After the PGA Tour staged Signature Events for the first time, Patrick Cantlay gave them a stamp approval ahead of the BMW Championship.
PGA Tour Signature Events have been a pertinent topic recently, given that all 50 players who qualify for this week’s BMW Championship also gain entry into each Signature Event next season.
These eight tournaments feature limited fields and elevated purses. Additional FedEx Cup points are also available. But they serve an even greater purpose: to ensure that all the top players on the PGA Tour compete side-by-side at some of the most iconic, non-major venues, such as Riviera, Bay Hill, and Muirfield Village. The rise of LIV Golf led the tour to establish its Signature Event model one year ago, hoping to keep its players happy while creating a better product for on-site fans and those watching from home. It debuted during the 2024 season, which ends next week in Atlanta at the Tour Championship.
Hence, a reporter asked Patrick Cantlay, who serves on the PGA Tour Policy Board, to reflect on these Signature Events ahead of the BMW Championship.
“I feel like they’ve gone really well,” Cantlay said.
“I’ve talked to a number of the guys, and they feel like the events are some of the best they’ve played in their time on the PGA Tour. I feel like the sponsors have been happy with it. The golf courses have been in great shape. I think they’ve gone really well.”
Cantlay also gave the Signature Events an “A” grade. However, there is always room for improvement, and the PGA Tour has already established two adjustments for Signature Events in 2025.
First, the field size will expand from 70 to 72 players, allowing a couple of more players to gain entry into the biggest events of the season. Some tournaments will utilize alternate lists to determine these fields, too. These will be predicated on the Aon Next 10, which helps determine who plays in each Signature Event based on who has played well up to that point. The other adjustment involves Tiger Woods, who can play in whatever Signature Event he desires.
Yet, Cantlay and the board will continue to analyze its structure as time passes.
“I think it’s something we should always be looking at,” Cantlay added.
“But I think you have to give it some time. We made some significant changes in the last year or two, so analyzing this year because it has been a significant change and seeing what the effects are. I know we’re doing that at the [Player Advisory Council] and board level.”
The eight Signature Events for next year will remain the same as this year's, with the first being The Sentry at Kapalua in early January.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
