As we know that the PGA Tour is basically an organizer of golfing tours across the USA and the world and it also caters the interests of the professional golfers, now we will know everything about these PGA Tour tournament structure. So you will get the idea how the PGA works actually in real.
We have categorized most of the PGA Tour operated tournaments here by their names and we have also tried to include the actual names of those tournaments as well.
PGA Tour Event Categories
- Majors: Four leading golf tournaments of the year just like a grand slam in tennis are called majors. These four tournaments are, The Masters, US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
- World Golf Championships: There is a set of golfing events which are sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours. In these tournaments, a non-member of the PGA can also participate. One such golf event in this category is the HSBC Champions.
- Unique: There are two golf tournaments which are counted as ‘unique’ for their own reasons.
- The Hyundai Tournament of Champions: This is a first tournament of the season and only the winners of the previous years seasons can participate in this tournament. There is no cut after 36 holes to play makes this tournament really unique.
- The Players Championship: It is not a major, but yet since its beginning, it attracts big names of golf circuit and hence PGA has given more weight to it as well. The participants in the Players Championship can earn almost the same points in the PGA Rankings as they earn in the majors.
- Playoff event: The last four tournaments of the FedEx Cup are included in this category. There is a special points system which is followed for this category.
- Team: There are 12 elite players from the US and Europe participates in Ryder Cup every alternate year. Their points are also counted by the PGA. Another team tournament like the Presidents Cup is also part of the PGA Tour.
- Regular: Those tournaments which happen almost every week across the world. Although their schedule, the age distinction, the repute of the course, and their association with any legends of the golf is also taken into account before giving it a PGA Tour tournament status. Such tournaments are, the HP Byron Nelson Championship, The Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Northern Trust Open, Crowne Plaza Invitational, The Memorial Tournament and the Quicken Loans National.
- Invitational: The tournament, which is played by the professional golfers by invitation only. There are few tournaments which are mentioned in the last point along with the RBC Heritage are some of the famous and popular invitational tournaments.
- Alternate: Those tournaments which clash with other tournaments which are held during the same point of time, so the players who can’t participate in one or the other tournament their points are considered as Alternate.
- Fall Series: The series happens once the entire season is over and only elite golfers are allowed to play in the series.
- Unofficial PGA Tournaments: These are not recognized PGA Tour but yet they are organized by the PGA Tour to promote the golf around the world. These tournaments are the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, The Franklin Templeton Shootout, The Wnedy’s 3-Tour Challenge and The Skins Game.