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The PGA Tour wanted a limited number of competitors in its newly created AT&T National. Its players contended the tournament should own a full-sized field.

Score one for the tour.

It was announced on Wednesday that the AT&T National, to be played in the Washington D.C. area July 5-8, will feature a 120-player field, similar to the size of other invitational tournaments on the PGA Tour schedule.

"The feedback we have received from our Player Advisory Council and the membership on the issue of field size for the AT&T National is both understandable and very much appreciated," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said via a statement. "After weighing all the considerations, the Policy Board determined that an invitational criteria for this event was overwhelmingly positive for the PGA Tour and its members in the long-term."

The AT&T, which will be hosted by Tiger Woods, with proceeds benefiting his charitable foundation, joins the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial and Colonial as another event featuring a limited field size -- something for which many of the "rank-and-file" tour members have professed a disdain.

"We're trying to get back more spots throughout the year, and all of a sudden we have a limited-field tournament?" Rich Beem told The Associated Press earlier this month. "It's the most totally wrong thing I've heard of in a long time that's sticking it to the players."

Most regular PGA Tour events contain fields of 144 or, more usually, 156 players, meaning two or three dozen players could potentially be given an extra week off in the middle of the season.

Critics of the AT&T's limited field have been quick to point out that The International, a tournament which was on the tour schedule for 21 years before being canceled last month, previously contained a 144-man field.

For his part, Woods explained the reasoning for a restricted amount of players, saying two weeks ago: "Play moves along a lot faster. You get around in a much more rhythmical pace. I think that's important.

"We're trying to put on the best possible field and the best tournament we possible can."

It's not a decision every player disagrees with. Phil Mickelson has come out in support of the limited field size.

"All of the conflicting events cannot support themselves financially, and all of the excess revenue from the tour goes to support those tournaments, and most of that money is driven by Tiger," Mickelson said recently. "So if you're looking at 450 spots that Tiger is creating, and if he wants to take 20 away because he wants to have a prestigious event, I think we should not, as players, be narrow-minded."

Finchem announced that more efforts will be made to find additional playing opportunities for non-qualified players in invitationals, which could include increasing the field sizes at invitational tournaments, opening up qualifying spots, awarding unrestricted sponsor exemptions and foreign exemptions.

Jason Sobel is ESPN.com's golf editor. He can be reached at Jason.Sobel@espn3.com