Austin's Dell Match Play cemented into schedule under new PGA Tour system as purse grows

When the FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis was moved into a new position as the lead event in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs, many wondered about the fate of the Dell Technologies Match Play, which was now one of just two holdouts of a World Golf Championships schedule that once included four events. And due to COVID-19, the other event — the HSBC Champions in China — has been on hiatus since 2019.

On Wednesday, we learned what will happen with the tournament that’s been held at Austin Country Club since 2016. The event will become part of a lucrative series the Tour is using to combat advances by the Saudi-led LIV Golf.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan detailed the changes Wednesday after a behind-closed-doors meeting of current PGA Tour members Tuesday night in Cromwell, Conn., the site of this week’s Travelers Championship.

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Other moves include a significant reduction in the number of members who are fully exempt each season and the addition of a lucrative three-stop series of international events for top performers. And all of that means more changes to the oft-tweaked FedEx Cup.

Under the current system governing the FedEx Cup, the top 125 finishers in the season-long points race qualified for the first playoff event, with the top 70 in the standings progressing to the second event and, finally, the top 30 making the elite Tour Championship, where the winner receives $18 million from a $75 million bonus pool.

But Monahan was understandably trying to play up the legacy aspect of the Tour, especially in light of the huge purses being offered by the rival LIV Golf Series. In fact, during the press conference, LIV Golf sent out an official release welcoming Brooks Koepka to the new circuit.

“If this is an arms race, and if the only weapons here are dollar bills the PGA Tour can't compete with a foreign monarchy that is spending billions of dollars in an attempt to buy the game of golf,” Monahan said.

Starting at the end of the 2022-2023 season, only the top 70 players in FedEx Cup points will qualify for the first playoff tournament, the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The top 50 in the standings will move onward to the BMW Championship one week later, with the traditional top 30 players progressing on to the Tour Championship at East Lake.

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In addition, the 50 players who qualify for the BMW Championship will also earn berths in a lucrative three-event series to be held overseas in the fall of 2023. Those events are expected to be staged in Asia, Europe and the Middle East in consecutive weeks with purses of at least $20 million each.

And on top of the three new fall events, five existing PGA Tour events will be recategorized with boosted purses. Those are the three invitationals — the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and the Memorial Tournament — along with the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which will again become the season-opening event.

The Dell Match Play will see its already large $12 million purse bumped up to $20 million for 2023.

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Monahan said he did not envision any changes to the Austin event, other than the purse.

​​“We expect to continue with that brand and if changes are to be made, we’ll let you know,” he said.

Only the 70 players who earn a berth in the playoffs will secure their playing privileges for the following season, which will begin in January 2024, when the PGA Tour moves away from the current wrap-around season and returns to one based on the calendar year. “The rest jockey in the fall series events,” said one industry source familiar with the details.

Under the new system, players who finish outside the top 70 and fail to qualify for the playoffs will compete in a series of domestic Tour events during the fall that will determine their status and priority for the following season. The intent of the changes is to bestow greater reward on top performers on the PGA Tour, many of whom have been approached by LIV Golf with guaranteed offers, and reduce the number of members who can retain playing status despite unimpressive results.

Among those who would have missed out on an exemption last year under the new system? Former Texas stars Doug Ghim and Dylan Frittelli, who both finished below the 70 mark.

Scottie Scheffler stunned by Brooks Koepka announcement

How did former Texas star Scottie Scheffler feel when learning of Koepka’s defection to LIV Golf, especially since he’s managed by the same team as the four-time major champ? Color him surprised.

“That was definitely a surprise for me. I was at a function with him last week and definitely wasn't what he had in mind. We were focused on building the PGA Tour and getting the guys that are staying here together and kind of just having talks and figuring out what how we can help benefit the Tour. So to see Brooks leave was definitely a surprise for us," Scheffler said. "With that being said, he's made his decision. I'm not going to knock him for doing that. He made the decision that's best for him and I'm not going to be one to judge him on that.

"For me, it's not where I see myself heading anytime soon. I grew up wanting to be on the PGA Tour. I grew up dreaming of playing in these events. I didn't grow up in playing in the Centurion Club in London or whatever it is or in — I grew up wanting to play in the Masters. I grew up wanting to play in Austin. I grew up wanting to play Colonial, the Byron Nelson. I wouldn't trade those memories for anything at this moment in time. Those memories, to me, are invaluable. I would never risk going and losing the opportunity to bring, go back to Augusta every year, or to do any of it."

Texas ex Cole Hammer set to make PGA Tour debut

Cole Hammer, 22, has achieved a decorated amateur career, including: being awarded the Mark H. McCormack medal as the top amateur golfer in the world in 2019; being a two-time U.S. Walker Cup squad member; winning the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (with Garrett Barber); winning the Big 12 conference individual championship in 2021; and recently contributing to the University of Texas winning the NCAA men’s team championship.

Now it’s time for the next step in his burgeoning career. Hammer turned professional and is playing on a sponsor’s exemption this week at the Travelers Championship.

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“I’ve been watching the PGA Tour on TV for a long time,” he said. “I mean it’s been my dream to one day compete out here and this is one of the earliest tournaments that I remember watching. I remember thinking, man, that golf course looks absolutely perfect. And the atmosphere, I mean somehow there’s always a dramatic finish here.”

Hammer played in the U.S. Open three times as an amateur as well as the British Open once among a total of eight PGA Tour starts, including at the Vivint Houston Open, his hometown event, last fall. He made his professional debut last week on the Korn Ferry Tour at the Wichita Open and missed the cut. He started inauspiciously with a double bogey on his first hole but bounced back with a pair of birdies.

“I’m glad I got that start under my belt before coming here. I feel like I’ve gotten myself into a pressure situation now so I’m excited to use that experience,” he said. “I learned a lot about myself and how I need to prepare for tournaments. I’ve been in college for four years and basically been told how to prepare every week. And now that I’m on my own I need to, well last week was a good way for me to figure out what works for me and what doesn’t.”

Tim Schmitt is the managing editor for Golfweek, golf coordinator for the USA Today Network and lives in Round Rock. Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch and Adam Schupak also contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Dell Match Play tournament sees purse rise in new PGA Tour format