PIP changes

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Good morning golfers, day one of Arnold Palmer Invitational is underway.

1. No cuts: Tour announces changes to its high-profile events

“The PGA Tour board approved Tuesday night a radical new schedule for 2024 that will see fewer fields in the designated events and eliminate the 36-hole cut.

• The field size for designated events will be reduced by between 70-78 players, with no half-way cut. These changes won’t apply to all elevated events – majors, Players Championships and FedEx Cup playoff tournaments are unaffected.

• “Designated events” were created this year to ensure the presence of top players and increase their salaries. Each event must have a minimum purse of $20 million. The field size for 2023 was not changed due to the speed with which designated events were created, as a response to LIV Golf’s threat. This will not apply to the Tour’s return to a calendar year schedule in 2024.

2. Rory loves it

Simon Evans, AFP The PGA Tour has unveiled its new structure for the 2024 season. It features eight “designated events”, with elite fields and higher prize money. Rory McIlroy called it a “compelling product.”

• “The tour had discussions with top players like McIlroy or Tiger Woods following the emergence of LIV Golf tour, which is Saudi-backed. The tour made the decision to move.”

• Jay Monahan, PGA Tour Commissioner, stated that smaller event fields would not only provide substantial, cannot-miss tournaments for our fans at crucial intervals throughout the season but also increase the quality of full field events in a memo to tour members.

• He said, “Together this approach provides a calendar that is cohesive and compelling, consequential, and with clarity for supporters, players, and sponsors alike.”

3. Monahan’s message

The PGA Tour released …” These smaller, designated event fields will not just deliver significant, can’t miss tournaments to fans at key intervals throughout the season but also increase the quality of Full Field events,” Monahan stated in the memo. This approach creates a schedule that is coherent, compelling, consequential, and clear for players, sponsors, and fans alike.

4. Meanwhile…

5. Also, PIP changes

Joel Beall Golf Digest. A note about the PIP initiative was included in Jay Monahan’s Wednesday memo to tour members. In 2021, the PIP bonus pool was established to reward tour players who increased engagement and public attention. Ostensibly, this was in response to the lucrative deals that were rumored from the former Premier Golf League .

• “But, on Wednesday, a tour memorandum announced that the bonus pool for the program would be cut to $50 million starting in 2024. This will be paid to the top 10 players. The memo does not mention entry to high-ranking events based on the PIP ranking.

• According to the memo, $50 million will be reallocated to the FedEx Cup Bonus Program and Comcast Business Tour Top 10 Standings.

6. Xander’s brand new wand

Andrew Tursky, PGATour.com When Xander Schauffele practiced on Bay Hill’s putting green ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented By Mastercard, it seemed as though he was contemplating a return to the Odyssey O-Works #7CH red putter that he began using in 2020.”

• “But wait! It’s not the same putter. A closer inspection revealed that it was a hybrid design of his red Odyssey putter with his latest Odyssey Toulon XS Proto-silver putter, which he used all through 2023.

• “From top-to-bottom: Xander’s Odyssey #7CH red, Xander’s 2023 XS Proto gold, and Xander’s new Odyssey Toulon Design Las Vegas Red putter.”

• Schauffele spoke out about the putters at his Bay Hill press conference on Tuesday. The red one is incognito…it looks like the new one, but it’s milled. It was just painted…you have to look closer. It’s nice. It’s like my big brother, the red one.

• Schauffele initially liked the red Odyssey putter he used between 2020-2022. However, he switched to the XS Proto putter 2023 for a firmer feel and greater precision. His red putter came with a soft Odyssey White Hot insert. The XS Proto had Toulon’s diamond-milled face.

7. Bay Hill Photos

• Take a look at all our Bay Hill galleries.