The Northern Trust will now alternate between the New York/New Jersey area and Boston beginning in '19GETTY IMAGES
The PGA Tour is "realigning its schedule" beginning with the '18-19 season, and the Dell Technologies Championship -- the second event in the FedExCup Playoffs -- "will end after the 2018 tournament," according to Owen Pence of the BOSTON GLOBE. The event has been played in Boston since '03 and became the second playoff event "during the format's inaugural season" in '07. As part of the switch from four playoff events to three, the Northern Trust "will alternate between the New York/New Jersey area and Boston beginning in 2019." That will "remain as the opening leg" of the playoffs. The Tour reduced the amount of postseason events in order to "complete the playoffs in August and avoid overlap with the NFL" (BOSTONGLOBE.com, 7/10). PGA Tour Chief Tournaments & Competitions Officer Andy Pazder said the Tour "spent about a year-and-a-half talking" with the Player Advisory Council "about the right flow." The Northern Trust will have a field of 125, followed by 70 for the BMW Championship and 30 for the season-ending Tour Championship. Pazder said, "What that does is places a greater premium on playing exceptionally well during the regular season." Golf Channel's Robert Damron: "I like cutting the playoffs to three events. It hits a littler harder, a little faster rather than driving four tournaments over five weekends. That is a really good way to do it and the bigger cuts too -- 55 guys are out after the first weekend. It's going to seem a little more exciting and a little more important. There's more jeopardy" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 7/10).
THE NEW GUYS: In Minneapolis, Brian Stensaas notes the inaugural 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities "will be played July 4-7." A holiday date at a brand-new Tour course two weeks before a major "won’t be the most popular destination for PGA Tour pros," but history shows it is "not likely to be a no-name event, either." The 3M Open should also be part of the '19 Open Qualifying Series, in which a "select number of British Open invites are available at events around the world for golfers not already exempt." Minnesota’s reputation as a "strong, smart golf locale with two majors and a Ryder Cup" since '02 may "go a long way in drawing names next summer before they head overseas" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 7/10). In Detroit, Kirkland Crawford notes the Detroit Golf Club will host the Rocket Mortgage Classic from June 24-30, "marking the first tour event within the city limits." Some believed that the Detroit Golf Club's "lack of practice facilities would be a hurdle in its big to host a PGA Tour event." There has been "no word on how the club or tour would address those concerns" (FREEP.com, 7/10).
LEGENDS OF THE FALL: GOLFCHANNEL.com's Will Gray notes the '18-19 season covers "only 11 months" with the Tour Championship moving to August, meaning the Houston Open and the Military Tribute at The Greenbrier "were left off as a technicality." Both events will be played next fall "officially as part of the 2019-20 season" (GOLFCHANNEL.com, 7/10). GOLF DIGEST's Joel Beall notes the fall portion of the '18-19 slate "is unchanged." However, sources said that the fall part of the '19-20 season "will undergo a facelift." In addition to the Houston and Greenbrier events moving there, it also will "likely feature" Warriors G Stephen Curry's event (GOLFDIGEST.com, 7/10).
GIMME A BREAK: USA TODAY's Steve DiMeglio notes there will be "significant scheduling challenges" for top players, as there is an eight-week stretch in the late winter/early spring that include The Masters, The Players and two WGC events. There also is a six-week stretch in the summer that begins with the Open Championship and includes the "last WGC event of the season" and the playoffs (USATODAY.com, 7/10). Meanwhile, Pazder did not feel the earlier end of the season would create too long of a break for players. He said, "We have the same number of tournaments if you look at it on a calendar year basis in 2019 as we do in 2018. It's just a different flow to the schedule." He added, "We're excited to have a cadence of events starting with the Players Championship in March, major championship through the summer, and then have the FedExCup Playoffs take over in the month of August" ("Morning Drive," Golf Channel, 7/10).
TWITTER REAX: Author John Feinstein: "PGA Tour finally got its ducks in a row to release new schedule. Only semi-surprise is that Greenbrier's out." The AP's Doug Ferguson: "Best part of the PGA Tour schedule is keeping Boston in the mix, alternating with NY area (most likely Liberty National). Speaks to how well Boston worked IMO." TheScore.com's Eric Patterson: "Love the new PGA Tour schedule. Players in March gets the real season started sooner. No two-month break between majors. No real dead spot like we have right now."
