PGA of America CEO discusses changing tournament dates

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has stated he would like to have the FedEx Cup playoffs end prior to the end of the NFL season, which would mean THE PLAYERS and PGA Championship would likely need to find new dates.

PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua released a video this week about the ongoing process of making a decision and the steps involved in finding the right date for the PGA Championship.

“We have not made a decision, but we are deep into our analysis, which started four years ago. We were talking about the long-term impact of golf in the Olympics could have on the PGA Championship," Bevacqua said.

Last year the PGA Championship was moved to late July to accommodate the tour's participation in the Rio de Janiero Olympics, the first time the tournament was moved outside it's usual August slot since 1971, when it was held in February.

"We started an analysis in earnest about what would be the best date or potentially the best date for the PGA Championship, bearing in mind that the championship in its now over 99-year history has been played in nine of the 12 months," said Bevacqua. "So it's not as though we've always played the championship in August."

The PGA Tour has already discussed moving THE PLAYERS Championship back to March, which would give the PGA of America an option to move it's tournament to May.

"A PGA Championship conducted in May. What other parts of the country could that open up? Following the Masters and now being the second of the four majors instead of the fourth. A stronger television market."