The Arnold Palmer Invitational is the fourth Signature Event of the PGA Tour season, with a limited field of 69 playing at Bay Hill; (Tony Finau withdrew before the tournament got underway).Â
Because of the new changes made to the PGA Tour, thanks in part to the rise of LIV Golf, the thought of less PGA Tour cards has also arisen, with the likes of Rory McIlroy in favour of a “more cutthroat” PGA Tour.
Along with the four-time Major winner, both US Open winner, Wyndham Clark, and PGA Tour star, Will Zalatoris, have also voiced their agreement of a smaller PGA Tour, as both men explained their views on Saturday.
“I mean, I think it would be amazing if our Tour was a hundred guys,” explained Clark, who finished third in the FedEx Cup standings last year. “I kind of said this a few times, a hundred guys and we have 20 guys that get relegated every time, every year, doesn’t matter who you are.Â
“It would be exciting. Because you come down to the end of the year, people are looking who is going to win the FedEx Cup, and then you’re looking at who is not going to be here next year. So, yeah, I’m probably with Rory on that. I don’t know what that number is, but I think it’s just nice to elevate the product and make it to where the best players are playing on TV more often and against each other.”
As mentioned, the Signature Events feature limited fields and, with Clark suggesting the top 100 keep their PGA Tour cards, the thought of expanding the fields in these $20 million tournaments to 100 could be a possibility. Well, the recent AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am winner then went on to add: “This is a little outside of my pay grade, but I think that would be nice. I think a hundred-man field and then we would still have maybe a little bit bigger of a cut.Â
“It would be simple, because you know these hundred guys have a card and, no matter what, they’re playing in the events and there’s no, you know, this guy gets in or whatever sponsor invites. I think it would just be really easy. Then, if you lose your card, you go down to the next one, and vice versa. So, I don’t know. I think that seems like an easy simple plan, but like I said, above my pay grade.”
Clark and Zalatoris during the Hero World Challenge
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Fellow countryman, Zalatoris, went as far as to say that a Champions League style format could be better; a system where the best players on the PGA Tour and the best players on LIV Golf come together to play, but obviously this could be…
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