How Does the PGA Tour Work? A Beginner’s Guide to America’s Premiere Golf Tour (Updated for 2026)

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Every professional golfer aspires to reach the PGA Tour. The tour is the premiere pro golfing tour in North America, with its members traveling worldwide on a neverending schedule of events, including some of the world’s most famous and prestigious golf tournaments. 

When enthusiasts first start watching golf, they always ask the same question — how does the PGA Tour work? This beginner’s guide will offer you a walk through the PGA Tour’s organization, schedule and point system. You’ll better understand the tour status and player eligibility to help your future viewing experience of this annual selection of top events.

PGA Tour and PGA — NOT the Same

Every professional golfer aspires to reach the PGA Tour. The tour is the premier pro golf tour in North America, with its members traveling worldwide on a never-ending schedule of events, including some of the world’s most famous and prestigious golf tournaments. 

When enthusiasts first start watching golf, they always ask the same question — how does the PGA Tour work? This beginner’s guide to the PGA Tour explained will offer you a walk-through of the PGA Tour’s organization, schedule and point system. You’ll better understand the Tour status and player eligibility to help your future viewing experience of this annual selection of top events.

PGA Tour and PGA — NOT the Same

What is PGA golf? As an aspiring golf follower, it’s best to understand early on that the Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA) and the PGA Tour are separate entities. The two might share the same acronym, but that’s where their current relationship stops.

The PGA includes a network of other professional, semiprofessional and amateur golf programs that don’t include the PGA Tour, which operates under its own auspices and control. Indeed, the two organizations were once together under the same banner when the PGA founded the PGA Tour in 1916. 

The relationship ended when a host of top touring professional golfers, including the great Jack Nicklaus, split from the governing body to form a separate league, American Professional Golfers, Inc., in 1968, following disputes over payments and eligibility. The breakaway group called itself the “PGA Tournament Players Division” to maintain a separate but tentative affiliation to the PGA of America, before adopting the “PGA Tour” name and logo seven years later. 

Today, the PGA Tour has more status than its former governing body, with long-standing domestic broadcasting distribution partnerships for weekly professional golf events televised on CBS, NBC and the Golf Channel. It also commands the video streaming service on ESPN+ and other American networks. 

The PGA Tour structure also includes several tournaments on the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) through a strategic alliance, while co-sanctioning certain events on the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour in Southern Africa and the Japan Golf Tour. Its mandate also extends to the PGA Tour Champions, formerly known as the Senior PGA Tour, for pro golfers aged 50 and over. 

Furthermore, the PGA Tour is responsible for several developmental circuits, including the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour University, to bridge the gap between collegiate golf and the main tour itself. The PGA Tour University has a ranking system that allows the top college seniors automatic access to tour-sanctioned circuits. 

Critically, the PGA Tour does not host any of the four golf majors. The PGA Championship falls under the auspices of the original PGA body, the Augusta National Golf Club controls the Masters, the United States Golf Association (USGA) organizes the U.S. Open and the R&A is responsible for the British Open.

PGA Tour Schedule

What is the PGA season and how many PGA Tour events per year are there? The PGA Tour schedule runs throughout the year, hosting events in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with known stops in the Dominican Republic, Bermuda and parts of Latin America as part of the developmental PGA TOUR Americas. Africa, Asia and Europe all attract golf fans to events co-sanctioned between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.

Tour officials have also strategically chosen each event’s location to maximize the chance of good weather and ensure that playing conditions are up to professional standards. Here’s a quick rundown of each PGA Tour event in chronological order:

January

• Sentry Tournament of Champions, Plantation Course, Kapalua, Hawaii.
• Sony Open, Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii.
• American Express Desert Classic, Pete Dye Stadium Course, La Quinta, Calif.
• Farmers Insurance Open, Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego, Calif.

February

• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, Calif.
• Waste Management Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Genesis Invitational, Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, Calif.
• Mexico Open, Vidanta Vallarta, Vallarta, Mexico.
• The Classic in The Palm Beaches, PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

March

• Puerto Rico Open, Grand Reserve Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
• Mastercard Arnold Palmer Invitational, Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando, Fla.
• THE PLAYERS Championship, TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
• Valspar Championship, Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor, Fla.
• Texas Children’s Houston Open, Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas.

April

• Valero Texas Open, TPC San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas.
• The Masters Tournament, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, Ga.
• Corales Puntacana Championship, Puntacana Resort & Club, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
• RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, S.C.
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC Louisiana, Avondale, La.

