Less than a week into his appointment to the PGA Tour Policy Board, new Player Director Tiger Woods already looks to be exerting his influence ahead of the upcoming 2024 Schedule announcement with Golfweek journalist Adam Schupak reporting that the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Memorial are set to retain a 36-hole cut.
Speculation had been rife that all of the PGA Tour’s designated events would be reduced to limited fields with no mid-way cut – a move that had widespread support from a number of top professionals including Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel and Patrick Cantlay – but Woods, who hosts the Genesis Invitational at Los Angeles Riviera Country Club was certainly not in favour of having his event become a guaranteed payout.
“I certainly am pushing for my event to have a cut,” Woods said when questioned about the possibility at the Masters this year. “I think that maybe the player-hosted events may have cuts. These are things that Jack and I are still in discussion with Jay and the board and the Tour and the rest of the guys. That still is in flux.
“I still think that there needs to be a penalty for not playing well, and to have that — every event shouldn’t be always guaranteed 72 holes. I think that there should be a cut there. But we are trying to figure that out. And you know, what designated events those are going to be, how many are there going to be, that’s still ongoing. But that conversation is still being had.”
And, if Schupak’s sources are to be believed, it appears that Woods’ voice has carried enough weight to ensure that the Genesis will remain a traditional-style, 72-hole event where only those who play well over the opening two rounds will see their labours bear fruit when the paychecks are cut on Sunday.
Quite how many players will feature at Riviera, Bay Hill or Muirfield Village remains to be seen, but the trio, along with the Players Championship, will enjoy elevated status over the rest of the big money events which Schupak exerts will be rebranded as ‘signature events’ in 2024.
The rest of the 2024 schedule is set to be released next Tuesday at which time any remaining questions should be answered.
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