The PGA Tour Could Add a Stop in the Pacific Northwest Starting in 2028

The PGA Tour is overhauling its 2028 schedule, and the Pacific Northwest is emerging as a top target for a new stop, with Sahalee Country Club near Seattle as the frontrunner.

If you've ever played Sahalee Country Club tucked away in the tall timber of Sammamish, Washington, you know the place is special. Ancient Douglas firs looming over tight fairways, a course that demands precision over power, and an atmosphere that feels more like a cathedral than a country club.

So when reports surfaced that the PGA Tour is planning a significant shake-up to its 2028 schedule, and that the Pacific Northwest is emerging as one of the top candidates for a brand new stop, let's just say we had a moment.

What We Know So Far

According to a report from the Sports Business Journal, the PGA Tour is expected to make significant changes to its 2028 schedule, and the Pacific Northwest is one of the regions gaining real steam as a potential addition. Several executives specifically mentioned Sahalee Country Club near Seattle as the likely venue, describing it as a region "starved for pro golf" where a new event would be a popular move with both fans and players alike.

Nothing is locked in yet, but when tour executives are name-dropping a specific course, you pay attention. And this particular course has earned every bit of that attention.

Sahalee has already proven it belongs on the biggest stages in golf. On the PGA Tour side, the course hosted the 1998 PGA Championship (won by Vijay Singh) and the 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational. More recently, Sahalee has been a fixture on the LPGA calendar, hosting the KPMG Women's PGA Championship in both 2016 and 2024. The course has major championship DNA and it shows every time the world's best show up and the trees start closing in.

If this comes together, Pacific Northwest golf fans would have a legitimate PGA Tour event in their own backyard for the first time in years.

Why Sahalee is the Perfect Host

Let's be real: not every course gets to host PGA Tour events. Sahalee earns it. Here's why this course is made for the big stage:

• The trees don't lie. Sahalee's defining feature is its old-growth canopy, with towering firs and cedars lining nearly every hole and making errant shots a death sentence. In a modern era of bombers and birdie fests, Sahalee forces golfers to think. That makes for compelling tournament golf.

• It rewards the best. There's no hiding at Sahalee. The fairways are tight, the rough is punishing, and the greens demand precise approach angles. When the best players in the world play here, the cream rises to the top, which is exactly what fans and TV audiences want to see.

• The setting is unreal. Located just east of Seattle in Sammamish, Sahalee sits in one of the most naturally stunning golf environments anywhere in the country. Dense Pacific Northwest forest, clean mountain air, and that unmistakable feeling that you're playing somewhere deeply other. TV cameras are going to love it.

  
  

What This Would Mean for PNW Golf

We talk a lot about how underrated Pacific Northwest golf is. The courses here are world-class. The scenery is unmatched. The golf culture is passionate, knowledgeable, and hungry for more.

A PGA Tour event at Sahalee would put that on display for the entire country, and frankly, the world. It would shine a spotlight on Seattle-area golf, drive interest in courses throughout Washington and Oregon, and give local golfers something to rally around every single year.

Think about what the Waste Management Phoenix Open does for Arizona golf, or what the John Deere Classic has meant for the Midwest. A permanent PGA Tour stop in the Pacific Northwest could do the same for us, building a golf identity that goes beyond "oh, it rains a lot there."

Mark Your Calendars (Tentatively)

Nothing is official yet, but this is absolutely worth watching. If the PGA Tour commits to the Pacific Northwest for 2028, you'll want tickets early. Sahalee has a way of producing memorable moments, and this golf community is going to show up loud.

We'll be keeping a close eye on this as it develops. Stay tuned to Northwest Links for any updates, and if you haven't played Sahalee or made it out to the Seattle area before, now might be the time to start planning.