how long is a pga tour card good for

What Are the Requirements for a PGA Tour Card? 6 Ways to Earn One

Here are 6 ways to earn a PGA Tour card

• DESCRIPTION Ben Martin becomes Tour Bound
• SOURCE James Gilbert / Contributor
• PERMISSION Getty Image license

In a lot of ways, getting a PGA Tour card is like winning the lottery. The path is simple, but the odds are against you. If you beat those odds, however, the payout is handsome.

To play as a member on the PGA Tour, you must have a PGA Tour card. Players earn their card by accomplishing one of several requirements. Here’s a breakdown of just how to earn a PGA Tour card, and six ways to snag one.

1. PGA Tour Q-School

PGA Tour Q-School used to be a direct path to the PGA Tour. Then Q-School stopped giving players PGA Tour cards, giving them status on the Korn Ferry Tour instead, where they could play for spots on the PGA Tour over the course of an entire season. But now, just like in years past, players can earn a PGA Tour card through Q-School and head straight to the PGA Tour. However, only the top five finishers from the final stage of Q-School earn PGA Tour cards and get to head directly to the PGA Tour.

Korn Ferry Tour: Strategies to Qualify and Challenges to Expect

2. Korn Ferry Tour Points

The most direct path to the PGA Tour is through the Korn Ferry Tour. While gaining Korn Ferry Tour status is no breeze in itself, once there, players have multiple avenues to earn their PGA Tour card.

There are 30 PGA Tour cards up for grabs through the Korn Ferry Tour each year. The top 30 players from the Korn Ferry Tour's season-long standings after the KFT Championship earn cards.

Getting into the Korn Ferry Tour is a process in itself, which can be accomplished through Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School , or via the Forme Tour , Mackenzie (Canadian) Tour, or the PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

3. Korn Ferry Tour Three-Win Promotion

Korn Ferry Tour players can jump directly to the PGA Tour through an exemption known as the Three-Win Promotion . This promotion is exactly what it sounds like, after three Korn Ferry Tour wins in one season, a player gains his PGA Tour card.

The three-win promotion has proven to be a tough route to the big tour, as only 12 players have accomplished the feat since 1997.

4. PGA Tour Special Temporary Membership

Players can bypass the Korn Ferry Tour and jump straight to the PGA Tour by gaining PGA Tour Special Temporary Membership, then parlaying that into a PGA Tour card.

The PGA Tour reserves a small number of spots each week for non-Tour members through sponsor exemptions and Monday qualifiers. Non-members who compete in PGA Tour events through these avenues and perform well enough can earn Special Temporary Membership by accumulating the amount of FedExCup points equal to the player who finished 150th on the FedExCup list the previous season.

Once a player has accepted Special Temporary Membership, they can accept unlimited sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events and can earn their card by finishing in the top 125 of the FedExCup points list during the regular season.

Without Special Temporary Membership, non-members can only accept up to seven sponsor exemptions and compete in up to 12 PGA Tour events in a season.

Players on a Special Temporary Membership are not eligible for the FedExCup playoffs.

5. PGA Tour U Gets College Golfers to the PGA Tour

Through PGA Tour U , the PGA Tour has removed some hurdles for the top collegiate players who begin their transition into the professional ranks when their amateur careers end.

Top collegiate players in the final year of their college careers earn ranking points based on their performance in the NCAA Division I championship, PGA Tour events, major championships, and the Dubai Desert Classic. At the end of the season, five PGA Tour University first-team and second-team honorees are identified, along with 10 PGA Tour University third-team players. 

The top player earns PGA TOUR membership for the rest of the season, plus the followig season. The top five players earn Korm Ferry Tour membership for the rest of the season, a spot in the Final Stage of Q-School, and the opportunity to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events throug the following season.

Nos. 6-10 earn conditional Korn Ferry Tour status for the current season, an exemption into the North American portion of the PGA TOUR Americas schedule, and an exemption into Second Stage of Q-School.

The 10 third-team honorees get exemptions to the North America Swing of the PGA TOUR Americas and exemptions into the Second Stage of Q-School.

6. Win a PGA Tour Event or Major Championship

The fastest way to earn a PGA Tour card is also the least likely. Anybody who wins a PGA Tour event gets an immediate two-year PGA Tour exemption. This means that any non-member who gets into the field at a PGA Tour event via a sponsor exemption or Monday qualifier, and goes on to win that event, gets their PGA Tour card.

