The PGA Tour this week is poised to unveil its '18-19 schedule, and while most agree the new slate will be "good for golf and the Tour," there also will be "growing pains and some collateral damage along the way," according to sources cited by Rex Hoggard of GOLFCHANNEL.com. By condensing the regular portion of the schedule, there were some "tough decisions, including the loss of The National, which will be replaced by a new event sponsored by Quicken Loans in late June in Detroit, and the relocation of the Houston Open to the fall to make room for a new event in Minnesota in early July." There is also going to be some "serious congestion, particularly in the spring, with two World Golf Championships and The Players squeezed into a six-week window just before the Masters" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 7/6). GOLFWEEK's Forecaddie noted the West Coast Swing will now be a "well-oiled machine, moving from Hawaii to a nice week-to-week variety of events, courses and formats." The WGC-Mexico Championship will now "serve as a bridge to the Florida swing instead of serving as an interruption." The Players once again "anchors a solid four-week run" in Florida in March. It is not yet known if the Tour will shrink the FedExCup Playoffs to "three weeks at the expense of Boston’s annual stop." Considering what a "strong event it has become in a loyal fan market, saying goodbye to this stop has always been hard" to envision, especially since PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan would be "axing an event where he was once the tournament director" (GOLFWEEK.com, 7/8).
Moving the Greenbrier PGA stop to the fall will put it in direct competition with college footballGETTY IMAGES
HEADED TO THE FALL: In West Virginia, Grant Traylor reported the Military Tribute at The Greenbrier is officially "heading to the fall" in '19. Tournament Dir Habibi Mamone said, "We'll be the first tournament of the fall, which we expect will be late September or early October." The move will put The Greenbrier event in "direct competition with college football." Mamone: "The response, so far, has been very positive. I think with us being the first (tourney) for that wrap-around season, you are going to see players eager -- wanting to get out there and play. You'll see some players that haven't been able to come here, be able to be a part of it" (Huntington HERALD-DISPATCH, 7/7).
