History of PGA Tour in Timeline

The PGA Tour is a non-profit organization that organizes professional golf tours in North America. These include the flagship PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champions, the Korn Ferry Tour, and PGA Tour Americas. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, it oversees the majority of events within these tours.

April 10, 1916: Formation of the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA)

On April 10, 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) was formed, marking the beginning of organized professional golf in America, the wins of this era are recognized as PGA Tour victories.

1916: Early PGA Tour Schedule

In 1916, several established golf tournaments like the North and South Open, Metropolitan Open, Canadian Open, Shawnee Open, Western Open, and the U.S. Open formed the initial schedule of what later became the PGA Tour, along with the addition of the PGA Championship.

1929: Formalization of "The Circuit"

In 1929, what was known informally as "The Circuit" for professional golfers in the PGA became more formalized with the formation of a tournament committee consisting of Tommy Armour, Al Espinosa, and J.J. Patterson.

1930: Bob Harlow Hired as Manager

In 1930, Bob Harlow was hired as manager of the PGA Tournament Bureau and worked to formalize a year-round schedule of tournaments.

1945: Byron Nelson's Record-Breaking Year

In 1945, Byron Nelson had a record-breaking year, winning 18 PGA tournaments, including 11 in a row. These records remain unbroken as of 2024.

1958: Arnold Palmer Wins His First Masters Tournament on CBS

In 1958, Arnold Palmer, a younger working-class player, won his first Masters Tournament, capturing it on CBS. This win contributed to him becoming a crowd favorite and TV star.

July 1968: Tour Pros Voice Dissatisfaction at PGA Championship

In July 1968, at the PGA Championship, leading tour professionals voiced their dissatisfaction with the venue and the abundance of club pros in the field, contributing to increased friction between tour players and the PGA of America.

December 1968: PGA Tour Spin-off

In December 1968, the PGA of America spun off its tour players into a separate organization, distinguishing them from club professionals. This new entity was initially known as the "Tournament Players Division."

1968: The Byron Nelson Tournament

In 1968, The Byron Nelson became the first PGA Tour event named for a professional golfer. As of 2024, it is played annually near Dallas.

January 1969: Joseph Dey Selected as First Commissioner

In January 1969, Joseph Dey, the recently retired USGA executive director, was selected by the board as the PGA tour's first commissioner, agreeing to a five-year contract.

1974: Introduction of The Players Championship

In 1974, The Players Championship, which became the tour's flagship event, was introduced.

1974: Deane Beman Succeeds Joseph Dey

In early 1974, tour player Deane Beman succeeded Joseph Dey as commissioner of the PGA Tour, serving for twenty years.

1975: PGA Tour Name Adoption

In 1975, the "Tournament Players Division" officially adopted the name "PGA Tour", marking a significant step in establishing its identity as the premier professional golf tour.

1975: Official Name Change to "PGA Tour"

In 1975, the tour's name officially changed to the "PGA Tour", solidifying its identity.

1978: PGA Tour Removes Restriction on Women

In 1978, the PGA Tour removed its restriction on women, though no women have joined the tour since this date.

1979: Ryder Cup Expands to Include Continental European Players

In 1979, the Ryder Cup added players from continental Europe, which, combined with expanded television coverage, led it to become a highly competitive and premier international team event.

August 1981: PGA Tour Renamed TPA Tour

In late August 1981, due to a marketing dispute with the PGA of America, the PGA Tour officially changed its name to the TPA Tour, standing for "Tournament Players Association".

March 1982: Name Change Back to PGA Tour

In March 1982, the name of the TPA Tour was changed back to the PGA Tour after the marketing dispute with the PGA of America was resolved.

1986: Introduction of the Official World Golf Ranking

In 1986, the Official World Golf Ranking was introduced, leading to competition between the PGA Tour and the European Tour for top golfers.

1987: Introduction of the Tour Championship

The Tour Championship was introduced in 1987, adding another significant event to the PGA Tour schedule.

June 1994: Tim Finchem Becomes Commissioner

In June 1994, Tim Finchem became the third commissioner of the PGA Tour, serving for over 22 years.

1995: The Open Championship Becomes a PGA Tour Event

In 1995, The Open Championship in the UK became a PGA Tour event. The Open Championship is the oldest golf tournament in the world, founded in 1860.

1999: Inauguration of the World Golf Championships

In 1999, the PGA tour began play of the World Golf Championships, adding another significant event.

2002: Retroactive Recognition of Open Championship Wins

In 2002, all Open Championship wins dating back to 1860 were retroactively recognized as PGA Tour victories.

2007: The Players Championship Moved to May

In 2007, The Players Championship was moved to May to create a marquee event in five consecutive months.

2007: Tournament Introduced in Mexico

In 2007, a tournament was introduced in Mexico as an alternate event staged the same week as the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

2007: Introduction of the Fall Series

In 2007, the PGA Tour introduced a circuit known as the Fall Series, originally with seven tournaments, to focus on players trying to retain their tour cards.

2008: Tournament Introduced in Puerto Rico

In 2008, a tournament in Puerto Rico was introduced as an alternate event staged opposite the WGC-CA Championship.

2008: Tweaks to the Fall Series Schedule

In 2008, the Fall Series schedule was tweaked, with the first event held opposite the Ryder Cup and a week off for the Tour Championship.

2008: Change in the Number of Players that Make the Cut

In 2008, the PGA Tour Policy Board approved a change in the number of players that will make the cut. The cut will continue to be low 70 professionals and ties, unless that results in a post-cut field of more than 78 players.

