The PGA Tour dropped a bombshell Wednesday. The FedEx St. Jude Championship will not be part of the new Championship Series when it launches in 2028.
This is a major demotion for an event that has anchored the postseason since 2022. The St. Jude served as the opening act for the FedEx Cup playoffs, feeding players directly into the next tier of competition. Now it gets bumped from the top tier entirely.
The Championship Series represents the tour's restructured postseason format, designed to create clearer pathways and higher stakes down the stretch. By excluding St. Jude, the tour is signaling that other events will carry more weight in determining the final playoff picture.
This creates real consequences for the tournament's prestige and for players targeting playoff positioning. Winning in Memphis no longer carries the same leverage it once did. The event itself remains on the calendar, but it essentially loses its status as a must-play destination for contenders.
St. Jude has produced competitive fields and dramatic moments since becoming the playoff opener. Its removal reflects the tour's willingness to shuffle the deck as it tries to stabilize revenue and fan interest amid competition from LIV Golf.