The PGA Tour is preparing to implement a two-tier scheduling structure beginning in 2028, dividing tournaments into a Championship Series and a Challenger Series. This restructuring will separate events into a primary tier and a secondary tier, potentially shifting the visibility of various tournament locations. Golf analysts Andy Johnson and Brendan Porath recently discussed which current events might be relegated to the lower tier and which they believe deserve to remain in the top division.
During a June 3 episode of the Fried Egg Golf and The Shotgun Start podcast, Porath raised the question of which venues might fall into the second tier. Johnson identified the Butterfield Bermuda Championship as a course that should not be overlooked. He argued that the volatile wind conditions and challenging layout at Port Royal Golf Course create unpredictable, game-changing elements that are characteristic of premier tournaments.
The Bermuda event, hosted at the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed course, entered the PGA Tour schedule in 2019. It was initially an alternate event before becoming a regular stop in the FedExCup Fall series. The tournament is sponsored by the Bermuda Tourism Authority. The course, which underwent renovations between 2008 and 2009 under Roger Rulewich, sits above the Atlantic Ocean with open corridors that allow wind to significantly impact play.
Johnson also pointed to Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth as another venue that should hold a top-tier spot. He criticized the potential for the tour to schedule both Colonial and TPC Craig Ranch in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, suggesting that having two events in the same region is redundant. Porath agreed that Colonial’s historical status makes it an obvious choice for the Championship Series.
The analysts also mentioned TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley, which hosts the RBC Canadian Open, as another event deserving of top-tier recognition, though they noted it might not receive that designation. Regarding Florida, Porath questioned how the tour has managed its local events, noting that three of the five Florida Signature Events are protected from demotion. With the Cognizant Classic at PGA National potentially at risk, attention has shifted to the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.
