2012 PGA Tour schedule unveiled

The PGA Tour has released its 2012 schedule and it shows only minor changes from this year's listings.

Only minor tweaks for next year and structure remains the same

The PGA Tour has released its 2012 schedule and it shows only minor changes from this year's listings. Once more it will feature 45 official money tournaments - the same number and configuration as 2011 with 37 during the Regular Season, four Playoffs for the FedExCup and the four-tournament Fall Series. It means the PGA Tour, still golf's richest despite the recent gains made by the European Tour, has been able to maintain the same number of events for a fifth successive year, an outcome that has been heralded as a minor triumph by many in the US given the global economic downturn and the loss of some of its oldest sponsors in the past few years. "The 2012 schedule again demonstrates the strength of our sport with a very strong collection of tournaments, venues and sponsors that provide outstanding playing opportunities for our members and attractive viewing options for our fans," said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. "The FedExCup and the PGA Tour Playoffs continue to generate interest and excitement through September, with the Fall Series focusing on the drama of players fighting for their playing privileges."

Date changes

The first change from 2011 concerns the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in Hawaii which now concludes on a Monday, January 9th, rather than a Sunday. This, say the Tour, will allow tournament promotion by NBC and Golf Channel during the NFL Playoff weekend and Golf Channel to televise the final round prior to the start of the BCS National Championship (college) football game. Another prominent early-season change occurs with the newly-named Humana Challenge, scheduled for January 19-22. The former Bob Hope Classic is revamping its pro-am format from five rounds to four and from pro-am teams to a single amateur being paired with a professional each round. In addition to getting a new title sponsor, the RBC Heritage returns to its traditional week in April immediately following The Masters. That means the Valero Texas Open will move back a week to follow the RBC Heritage, which is scheduled for April 9-15. Other date changes include: The two Texas tournaments - the HP Byron Nelson Championship, May 14-20, and Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, May 21-27 - will switch weeks. The Greenbrier Classic moves from the end of July to July 5-8, allowing the resort's Independence Day activities to be showcased around the tournament. The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, the last event of the Fall Series, moves from October to November 8-11.

Different courses

Four tournaments will be held at different courses than were used in 2011, including two Playoff tournaments. The Barclays opens the Playoffs, August 23-26, at Bethpage State Park-Black Course in New York and the third Playoff event, the BMW Championship, will be held for the first time at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indianapolis from September 6-9. The other two changes are the AT&T National returning to Congressional Country Club in Washington (June 28-July 1) following a two-year absence, and the RBC Canadian Open moving east to Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ontario, July 26-29. One final change. The Viking Classic in July has changed its name to the True South Classic. Annandale Golf Club is still the host venue. The structure of the schedule remains the same.

Full 2012 PGA Tour schedule: January 6-9 Hyundai Tournament of Champions (Monday finish)
Kapalua Resort (The Plantation Course)
Kapalua, Hawaii
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 12-15 Sony Open in Hawaii
Waialae Country Club
Honolulu, Hawaii -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 19-22 Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation
PGA WEST (Palmer Private Course (host), Nicklaus Private Course); La Quinta CC
La Quinta, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 26-29 Farmers Insurance Open
Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course (host), North Course)
San Diego, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 2-5 Waste Management Phoenix Open
TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course)
Scottsdale, Arizona -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 9-12 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
Pebble Beach GL (host), Spyglass Hill GC, Monterey Peninsula CC (Shore Course)
Pebble Beach, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 16-19 Northern Trust Open
Riviera Country Club
Pacific Palisades, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- February 22-26 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship
The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain
Marana, Arizona Mayakoba Golf Classic
El Camaleon Golf Club at the Mayakoba Resort
Playa del Carmen, Mexico -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 1-4 The Honda Classic
PGA National (Champion Course)
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 8-11 World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship
Doral Golf Resort & Spa (TPC Blue Monster Course)
Doral, Florida Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com
Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 15-18 Transitions Championship
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club (Copperhead Course)
Palm Harbor, Florida -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 22-25 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard
Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge
Orlando, Florida -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 29-April 1 Shell Houston Open
Redstone Golf Club (Tournament Course)
Houston, Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 5-8 Masters Tournament
Augusta National Golf Club
Augusta, Georgia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 12-15 RBC Heritage
Harbour Town Golf Links
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 19-22 Valero Texas Open
TPC San Antonio (AT&T Oaks Course)
San Antonio, Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- April 26-29 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
TPC Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 3-6 Wells Fargo Championship
Quail Hollow Club
Charlotte, North Carolina -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 10-13 THE PLAYERS Championship
TPC Sawgrass (THE PLAYERS Stadium Course)
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 17-20 HP Byron Nelson Championship
Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas (TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas)
Irving, Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 24-27 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
Colonial Country Club
Fort Worth, Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- May 31-June 3 the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance
Muirfield Village Golf Club
Dublin, Ohio -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 7-10 FedEx St. Jude Classic
TPC Southwind
Memphis, Tennessee -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 11-17 U.S. Open
Olympic Club (Lake Course)
San Francisco, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 21-24 Travelers Championship
TPC River Highlands
Cromwell, Connecticut -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- June 28-July 1 AT&T National
Congressional Country Club
Bethesda, Maryland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 5-8 The Greenbrier Classic
The Greenbrier (The Old White TPC)
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 12-15 John Deere Classic
TPC Deere Run
Silvis, Illinois -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 19-22 The Open Championship
Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club
Lancashire, U.K True South Classic
Annandale Golf Club
Madison, Mississippi -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 26-29 RBC Canadian Open
Hamilton Golf and Country Club
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 2-5 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational
Firestone Country Club (South Course)
Akron, Ohio Reno-Tahoe Open
Montreux Golf and Country Club
Reno, Nevada -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 9-12 PGA Championship
Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course)
Kiawah Island, South Carolina -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 16-19 Wyndham Championship
Sedgefield Country Club
Greensboro, North Carolina PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup August 23-26 The Barclays
Bethpage State Park (Black Course)
Farmingdale, New York -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- August 31-September 3 Deutsche Bank Championship (Monday Finish)
TPC Boston
Norton, Massachusetts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 6-9 BMW Championship
Crooked Stick Golf Club
Carmel, Indiana -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 10-16 Off week -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- September 20-23 TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola
East Lake Golf Club
Atlanta, Georgia September 28-30 Ryder Cup
Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3)
Medinah, Illinois Fall Series October 4-7 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open
TPC Summerlin
Las Vegas, Nevada -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 11-14 Frys.com Open
CordeValle Golf Club
San Martin, California -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 18-21 The McGladrey Classic
Sea Island Resort (Seaside Course)
St. Simons Island, Georgia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- October 22-28 CIMB Asia Pacific Classic*
The MINES Resort & Golf Club
Selangor, Malaysia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- November 1-4 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions*
TBD, China * Unofficial money November 8-11 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic
Walt Disney World Resort (Magnolia Course (host), Palm Course)
Lake Buena Vista, Florida