Starting in 2026, the PGA Tour will implement significant changes, including a reduction in the number of golfers with full-time membership from 125 to 100, marking the first decrease in full-time cards since 1983.

In conjunction with this, The Players Championship will decrease its field size from 144 to 120 golfers, while full-field summer events will drop from 156 players to 144, and winter and fall tournaments may have as few as 120 players.

The pathways to obtaining PGA Tour cards will also be restricted, with full-time cards for Korn Ferry Tour players reduced from 30 to 20, and Q-School graduates limited to just five cards instead of the previous top five.

Only those finishing in the top 100 of the FedEx Cup standings will receive full status for the following year, intensifying competition among the 170 golfers vying for these limited cards.

Glover, along with Fitzpatrick, argues that enforcing existing pace-of-play rules would be more beneficial than simply reducing field sizes.

Glover has criticized the PGA Tour Player Advisory Council for using pace of play as a justification for these radical changes, expressing frustration over a lack of transparency.

Amidst these changes, players like Matt Fitzpatrick and Lucas Glover have voiced their concerns, with Fitzpatrick calling it 'pathetic' that pace of play is a recurring issue without effective solutions.

Despite the slow play penalties that are rarely enforced, some players do face significant fines for exceeding average shot times.

PGA Tour chief competitions officer Tyler Dennis highlighted the need for more equitable playing opportunities across all exempt categories, noting that 28% of tournaments in 2024 experienced incomplete rounds due to darkness.

Additionally, sponsor exemptions will be reallocated based on priority ranking, although open events will still maintain four exemptions for various players.

Players finishing between 101 and 125 will receive conditional status, while tournament winners will continue to earn two-year exemptions.

Brian Harman acknowledged the concerns surrounding reduced opportunities but stressed the importance of balancing competitiveness with access to the tour.