PALM BEACH GARDENS FL. Jack NicklausHe believes the Honda Classic should have a chance to be in a stronger field due to the looming changes to PGA Tour. He said Sunday that Pebble Beach would be elevated and the tour going to Mexico prior to the Florida swing.
Nicklaus will be appearing at Sundays final round of PGA National. He said that a reworked 2024 schedule will give South Florida’s lone tour event, whatever its name, a chance at attracting better-ranked players.
This week, Honda was not used by any of the 17 top players in the world ranking.
Nicklaus said the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational at Riviera will be elevated tournaments next year with $20 million purses, while the WM Phoenix Open would lose that status.
The tour had two higher events this year, one before the Honda and two more to follow at Bay Hill, The Players Championship, and The Players Championship.
Honda will end its title sponsorship at PGA National. Nicklaus however stated that the event would still be the start for the Florida swing in 2024.
Nicklaus stated that Next years calendar are Pebble, and LA are their elevated tournaments. Phoenixs is not. Then they travel to Mexico and then they arrive in the United States. We will have players next season. Theyll also have Bay Hill, Players, and a third. The tournament will be fine.
As it responds to threats from Saudi-funded LIV Golf, the PGA Tour is currently reworking its 2024 schedule. This includes eligibility and field size. The 2024 schedule will not be announced until the summer.
Barbara Nicklaus and her husband, Nicklaus, live near PGA National. They have deep charitable ties with the tournament. The event has raised millions of dollars for the Nicklaus Childrens Health Care Foundation.
Nicklaus stated, This town has supported the event without having a fantastic field.
Many of the top tour players have opted not to play Honda in recent years, despite the fact that some of them live just a few minutes from PGA National. Nicklaus said that he hasnt lobbied for players to play the event, and that he will not change this policy.
I don’t do that. I dont do it to the Memorial Tournament. Nicklaus stated that he doesnt do it for any tournament. I did not like it when people did it for me. If you want to play, you will play. You cant play if you dont want to play.