While yes, this path is extremely rare, it's exactly what Nick Dunlap did in 2024. He entered a PGA Tour event, the American Express, as an amateur, and despite the astronomica odds, won the tournament. Shortly after, Dunlap took advantage of his two-plus year PGA Tour exemption by turning pro.

Major champions get even more luxury, securing a five-year exemption to both the PGA Tour and European Tour. Three of the four major championships each year reserve spots for amateur players , meaning that theoretically an amateur could win the Masters, U.S. Open or Open Championship and secure their PGA Tour card for the next five years.

Benefits of a Tour Card

By having a PGA Tour card, a golfer can play in PGA Tour events. Many players also receive sponsor endorsements and advertising contracts. The PGA Tour card provides the player the opportunity to win large purses in tournaments . Players who make the cut in routine PGA Tour events generally cash at least a five-figure check, with that amount increasing with higher-stature events and major championships.

In 1965, the first PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament (called Q-School) was held and John Schlee won the event. In 1968 and 1969 and from 1975 to 1981, there were two tournaments each year.

Until 2013, Q-School was used to grant membership to the PGA Tour. From 2013 to 2023, Q-School served as a gateway to the Korn Ferry Tour, with PGA Tour Cards handed out through the Korn Ferry Tour regular season and finals.

Misconceptions

Many people think that if a player holds a PGA Tour Card, he can play in any event on the PGA tour. However, new PGA tour players are eligible for tournaments but players commit to tournaments based on their priority ranking. Players with lower priority rankings can only play an event when it's not already full by the time they have a chance to commit.

Ray Barnes, our Senior Staff Writer and a Golf Analyst with a PhD in Sports Analytics, is a beacon of insight in the golfing world. With a deep understanding of the sport's nuances, statistical analysis, and a talent for demystifying complexities, he provides in-depth analysis and captivating narratives that engage golf enthusiasts worldwide.

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What Is A PGA Tour Card? (All You Need To Know)

Becoming a PGA Tour player is the pinnacle of professional golf. To be a part of this elite group, professionals need to work their way into earning a prestigious PGA Tour Card.

A PGA Tour Card is what players earn to play on the PGA tour. However, being able to play in a PGA tour event does not always require a PGA Tour Card.

Given that there are many nuisances to PGA Tour Cards and what they mean for eligibility, there are a lot of questions that surround what having a PGA Tour Cards actually means.

In the article below, we’ll cover how many cards are available, how golfers earn a card, can players lose their card, and so much more.

If you are interested in learning all there is to know about PGA Tour Cards, keep reading below for a complete guide!

How Do Players Get Their PGA Tour Cards?

New players need to work their way into the PGA Tour. This happens by playing in Korn Ferry Tour, a developmental league for rising stars as well as a league for players kicked out of the PGA tour due to poor play. The top 30 players in the Korn Ferry Tour will earn their PGA Tour Cards.

Current PGA Tour Card holders keep their PGA Tour Card from winning PGA tournaments, placing highly in the FedEx Cup rankings, or through exemptions by hitting certain milestones. There are also medical exemptions which protect players with an injury from losing their tour status.

Winning on tour is the best way to get and keep a PGA Tour Card. A great example of this is the PGA Championship.

Players who win the PGA Championship receive a lifelong exemption to play in the tournament.

PGA Tournament Champions also secure a spot in the Masters, Open Championship and US Open for the subsequent 5 years along with a PGA Tour card for the next 5 years.  

Winning on tour is tough, so many players rely on FedEx Cup  rankings to stay eligible.

FedEx Cup rankings take each players tournament performance to calculate their rankings, with wins and top finishes receiving a higher point value.

Is There An Actual PGA Tour Card?

Yes, PGA Tour players get a physical PGA Tour Card when they make it on tour. However, PGA Tour players do not need to show their card to enter events .

Tournament officials will know before the event who has qualified to play.

So, what does a PGA Tour card look like? It is a small, rectangular plastic issued to professional golfers who have earned their playing privileges for the PGA Tour.

The card typically features the PGA Tour logo prominently displayed, along with the player’s name, and other relevant information such as the player’s tour status and the year in which the card is valid.

How Many PGA Tour Cards Are There?

The number of active PGA Tour players can vary by definition. The best way to look at it is the number of available tour cards each year.

125 golfers will maintain their PGA Tour Cards each year along with 30 players from the Korn Ferry Tour being promoted up into the PGA Tour.

This means that there are 155 active tour players during a given golf season.

Does this mean that only 155 players are able to play in a PGA Tour event?

