PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan told he must make major schedule changes in New York verdict

PGA Tour star Billy Horschel has urged commissioner Jay Monahan to reintroduce New York and Chicago to the schedule to "get more people involved in the game of golf".

New York and Illinois are home to some of golf's most iconic courses, such as Shinnecock Hills, Winged Foot and Medinah, but they were snubbed from the tour's schedule this season. They will not host events in 2025 either, although Bethpage Black will hold the Ryder Cup.

Much of the tour's schedule is concentrated in Florida, California and the Carolinas, owing to the warmer climate and title sponsors' demands. But former FedEx Cup champion Horschel believes New York and Chicago are essential markets for the tour and he has called for them to return to the schedule as soon as possible.

"Listen, we're in Denver, which is a pretty big city. There are some really great golf courses in Chicago. There are some great golf courses in the northeast, New York, Boston area, the Philadelphia area. It is a little bit disappointing that we're not there," Horschel said.

"But it's not like the tour is not trying to be there. Obviously, we go where the sponsors are and the sponsors can dictate a little bit where they want to hold their event.

"But I think going forward when we look at a revamped schedule and getting around the country, I do think we need to go back to Chicago and New York because I think those are really great golf towns. They're really great sports towns, and that's what really matters.

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"I think for us, growing the game – I don't like using the term 'growing the game' – but bringing it to the fans and people who aren't necessarily in golf yet, going to towns that are just massive sports fans and fanatics, I think we need to go to those cities because that's how we can get more people involved in the game of golf."

One thing Horschel believes the tour has got largely right, however, is the structure of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, despite criticism from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler said it is "silly" to call it a season-long race, given how volatile the playoffs can be.

Scheffler has entered the playoffs in the past two years as the leading player on the tour, but he has been hunted down at the Tour Championship by Rory McIlroy in 2022 and Viktor Hovland last year.

"I disagree with Scottie. Scottie said it's silly. I don't agree with that," Horschel said. "I think we have a system now that has never rewarded the best player throughout the regular season.

"I won the 2014 FedExCup. Rory McIlroy was clearly the best player that year. He had won two majors. He came in on a high note. I was 69th at the start of the FedEx. I missed the first cut. I go second, win, win, and I win the FedExCup. It's no different than the New York Giants and beating the New England Patriots and starting the playoffs 9-7 and the Patriots being undefeated and then winning the Super Bowl.

"I think if you asked two other guys there's two different opinions you're going to get on the FedExCup and what they think is the best way, but I believe that our system and the way we do it, could we reward the regular season a little bit more? Sure, we can. But this is a playoff. Anything can happen."