May

• The CJ Cup Byron Nelson, TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, Texas.
• Myrtle Beach Classic, The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, S.C.
• Wells Fargo Championship, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, N.C.
• PGA Championship, different locations every year.
• Charles Schwab Challenge, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas
• RBC Canadian Open, Hamilton Golf & Country Club, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

June

• Workday Memorial Tournament, Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, Ohio.
• U.S. Open, different locations every year.
• Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Conn.
• Rocket Mortgage Classic, Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Mich.

July

• John Deere Classic, TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Ill.
• ISCO Championship, Keene Trace Golf Club, Nicholasville, Ky.
• Genesis Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland.
• Barracuda Championship, Tahoe Mountain Club, Truckee, Calif.
• Open Championship, different locations in the United Kingdom every year.
• 3M Open, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minn.

August

• Olympic Men’s Golf Competition, different locations every four years.
• Wyndham Championship, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, N.C.
• FedEx St. Jude Championship, TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tenn.
• BMW Championship, Castle Pines Golf Club, Castle Rock, Colo.
• TOUR Championship, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga.

September

• Procore Championship, Silverado Resort and Spa North Course, Napa, Calif.

October

• Sanderson Farms Championship, Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Miss.
• Black Desert Championship, Black Desert Golf Course, Ivins, Utah.
• Shriners Children’s Open, TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nev.
• Zozo Championship, Accordia Golf Narashino CC, Chiba, Japan.

November

• World Wide Technology Championship, El Cardonal at Diamante, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
• Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Port Royal GC, Southampton, Bermuda.
• The RSM Classic, Sea Island Golf Club Seaside Course, Sea Island, Ga.

December

• Hero World Challenge, Albany, Nassau, Bahamas.

You’ll notice that four events don’t have permanent locations — the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and the Open Championship among them. These three events form part of the four major tournaments in professional golf and have much higher prestige than the other PGA Tour events. Organizers rotate these among different exclusive golf courses to create an enduring challenge.

The fourth major tournament, The Masters, takes place annually at Augusta National because of a long-standing tradition predating the PGA Tour itself. Players and fans alike don’t want the tournament to happen anywhere else, so it remains in Augusta. THE PLAYERS Championship has become an unofficial “fifth major” in recent years.

Most events on the regular PGA Tour take place at the same times and locations every year, allowing them to develop unique atmospheres and golfing traditions at each venue.

PGA Tour officials strategically choose each event’s location to maximize the likelihood of good weather and ensure playing conditions meet professional standards. Here’s a quick rundown of each 2026 PGA Tour event in chronological order:

January

• Sentry Tournament of Champions, Plantation Course, Kapalua, Hawaii (Canceled in 2026)
• Sony Open, Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii.
• American Express Desert Classic, Nicklaus Tournament and Pete Dye Stadium Courses, La Quinta, CA
• Farmers Insurance Open, Torrey Pines North and South Courses, San Diego, CA

February

• AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Spyglass Hill GC and Pebble Beach Golf Links, Pebble Beach, CA
• WM Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale Stadium Course, Scottsdale, AZ
• The Genesis Invitational, Riviera Country Club, Pacific Palisades, CA
• Cognizant Classic, PGA National Resort Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

March

• Puerto Rico Open, Grand Reserve Golf Club, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
• Mastercard Arnold Palmer Invitational, Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Orlando, FL
• THE PLAYERS Championship, TPC Sawgrass PLAYERS Stadium Course, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
• Valspar Championship, Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor, FL
• Texas Children’s Houston Open, Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, TX

April

• Valero Texas Open, TPC San Antonio Oaks Course, San Antonio, TX
• *The Masters Tournament, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta, GA
• RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, SC
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans, TPC Louisiana, Avondale, LA
• Cadillac Championship, Trump National Doral Blue Monster Course, Miami, FL

May

• Truist Championship, Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, NC
• ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Myrtle Beach, SC
• *PGA Championship, different locations every year — Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, PA, in 2026. 
• The CJ CUP Byron Nelson, TPC Craig Ranch, McKinney, TX
• Charles Schwab Challenge, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, TX

June

• Workday Memorial Tournament, Muirfield Village Golf Club, Dublin, OH
• RBC Canadian Open, TPC Toronto North Course at Osprey Valley, Caledon, ON, Canada.
• *U.S. Open, different locations every year — Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, NY in 2026
• Travelers Championship, TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, CT