Well, not exactly.  There are other ways to play on tour which we will cover in the next section.  

Do You Need A PGA Tour Card To Play In A PGA Event?

You do not need a tour card to play in a PGA sponsored event. Player can play into tournaments by winning Monday qualifiers or earn exceptions through sponsors.

Monday qualifiers are essentially a mini day tournament where the top finishers are allowed to play in the tournament.

These spots for these qualifiers are typically reserved for players right outside of qualifying for the tour such as up and coming Korn Ferry players or prior PGA Tour Card holders.

Special exemptions are very different from qualifiers. The tournament sponsors essentially can pick individuals to play in their event.

Past winners or a local PGA Pro may be invited to play without the proper qualifications to enter the event.

Can Players Lose Their PGA Tour Card?

The unfortunate reality is that every year PGA Tour player lose their eligibility. You may wonder who gets to keep their PGA Tour Card each year.

As we covered above, PGA Tour status is determined by FedEx standings, promotion from the Korn Ferry Tour, or by PGA Tour tournament wins.

Players in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup are eligible for a PGA Tour Card. Golfers who fall outside the top 125 must work their way back into good standing.

Players that finish 126–150 in the standings are given conditional status on tour and full status on the Korn Ferry Tour. These players can play in PGA tour events if spots are available in the field.

How Much Does A PGA Tour Card Cost?

There is a lot of money to be made on the PGA Tour. Earning a PGA Tour Card is a green light to make some serious cash if you have the nerves to compete.

Given this ability to earn, you might think that the PGA Tour would charge its players a premium for the privilege of playing, but this is not the case.

There is no cost to be a member of the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour makes its money from TV contracts and sponsorship, not membership dues.

The PGA wants to have the best players in the world in their events. Charging golfers an entry fee is nothing compared to the earnings they receive from their TV deals and event sponsors.

Check out our article on PGA Tour Expenses if you are interested in learning more about what it costs to be a tour player.

Final Thoughts

Qualifying for a PGA Tour Card is tough work. Promotion from the Korn Ferry Tour is almost as challenging as competing in the PGA.

Players need to be dedicated to the game to earn the right to play on tour.

Keeping a card is equally as tough. Players need to continually perform at a high level to keep their PGA Tour Card or win a major championship to ensure longevity on tour, both of which are monumental accomplishments.

Once a player gets on tour the winnings can be extraordinary.

The PGA Tour is truly the best of the best and so are the winnings. Its no wonder why players work their whole lives to get on tour.

Hopefully you liked this article and found it informative. Check out our other  blog posts if you liked this one!

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How to get a PGA Tour Card: Requirements And Routes

In the realm of professional golf, the global elite competes fiercely on the prestigious stage of the PGA Tour. A PGA Tour card, the ultimate pass, opens the gateway to this world of excellence, allowing golfers to challenge the best, reap rewards, and showcase talents.

Yet, how does one secure a PGA Tour card? While numerous avenues exist, such as accruing FedEx Cup points and excelling in the Korn Ferry and DP World Tour, a comprehensive grasp is essential. 

Let’s navigate through the requirements and pathways to obtain your PGA Tour card.

I. What is a PGA Tour card?

A PGA Tour card is essentially a membership pass that grants professional golfers the right to participate in PGA Tour events throughout the season. It is a symbol of recognition for a golfer’s exceptional skill and hard work, allowing them to compete alongside some of the most accomplished names in the sport.

The journey to securing this card is both demanding and rewarding, encompassing various routes that cater to different skill levels and circumstances. 

II. How to get a PGA tour card?

Obtaining a PGA Tour card requires meeting specific criteria and demonstrating success in professional golf. Here are some ways to become a PGA tour player:

• Finish in the top 30 positions on the previous season’s Korn Ferry Tour finals.
• Get into the top 10 on the previous season’s DP World Tour.
• Finish within the top 5 at the Final Stage of Q-School.
• Achieve the number one ranking at the end of the PGA Tour University Velocity Global Ranking.
• Earn points through sponsor exemptions.
• Win a PGA Tour event or Major within a specified timeframe.

