MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is reducing its field and eliminating one course as part of its transformation into a signature event with a $20 million purse in the 2024 PGA Tour schedule. The new schedule, released on Monday, reveals that Pebble Beach will replace the Phoenix Open as a signature event.
Previously, the Pebble Beach Pro-Am featured a 156-man field, each with a prominent amateur, playing Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, and Monterey Peninsula over 54 holes before a cut to the final round. However, starting next year, the field will be reduced to 80 players and 80 amateurs competing for 36 holes at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill. Only the professionals will advance to the weekend rounds.
In terms of format, the signature events, with fields of 70 to 80 players, will not have a 36-hole cut, except for the three player-hosted invitationals – the Genesis Invitational at Riviera (Tiger Woods), the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and the Memorial (Jack Nicklaus). These invitationals will have a cut to the low 50 and ties, as well as anyone within 10 shots of the lead. Additionally, the invitationals will award $4 million to the winner while the other five signature events will offer $3.6 million.
With the PGA Tour returning to a calendar year format, the winner of the FedEx Cup will receive a $25 million bonus, up from $18 million this year. Furthermore, the winner of the Comcast Business Tour Top 10 will be awarded an $8 million bonus. Overall, top players can expect to make more money than ever, potentially reaching up to $50 million for those who have a successful season.
Commissioner Jay Monahan expressed excitement over the new schedule, stating that it will “create consistent excitement for our fans and reward players like never before.”
While attempting to spread out the limited-field, signature events, the PGA Tour made some adjustments to the calendar. For instance, the Memorial, a signature event, will no longer be held on Memorial Day weekend. Instead, it will be held one week before the U.S. Open. The schedule also allows room for players to qualify based on their performance in previous tournaments.
The PGA Tour schedule will run from January through August in 2024, ending with the Tour Championship. The other signature events in addition to Pebble Beach include Kapalua, RBC Heritage, Wells Fargo Championship, and Travelers Championship.
Overall, the changes in the schedule and prize money distribution signify a new era for the PGA Tour, where players have greater earning potential and fans can enjoy a more exciting season.
