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Tiger Woods introduced PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp at a monumental press conference for the organization Tuesday morning, marking the 15-time major champion’s first official appearance since his arrest for drunk driving in March in Florida and his subsequent overseas rehab stint.
Woods served as one of the leaders of the Tour’s Future Competition Committee, something he called a “privilege” during his brief introduction to Rolapp.
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Woods was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated with property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test after his involvement in a two-car crash March 27 near his home on Jupiter Island, Florida. Authorities said Woods appeared lethargic and found hydrocodone pills on him at the scene, although he produced “triple zeros” on breathalyzer tests.
Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club watches during match against Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 23, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (James Gilbert/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)
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Woods pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge and after April 1 was granted permission to travel out of the country for hospital treatment. It is understood he entered rehab in Zurich, Switzerland.
The PGA Tour has officially approved a series of recommendations from the Future Competition Committee that will result in significant changes to the structure of the tour starting in 2028.
Tiger Woods watches his son Charlie Woods play during the first round of the US Junior Amateur at Brook Hollow Golf Club on July 21, 2025, in Dallas, Texas. (Tim Heitman/Getty Images)
The new model will feature two concurrent series – a Championship Series and a Challenger Series – which will include promotion and relegation of players. The Championship Series will consist of approximately 23 to 24 events with groups of approximately 120 players, running from February to August. The Tour announced that 10 of its 15 expected PGA Tour Championship Series events for 2028 have been scheduled.
The Challenger Series will feature a larger field of approximately 144 players, and tournaments will be played concurrently with Championship Series events. Championship Series players will not be eligible to withdraw and participate in Challenger Series events.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp speaks to the media prior to THE 2026 PLAYERS Championship during PLAYERS Stadium at TPC Sawgrass on March 11, 2026 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
The Tour has declared that at least the first 90 (out of around 130 players in the championship) will be completely exempt for the following season. Players who fail to maintain their membership may risk being relegated to the Challenger Series. A minimum of 20 players from the PGA TOUR Challenger Series will be promoted to the Championship Series for the following season.
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The Tour’s Fall Series will transform into a “last chance” series that will include four to six events, where a limited number of Championship Series spots for the following season will be available as players look to improve – or maintain – their status.
The Tour playoffs will also see a major facelift from 2028, with the introduction of match play and the Tour Championship revolving around “prestigious courses”, many of which have never hosted a tournament.