Here’s an overview of the pathways to access the 2024 PGA TOUR:

III. Understanding different routes to get a PGA Tour Card

Let’s delve into a comprehensive explanation of the different routes to acquiring a PGA Tour card to give you a clear understanding of the process:

1. Korn Ferry Tour

The Korn Ferry Tour emerges as a direct path when aiming for the prestigious PGA Tour. Achieving Korn Ferry Tour status is a substantial accomplishment, unlocking numerous routes to secure a PGA Tour card. Let’s delve into this journey, exploring its significance.

i) Korn Ferry Tour Points and Playoffs

Annually, the Korn Ferry Tour offers 30 coveted PGA Tour cards. The top 30 players from the points list of 2023, secure direct PGA Tour cards for 2024 PGA Tour. Their consistent performance marks them as prime contenders.

iI) Korn Ferry Tour Three-Win Promotion

For those who demonstrate exceptional dominance, the Korn Ferry Tour offers an intriguing shortcut to the PGA Tour: the Three-Win Promotion.

This exemption acknowledges an extraordinary achievement: clinching three Korn Ferry Tour victories within a single season. The reward for this exceptional feat is an instant elevation to the coveted PGA Tour.

While the Three-Win Promotion seems like a direct route, it’s no walk in the park. Only a select few have conquered this path, with a mere 12 players accomplishing this remarkable feat since 1997.

2. DP World Tour

In 2022, the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour formed a strategic alliance, establishing a fresh path for players to acquire PGA TOUR status through their DP World Tour performance.

In this partnership, the highest-ranked players in the Dubai rankings, who don’t already hold PGA TOUR status, get a chance to secure PGA TOUR cards. This collaborative initiative amplifies chances for players to ensure a smooth transition between the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR, broadening their potential for golfing success.

3. Q-School

Players aiming for a PGA Tour card can go through Q-School. It involves Pre-Qualifying, First Stage, Second Stage, and Final Stage qualifying rounds. Top 5 and ties from the Final Stage get PGA Tour spots, while those outside the top 5 gain Korn Ferry Tour status.

4. PGA Tour University

The No. 1 player on the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking becomes a PGA TOUR member. Seniors who meet the criteria are included. 

Benchmarks for juniors, sophomores, and freshmen lead to PGA TOUR membership via the Accelerated program. These players earn FedExCup points, get into the Q-School Final Stage, and have a Korn Ferry Tour membership.

5. Sponsor Exemptions

Players without official status can gain a tour card through sponsor exemptions . With good results, they earn enough points for the next season. Young talents or amateurs with promise can benefit, like Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth.

6. Win a PGA Tour or Major Championship

Winning an event on the PGA Tour or a major championship automatically grants a PGA Tour card. 

A standard PGA Tour win comes with a 2-year exemption , while elevated events like World Golf Championships and the Tour Championship offer a 3-year exemption. Major championship winners earn exemptions to both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour.

IV. Tour card exemptions

Players can also earn a PGA Tour card through various exemptions.

• Lifetime Exemption: Players with 20+ wins on PGA Tour
• Five-Year Exemption: Major winners, The Players Championship winners, and FedEx Cup winners
• Three-Year Exemption: Victors of specific tournaments (like the Korn Ferry tour)

V. How to get into Korn Ferry tour?

Now that the significance of Korn Ferry Tour wins in the journey to a PGA Tour card is apparent, the question of how to access this realm naturally arises. Entering the Korn Ferry Tour events involves diverse paths:

• Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying School: This rigorous evaluation stands as a primary gateway. Players who excel in the Qualifying School secure their coveted spot on the Korn Ferry Tour.
• Forme Tour, Mackenzie (Canadian) Tour, or PGA Tour Latinoamerica: Triumph in these circuits holds the power to propel golfers onto the Korn Ferry Tour. These diverse routes provide multifaceted avenues for progression.

VI. Benefits of PGA Tour Card

Here’s a list of benefits that come with getting a PGA Tour card:

1. Access to Prestigious Tournaments

• Entry into major tournaments like The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship.
• Opportunity to compete on iconic courses and against the world’s top players.

2. Enhanced Visibility and Recognition

• Global recognition as the PGA Tour players.
• Increased fan base, media coverage, and social media following.

3. Financial Rewards

• Potential for substantial prize money even for mid-tier finishes.
• Opportunities for endorsement deals and sponsorships.

4. Exposure and Brand Building

• Opportunity to build a personal brand and expand off-course ventures.
• Public speaking engagements, golf clinics, and media appearances.

5. Competitive Edge

• Exposure to high-pressure situations builds mental fortitude.
• Playing among the best hones skills and develops a strong mindset.

6. Networking and Mentorship

• Interaction with seasoned professionals, coaches, and sponsors.
• Building valuable relationships that can impact one’s career.

In 2024, significant changes have been made to the requirements for obtaining a PGA Tour card. Previously, there were 50 Tour Cards available from Korn Ferry, with no tour cards coming from the DP World Tour. 

