PGA Tour plans restricted fields for Scottish Open from 2028

The PGA Tour is introducing a two-tier model that will create more restricted fields worth 20 million U.S. dollars for top players starting in 2028. The Scottish Open, co-sanctioned with the DP World Tour at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick this week, will not receive Championship status under the new structure.

A concurrent Challenger series will run alongside the Championship series. Players in one series cannot compete in the other unless they win two events in a single season to earn promotion. Rory McIlroy said the changes require caution.

"We've got to be careful with that because then these national Opens lose the fabric of what they are," he said. McIlroy added that national Opens should be treated differently from regular PGA Tour events. "You can't call yourself a national Open anymore if it's a closed off tournament and there's a certain number of guys," he said.

Bob MacIntyre said elevating the Scottish Open to a 20 million U.S. dollar restricted event would not fit the local market. "I think it would be a bit mad to put a 20m dollar event in Scotland when the world we live in today, I mean, it's not the same as America," he said.

Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, is paired with Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick this week. He said he came to compete rather than prepare. "I didn't come over here just for smoke and prep.

I came over here to play golf and play well," he said. Jon Rahm is scheduled to compete in his first PGA Tour event outside the majors since joining LIV Golf, as the Scottish Open remains co-sanctioned.