July

• John Deere Classic, TPC Deere Run, Silvis, IL
• ISCO Championship, Hurstbourne Country Club, Louisville, KY
• Genesis Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland.
• The Open Championship, different U.K. locations every year — Royal Birkdale GC, Southport, England, in 2026
• Corales Puntacana Championship, Puntacana Resort & Club, Corales Golf Course, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• 3M Open, TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, MN
• Rocket Classic, Detroit Golf Club – Detroit, MI

August

• *Olympic Men’s Golf Competition, different locations every four years — not held in 2026
• Wyndham Championship, Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro, NC
• FedEx St. Jude Championship, TPC Southwind, Memphis, TN
• BMW Championship, Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, MO
• TOUR Championship, East Lake Golf Club, Atlanta, GA

September

• Biltmore Championship Asheville, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, Asheville, NC
• Presidents Cup, different locations every two years — Medinah CC Course No. 3, Medinah, IL, in 2026

October

• Bank of Utah Championship, Black Desert Resort Golf Course, Ivins, UT
• Baycurrent Classic, Yokohama Country Club, Yokohama, Japan
• Butterfield Bermuda Championship, Port Royal Golf Course, Southampton Parish, Bermuda
• VidantaWorld México Open, Vidanta Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, México

November

• World Wide Technology Championship, El Cardonal at Diamante, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
• Good Good Championship, Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa Fazio Canyons Course, Austin, TX
• The RSM Classic, Sea Island Golf Club Seaside and Plantation Courses, Sea Island, GA

December

• Hero World Challenge, Albany GC, New Providence, Bahamas.

*You’ll notice that certain events don’t have permanent locations — the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and the Open Championship among them. These three events are part of the four major tournaments in men’s golf and carry much greater prestige than the other PGA Tour events. Organizers rotate these among different exclusive golf courses to create enduring, versatile challenges.

The fourth major tournament, The Masters, takes place annually at Augusta National Golf Club because of a long-standing tradition predating the PGA Tour itself. Players and fans alike enjoy the traditional challenge the course brings and the club is the official organizer,  so it is there to stay. THE PLAYERS Championship has become an unofficial “fifth major” in recent years.

Among the other roving tournaments, the PGA Tour organizes only the biannual Presidents Cup. The Olympic Men’s Golf Competition takes place in every Summer Olympic year, while the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe jointly arrange the Ryder Cup between the U.S. and Europe every two years.

Players can also earn between three and eight FedEx Cup points by making the “cut” after a tournament’s second round. There are further points over and above final positions for scoring low rounds. So, in essence, a player who regularly finishes highly in a tournament without winning could earn more points in a season than a player who wins one event and performs poorly in all the other events. Many professional sports adopt this season-long format to reward their most consistent players and ensure fairness.

How Do Golf Tournaments Work on the PGA Tour? 

Unlike the rival LIV Golf Tour, PGA Tour events are typically four rounds, beginning on Thursdays and ending on Sundays for automatic qualifiers. Any golfers who make the top 70 positions in the field following the first two rounds, including tying for 70th, are eligible to continue playing over the weekend and could stand a chance of winning the tournament. oints.  

The top 70 golfers in the FedEx Cup standings after the regular season ends at the Wyndham Championship in August will qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. These best players compete for over $100 million in prize money, with the playoffs including the three remaining August events — the St Jude Championship (70 players), the BMW Championship (50 players) and the TOUR Championship (30 players).

The TOUR Championship features a starting stroke system to give the higher “seeds” a better chance of winning. Ultimately, the remaining players with the most points start the championship between 10 and 1-under par as a reward for their strong postseason performances.

The FedEx Cup winner currently receives a $25 million bonus and a five-year PGA Tour exemption, guaranteeing a spot on the tour. All of the TOUR Championship qualifiers are guaranteed a healthy paycheck after the event, one of the most lucrative earning weeks that pro golf has to offer.

The FedEx Cup competition restarts in earnest the following January, with all the PGA Tour’s reigning champions receiving invites to the Sentry Tournament of Champions signature event. The PGA Tour continues, however, with the FedEx Cup Fall until December’s unofficial Hero World Challenge event in the Bahamas.

The seven FedEx Cup Fall events before the Bahamas season finale benefit players in the same way as regular-season tournaments. Players can still qualify for the FedEx Cup top 125 (soon to be top 100) positions. Failure to do so means joining the Korn Ferry Q-School to attempt to regain their PGA Tour cards.