However, the new rules introduce additional routes to the PGA Tour, thereby expanding opportunities for players to qualify. This alteration signifies a shift in the PGA Tour card acquisition landscape, providing players with fresh avenues to pursue their aspirations.

About The Author

Jeff is a passionate golfer and a gear junkie. He loves experimenting with new golf clubs and is always looking for ways to improve his game. With a handicap of 8.5, he specializes in full swing, but more importantly, the short game!

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Getting a pga tour card is tough; keeping it is no picnic.

• Doug Ferguson ,
• Doug Ferguson

Tyler Duncan played his best golf over the final nine holes of his long season, making four birdies on the back nine to close with a 66. That meant getting a PGA Tour card for the third straight season, twice through what now is called the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

D.J. Trahan also delivered a clutch moment with an approach to 3 feet for birdie on the last hole to get one of the last cards.

The Korn Ferry Tour Championship, the final chance to earn a PGA Tour card for 25 players, was at times exciting, exhausting and exhilarating for those who made it. And it’s also just the start.

Getting a PGA Tour card is tough. Keeping it is no picnic.

The new PGA Tour season starts Sept. 12 at the Greenbrier, with six domestic events and one at the Mexican resort of Mayakoba, all of them offering full FedExCup points and an invitation to the Masters for the winner.

Optimism is never higher. The PGA Tour in September is right up there with Major League Baseball in March.

Now for the bad news: If the last three years are any indication, some 60 percent of the players who earned PGA Tour cards won’t be keeping them.

Of the 50 players who earned PGA Tour cards last year – either the regular season or the finals series of what is now the Korn Ferry Tour – 31 failed to finish among the top 125 in the FedExCup to retain full status.

Thirty players failed to keep their cards in 2018, and 29 did not keep their cards in 2017.

As for that optimism? There’s no predicting who’s going to get hot in what week. One adage passed down from veterans over the years is that players typically make 80 percent of their money from 20 percent of their tournaments.

Five players who earned cards from the Korn Ferry Tour – either the regular season or the finals series – won on the PGA Tour the next year. That includes Max Homa at Quail Hollow and Adam Long at the Desert Classic, where he beat Phil Mickelson by one shot.

The previous year, seven players who had to earn tour cards went on to win, four of them getting a Masters invitation. That group included Ted Potter Jr., who took down Dustin Johnson at Pebble Beach. And in 2016-17, the list of nine winners included Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau.

• Brentley Romine ,

PATTY T’S TIMING

Patty Tavatanakit is sure to join the LPGA tour next year based on her play on the Symetra Tour.

But the UCLA alum still has to wait.

Tavatanakit rallied from six shots behind to win the Sioux Falls GreatLife Challenge last week for her third victory of the season on the Symetra Tour. Previously, three Symetra Tour victories earned an instant promotion to the LPGA, a policy that changed last year with the introduction of the Q-Series on the tour, which is a pair of 72-hole tournaments in consecutive weeks.

The 19-year-old Thai didn’t sound bothered by it all. Tavatanakit is No. 2 on the money list with $110,487, leaving her about $3,000 short of Perrine Delacour, who has played 17 times on the Symetra Tour. Tavatanakit has won three times in just eight starts.

''It’s hard to get a picture of what I’ve been able to accomplish,’' Tavatanakit said. ''I set my goals and have lived in the moment really well for the past three months since turning pro. I just focus on what I need to do to be a better player. All I want is to improve every time I step on the course. It’s pretty unreal for how far I have come and what the future holds too.’'

CALLING ON THE HALL

Justin Rose doesn’t know the criteria to be considered or even voted for the World Golf Hall of Fame.

His objective is to take the guesswork out of the equation.

Strictly by his PGA Tour record, Rose has too many other players ahead of his 10 victories and one major championship. But he has 10 other victories on the other five major tours in golf, not to mention that Olympic gold medal from Rio in 2016. He also has a FedExCup title and has reached No. 1 in the world.

''I’m knocking on the door, but I feel like you want to bash the door down and make it an easy decision,’' Rose said. ''I don’t want to be on the fringe of it.’'

Next in line is Tiger Woods, who turns 44 at the end of the year. Rose turns 40 next year, as does Adam Scott, who has more victories on the PGA Tour and worldwide; and Sergio Garcia. Jim Furyk also merits plenty of consideration with his 17 victories, a U.S. Open and uncanny consistency.

