The PGA Tour will introduce six rule changes from the 2026 season opener, the Sony Open. Below is a concise, numbers-focused breakdown of what changes on the course.
- Unaware ball movement penalty reduced
If a player unknowingly causes the ball to move and plays it, the penalty is 1 stroke instead of 2 strokes. The ruling depends on player awareness, not video evidence.
- Expanded embedded ball relief
Free relief is allowed if a ball embeds in any unrepaired pitch mark, not only the player’s own, provided the area is cut to fairway height or less.
- Internal out of bounds restricted
Internal out of bounds applies only to tee shots. After the tee shot, internal O.B. markers are treated as obstructions, not boundaries.
- Extra relief near putting greens
Players may take free relief from immovable obstructions near greens when putting from the fringe or apron. This applies when both the ball and obstruction are within two club lengths of the putting green, expanding beyond sprinkler heads.
- Damaged club replacement clarified
A significantly damaged club may be repaired or rebuilt mid round using spare components from the player’s bag. The replacement does not count as a 15th club, provided the damage was not caused by abuse.
- Preferred lies relief reduced
Preferred lies relief is reduced from one club length (approximately 46 inches) to one scorecard length (approximately 11 inches). In 2025, preferred lies were used in 21 rounds.
Overall, the changes aim to reduce excessive penalties, eliminate grey areas and bring the PGA Tour in line with global standards while maintaining competitive fairness.