Qualification and Tour Status

Golf is primarily considered an aristocratic sport with limited access, but the PGA structure has established a meritocracy. It builds all tour-sanctioned competitions on a metaphorical ladder players attempt to climb, with the lowest rung being the PGA Tour Q-School, the most direct way to earn a Tour card. How does the PGA work for qualifiers?

Only five players pass the four stages of the Q-School, after which they can start playing on the Korn Ferry Tour — essentially the amateur or semi-professional version of the main PGA Tour. After every Korn Ferry Tour season, 30 players earn Tour cards and can start playing alongside the biggest names in the sport.

Players who already have their Tour cards can lose their spots on the PGA Tour by performing poorly. This demotion usually happens to older players who begin to decline physically. At this stage, these players will likely transfer to the PGA Tour Champions instead of continuing attempts to qualify for the main tour. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are the Major tournaments part of the PGA Tour?

While many golfers can qualify for the Major tournaments through their PGA Tour achievements, the tournaments don’t fall under the PGA Tour’s auspices. All four Majors are their own events — The Masters is owned and operated by the Augusta National Golf Club, the U.S. Open by the USGA, the Open Championship by the R&A and the U.S. PGA by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.

Can anyone play the PGA Tour?

If you have the technical ability and the skill to make it through PGA qualifying school, you can qualify to play the PGA Tour. Qualifying for the PGA Tour is a highly competitive process that doesn’t offer open availability. Instead, it requires professional golfers to have no affiliation with LIV Golf and earn a Tour card. Extremely gifted amateurs can earn exemptions into PGA Tour tournaments by significantly overperforming in amateur tournaments, though they wouldn’t be eligible for prize money.

Do PGA Tour players get a salary?

No, PGA Tour players have significant opportunities to earn prize money, but do not receive salaries. Most PGA Tour participants earn their income via prize money and brand endorsements. One reason many PGA golfers moved to LIV Golf was the high contract sums they received for making the switch.

Can a golfer automatically move from LIV Golf to the PGA Tour?

Only ex-Major or THE PLAYERS Championship winners who have been away from the PGA Tour for at least two years can return. However, they will still be subject to specific penalties and conditions. Recently, Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf, but he will be ineligible to earn FedEx Cup bonus money this year and cannot receive sponsor exemptions into signature PGA Tour events. 

Don’t Miss the Best Golf in the World

That’s the PGA tour explained, so now you can sit back and enjoy the sport without getting confused about the standings. The PGA Tour undoubtedly features some of the best golf and the most prestigious tournaments in the world. Whether you’re new to the sport or have years of experience, you’re in for a treat.

If you think you’re ready to take on the wonderful world of golf, check out our breakdowns on how to get into golf, golfing apparel as a beginner and how to improve your golf game. Perhaps, with the right motivation and success, you’ll be able to buy your own golf course with your winnings!

Originally posted Feb 01, 2024 – Updated Jan 19, 2026Is The Masters Part of the PGA Tour?

Yes and no. The Masters is its own event, as are all four of the major tournaments. The Masters is owned and operated independently of the PGA Tour, run by the Augusta National Golf Club. However, like the other major tournaments, it is officially sanctioned as part of the annual PGA Tour schedule.

Can Anyone Play the PGA Tour?

Technically, yes, but only with an incredible track record. Qualifying for the PGA Tour is a highly competitive process that doesn’t have open availability, instead requiring professional golfers to earn a Tour card. However, extremely gifted amateurs can earn exemptions into PGA Tour tournaments by significantly overperforming in amateur tournaments, though they wouldn’t be eligible for the prize money.

Do PGA Tour Players Get a Salary?

No, PGA Tour tournaments have significant prize money rewards for winners, but do not pay out a salary to participants. Most participants make their income via prize money and brand endorsements.

Don’t Miss the Best Golf in the World

That’s the PGA tour explained, so now you can sit back and enjoy the sport without getting confused about the standings. The PGA Tour undoubtedly features some of the best golf and the most prestigious tournaments in the world. Whether you’re new to the sport or have years of experience, you’re in for a treat.

If you think you’re ready to take on the wonderful world of golf, check out our breakdowns on how to get into golf, tips for golfing as a beginner and how to improve your golf game.

Originally posted Feb 01, 2024 – Updated Aug 14, 2026