Colonial Likely Out of PGA Tour's 2028 Championship Series

Colonial Country Club reportedly will not be selected for the PGA Tour's top tier as the circuit moves to a two-tier tournament structure in 2028.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Golf

Expressive editorial sports illustration of a golfer mid-swing on a sunlit fairway, with oak trees framing the edge of a green course. — The PGA Tour reportedly will not place Colonial Country Club in its top-tier 2028 Championship Series as the circuit moves to a two-tier structure, while CJ sought Tier 1 status for the Byron Nelson. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Golfweek's Adam Schupak reported that Colonial Country Club is not expected to secure a spot in the PGA Tour's 2028 Championship Series, while CJ reportedly offered a better deal to keep the CJ Cup Byron Nelson in Tier 1. The tour has not yet announced which events will be selected for its Championship Series and Challenger Series.

Why it matters

Only one Dallas-Fort Worth tournament will be chosen for the Championship Series, so the outcome determines which regional event keeps top-tier status. The decision reshapes the local golf calendar that has featured Colonial's PGA Tour event since 1946.

Only one Dallas-Fort Worth event will earn a place in the 2028 Championship Series, which means the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson are competing for a single top-tier spot. The tour has not confirmed the final selections.

The players

Brian Rolapp

Brian Rolapp is the PGA Tour's chief executive who has outlined plans to restructure the tour's schedule around a tiered tournament system.

Adam Schupak

Adam Schupak is a golf journalist at Golfweek whose reporting first surfaced the expectation that Colonial will miss the Championship Series.

The details

Golfweek reported that Colonial's Charles Schwab Challenge is not expected to make the Championship Series, and that Colonial could instead pivot to the PGA Tour Champions and host the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The report also said CJ, title sponsor of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, delivered a better offer to be included in Tier 1.

March 2026: PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp discussed plans to revamp the tour's future schedule.
2028: The PGA Tour switches to a two-tier tournament structure.

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Season Trajectory

The PGA Tour's move to a two-tier Championship Series and Challenger Series in 2028 will determine which Dallas-Fort Worth events keep top-tier status. Colonial's reported exclusion would leave the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on the PGA Tour Champions as its likely alternative.

Golf fans in Fort Worth should watch for the PGA Tour's event list, since the selection will determine whether Colonial's tournament remains a top-tier stop. Ticket and attendance planning for the Charles Schwab Challenge depends on whether it stays on the PGA Tour's main circuit.

The takeaway

Fans who follow Dallas-Fort Worth golf should expect the PGA Tour's tier assignments to shape which local tournament remains at the highest level. Checking official PGA Tour announcements once the 2028 field is published will confirm the final outcome.

What happens next

The PGA Tour is expected to announce the events selected for its 2028 Championship Series and Challenger Series, but no date has been set for that announcement.