Senior Players Championship Leaves Firestone: PGA Tour Champions Landmark Event Heads West

Golf · By Sarah Mitchell · May 26, 2026
Senior Players Championship Leaves Firestone: PGA Tour Champions Landmark Event Heads West

Firestone Country Club, long synonymous with some of golf’s most prestigious moments, will no longer play host to the Senior Players Championship as the event moves to California. This transition signals the close of a significant chapter in PGA Tour Champions history and the beginning of a bold new era for the tournament.

For years, Firestone’s South Course in Akron, Ohio, has provided a dramatic backdrop for legends of the game. Its tree-lined fairways and formidable layout have challenged the world’s top senior golfers, creating memorable moments and crowning champions who added to the course’s storied legacy. The Senior Players Championship, a major on the PGA Tour Champions circuit, has become deeply intertwined with the identity of Firestone, drawing fans from across the country to witness the game’s icons compete.

The decision to relocate the Senior Players Championship to California marks a strategic shift for the event and the tour. While details about the new California venue are still emerging, the move reflects the PGA Tour Champions’ commitment to evolving the championship’s reach and appeal, potentially attracting new audiences on the West Coast and reinvigorating the competition with a fresh setting.

  • Firestone hosted the Senior Players Championship since its move to PGA Tour Champions, continuing its tradition as a major championship venue
  • The South Course’s legacy includes hosting historic tournaments such as the World Golf Championships and the former PGA Championship
  • California’s selection as the new host represents a significant geographic and cultural shift for the event

The end of the Senior Players’ run at Firestone is being marked as more than a routine venue change—it’s seen as the end of an era. The site has witnessed countless memorable finishes and emotional victories, cementing its status as a favorite among players and fans alike. As the tournament prepares to write its next chapter in California, the echoes of Firestone’s rich history will inevitably remain part of its enduring legacy.

Golf enthusiasts can anticipate new storylines and challenges as the Senior Players Championship heads to the West Coast, but for many, the memories forged at Firestone will always be an integral part of the tournament’s identity.

Sources

  1. [1]Newsday