MIAMI (AFP) — Next year’s Phoenix Open, Heritage tournament, Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship will have purses boosted to $20 million and guaranteed appearances by top golfers, the US PGA Tour announced Wednesday.
The moves complete a PGA revamp to combat the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series that was announced by tour commissioner Jay Monahan in August at the Tour Championship.
Star PGA players such as four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the reigning Masters champion, have committed to playing 17 events with elevated purses next year as a way to combat more players departing for the upstart LIV Series.
The rival circuit’s record $25 million purses and guaranteed contracts for 54-hole events have lured away top talent from the PGA, including British Open winner and world No. 3 Cameron Smith of Australia, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, two-time major winner Dustin Johnson and past Masters winners Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia and Patrick Reed.