Rickie Fowler Picks Sides on Less PGA Tour Cards at Rocket Classic

Newsweek

2 days ago

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Many things have happened this season, but some topics never leave the table. Such is the case with the planned cuts to PGA Tour membership and fields for next season.
The issue is now official, but it continues to generate both opposing and supportive opinions. Fan favorite Rickie Fowler is among the latter.
During his press conference prior to the Rocket Classic, Fowler gave his opinion on this very sensitive topic:
"I feel like there needs to be less events, less cards, the Tour gets elevated, the product is a little bit more -- there's more continuity from what you would say a top event to a lower level or an opposite field event," he said.
Rickie Fowler of the United States walks from the third tee during the second round of the Travelers Championship 2025 at TPC River Highlands on June 20, 2025 in Cromwell, Connecticut.
Rickie Fowler of the United States walks from the third tee during the second round of the Travelers Championship 2025 at TPC River Highlands on June 20, 2025 in Cromwell, Connecticut.The 6-time PGA Tour winner also spoke his mind about what the circuit schedule should look like:
"I don't think the PGA Tour should necessarily have secondary or opposite field events. I think the PGA Tour product is the PGA Tour product," he stated.
"So there's a lot you could go into, but to me a PGA Tour event should be a PGA Tour event and it shouldn't be necessarily, well, this one's elevated or this is an opposite field."
According to Fowler, the only events that should have a higher status are those that have historically held it.
"The majors and THE PLAYERS are the core events or the big events that are on the schedule, and golf fans to non-golf fans, those are the ones that they know about, they know what those are," he said.
INTERVIEW: Rickie Fowler is back in Detroit for another year at the Rocket Classic. @RickieFowler talked with us about his 2023 win, spending time with young fans, and life as a father on the PGA Tour. pic.twitter.com/ohzSmpzNOI — Brad Galli (@BradGalli) June 25, 2025
Last November, the PGA Tour Policy Board approved a series of changes to the tour's rules that will reduce both the membership and event fields. These changes will begin with the 2026 season:
Only 100 players will be keeping their tour cards with fully exempt status at year's end (125 until 2024).
Tour cards available for Korn Ferry Tour graduates will go down from 30 to 20.
Field sizes for many events will be reduced. Some cases, like the flagship event Players Championship, will go down to 120 players.
Reduction in spots available in Tour fields through Monday qualifying.
As explained at the time, these measures aim to create a more competitive and entertaining product with a better pace of play.
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