2008: PGA Tour Schedule Tweak

In 2008, the PGA Tour schedule was tweaked slightly. After the third FedEx Cup playoff event, the BMW Championship, the tour takes a full week off before the Ryder Cup, with the Tour Championship the week after that.

2008: Fall Series Schedule in 2008

The Fall Series schedule in 2008 featured a week off for the Tour Championship.

June 23, 2009: Setanta's UK Arm Ceased Broadcasting

On June 23, 2009, Setanta's UK arm, which held exclusive UK and Ireland rights for PGA Tour events, went into administration and ceased broadcasting.

2009: More Tweaks to the Fall Series Schedule

In 2009, the Fall Series schedule was tweaked again, with one event moving to May and another dropping off the schedule.

2009: Further Tweaks to PGA Tour Schedule

In 2009, the PGA Tour schedule was tweaked slightly. The break was followed by the Tour Championship, with the Presidents Cup taking place two weeks after that.

2009: Major Changes for 2009 Fall Series

The Fall Series saw major changes for 2009, with one of its events moving to May and another dropping off the schedule entirely. It returned to its original start date of the week after the Tour Championship.

2011: Fall Series Reduced to Four Events

In 2011, the Fall Series was reduced to four events, all held after the Tour Championship, following the move of the Viking Classic into the regular season as an alternate event.

March 2012: PGA Tour Courage Award Introduced

In March 2012, the PGA Tour Courage Award was introduced, replacing the defunct Comeback Player of the Year award, to recognize talents who have overcome extraordinary adversity to make a significant contribution to the game of golf.

March 20, 2012: Announcement of Radical Changes to Season and Qualifying Process

On March 20, 2012, the PGA tour announced radical changes to the tour's season and qualifying process.

2013: Effective Date for Minor Tweak

A minor tweak to details regarding the Fall Series was effective for the 2013 season only, announced on September 11.

2013: Last Season Conducted Entirely Within a Calendar Year

The 2013 PGA Tour season was the last to be conducted entirely within a calendar year.

2013: 2013 Season Structure

The 2013 PGA tour season had 40 official-money events in 38 weeks, including three alternate events, and was the last before the tour transitioned to a schedule spanning two calendar years. It also included the biennial Presidents Cup.

2014: Season Start in October of Previous Calendar Year

Since the 2014 PGA Tour season, the season starts in October of the previous calendar year, shortly after the Tour Championship. The tournaments in the now season-opening Fall Series are awarded full FedEx Cup points.

January 1, 2017: Jay Monahan Succeeds Tim Finchem

On January 1, 2017, Jay Monahan succeeded Tim Finchem as commissioner of the PGA Tour.

June 2018: Discovery, Inc. Acquired Exclusive International Media Rights to PGA Tour

In June 2018, Discovery, Inc. acquired exclusive international media rights to the PGA Tour outside of the United States, beginning in 2019, under a 12-year, US$2 billion deal.

January 2019: GolfTV Replaced PGA Tour Live in International Markets

In January 2019, GolfTV replaced PGA Tour Live in international markets such as Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and Spain as existing rights lapsed.

March 9, 2020: PGA Tour Extends Broadcast Deals with CBS and NBC

On March 9, 2020, the PGA Tour announced an agreement to renew its contracts with CBS and NBC through 2030, continuing existing broadcast arrangements with alternating rights to the final three FedEx Cup playoff events. The PGA Tour will control on-site production and infrastructure for all media partners, while broadcasters retain their on-air talent.

June 2020: PGA Tour University Created

In June 2020, the PGA Tour announced the creation of PGA Tour University to provide pathways for collegiate golfers to join development tours, offering Korn Ferry Tour cards to top collegiate golfers and status on other PGA tours to those ranked 6-15.

2020: Cut Line Reduction

For the 2020 season, the cut line was reduced to 65 plus ties and eliminated the 54-hole cut.

November 2022: GolfTV Shuttered After Discovery Merged with WarnerMedia

In November 2022, GolfTV was shuttered after Discovery merged with WarnerMedia, with Warner Bros. Discovery prioritizing its Discovery+ and HBO Max services instead.

November 2022: PGA Tour University System Modified

In November 2022, the PGA Tour University system was modified, beginning in 2023, to award the top-ranked collegiate golfer immediate membership on the PGA Tour.

October 2023: Gordon Sargent Earned PGA Tour Card Through PGA Tour University Accelerated Program

In October 2023, Gordon Sargent reached the 20-point threshold and became the first player to earn PGA Tour card through PGA Tour University Accelerated program. He is eligible to take up the membership following the conclusion of 2024 NCAA Division I Championship but elected to defer his membership and return for his senior year at Vanderbilt.

2024: Byron Nelson Tournament Location in 2024

As of 2024, The Byron Nelson tournament, named after the professional golfer, is played annually near Dallas.

2024: PGA Tour University Modified Qualification

In 2024, PGA Tour University gave PGA Tour Americas cards to golfers who finished 11th-25th in the rankings and entry into the second stage of PGA Tour Q School. Those 6th through 10th are conditionally exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour, fully exempt on PGA Tour Americas, and earn entry into the second stage of Q School.

April 13, 2025: Top Ten Career Money Leaders

The top ten career money leaders on the tour as of April 13, 2025.

2025: PGA Tour to Produce Dedicated World Feed for International Broadcasters

Beginning at the 2025 Players Championship, the PGA Tour began to produce a dedicated world feed for international broadcasters, separate from the American network coverage.

2025: Eight Tournaments Designated as "Signature Events"

For 2025, eight tournaments were designated as "Signature Events": the Sentry Tournament of Champions, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage, Truist Championship, The Memorial Tournament, and the Travelers Championship.