his opinion might come as a surprise, as he will be at risk of losing his PGA Tour card based on his current rank.

The American Tour has also proposed a pace-of-play policy wherein it is reducing the fines. From 2026, the Average Stroke Time infraction will be introduced. If a player is more than 12 seconds behind the field’s average time to complete a round, it will be considered an AST violation. On the 3rd AST, players will be fined $5,000, then $10,000 for each subsequent violation. Now, all this applies only when the player has competed in all four rounds. You see, this truly does not help with slow play at all, and neither does reducing the field size.

The general opinion about the entire field size change proposal has been quite the opposite. Most fans have complained about the proposed changes and how they might ruin the Tour.

The effects of the new proposal on the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour could be looking for ways to reduce the number of delays and cuts due to unplayable conditions. This has especially been a problem after the daylight savings period. Bad light and lack of visibility have led to many pros being cut from the event. According to the new proposal, the maximum field size will be changed from 156 to 144. Furthermore, the field size for events after daylight savings time will be reduced from 132 to 120. This means that fewer players who are ranked above 100, play in the Korn Ferry Tour, or are hoping to qualify from the Q-School will get the opportunity to get their PGA Tour card, which will include Michael Kim.

The proposal has faced criticism from the golfing community, stating that the lower-ranked players are being punished, and their opportunities are being snagged. This will compel many of the young and aspiring pros to look for alternate options. The same would apply to those ranked close to the 100th rank, as they might also start looking for better opportunities in the form of Jay Monahan & Co.’s biggest rival, LIV Golf.

Well, what happens remains to be seen. Meanwhile, what do you think about this scenario? Do you agree with Michael Kim’s opinion? Let us know in the comments section.