''Is it two majors and 20 PGA Tour events? I don’t know if there’s a criteria,’' Rose said. ''I’ve definitely had some cool moments in my career that definitely stand out. Hopefully, if it ever happened, they’d look favorably on that stuff. But I want to kick on. I want to prove more to myself. I want to be a multiple major champion.’'

He mentioned players like Jordan Spieth, Brooks Koepka and Padraig Harrington, each of whom won three majors or more in a span of three seasons.

''If you catch fire and you catch a break here and there, you can pick up a couple of majors pretty quick,’' he said. ''So I’m looking for one of those spells and phases late in my career.’'

NO NEED FOR OVERTIME

Kevin Tway began the season by winning the Safeway Open in a three-way playoff. Three weeks later, Xander Schauffele made birdie on the first extra hole to beat Tony Finau in a playoff in Shanghai. Charles Howell III ended the fall portion of the season with a playoff victory at Sea Island over Patrick Rodgers.

That was on Nov. 18. And that was the last playoff of the PGA Tour season.

None of the 37 tournaments (stroke play) from Kapalua in January through East Lake in August had to go extra holes.

There were 13 events won by one stroke, though not all of them came down to the final shot. Among the tournaments that were a birdie putt away from a sudden-death playoff were Adam Long making birdie on the 72nd hole in the Desert Classic, Keith Mitchell making birdie on the last hole of the Honda Classic and perhaps the most memorable, Matthew Wolff making eagle on the final hole to win the 3M Open, but only after Collin Morikawa narrowly missed his eagle putt.

For the fifth straight year, the PGA Tour had more than 100 players go over $1 million in earnings for the year. There were 114 millionaires in 2019, tying the record set the previous year. ... Former U.S. Open champion Michael Campbell is playing the Porsche Open, his first regular European Tour start in nearly five years. ... Women’s PGA champion Hannah Green of Australia became the fifth player to win multiple times on the LPGA tour this season. Jin Young Ko leads the way with four victories, including two majors. ... Scottie Scheffler won the Korn Ferry Tour points list for the regular season and the finals, meaning he is exempt for The Players Championship and will remain at the top of the priority list all of next season.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Webb Simpson earned the most money of anyone who did not win a PGA Tour event last season. He finished No. 10 with $4.69 million.

''People are not giving us much of a chance. I mean, the whole of the U.S. team is in the top 20. We have one player in the top 20, and that’s just the way it is. But somebody is going to win 15+ points, and at the end of the day, that’s our aim.’' – Presidents Cup captain Ernie Els.

Ferguson is a golf writer for The Associated Press.

Major Changes to PGA Tour: How Pros Keep PGA Tour Cards in The Future

A lot of things you thought you knew about the PGA TOUR just changed. Well, not just this second, but over the last few weeks with more in the upcoming months. It’s all in an effort to secure the place of the PGA TOUR as the most elite, competitive golf organization on the planet. To understand this new system, you’ll need to know these numbers: 125, 70, 50, 30, 20 and 15.

First, the top 125 PGA TOUR players in FedEx points at the end of this season will still be exempt for the next season. Exempt means they are guaranteed a PGA TOUR card. But the way it’s determined will change slightly starting with this year’s FedEx Playoffs.

Here’s the big change: The top 125 won’t get to enter the Playoffs. Just the top 70. That is about half of the number that previously played. Or oops! If your favorite pro ends up at No. 71 or 72. He doesn’t get to participate in the Playoffs, but he still has a good chance to retain his card for the next season, during which he can maybe get back to that top 70 position.

In the FedEx Playoffs, there are some changes.

The first playoff event will be the FedEx St. Jude, and that’s the one where only the top 70 will be eligible. That is just under half of the number that previously played, which was 125. Anyone who makes that top 70 is guaranteed a PGA TOUR card for the next year, meaning they can play in any event, including invitationals and events with the biggest purses.

Then, the next two Playoff events are cut to top 50 for BMW and top 30 for TOUR Championship. The BWM was previously 70 players. So that’s 20 more who will be going home early, but they are still in good shape for the next season.

If your favorite makes the top 30 and the TOUR Championship, he’s good for the next two years, even if he did not have an exemption for a victory. That’s a big change. Two-year exemptions have not been given for anything but victories in the past. However, in recent years, we have had several rookies, some non-winners and the occasional veteran get to the top 30 in a season. This modification encourages stars to stay with the PGA TOUR.

The other thing all these changes do is to amp up the competition a lot. Golfers have to perform to stay on the PGA TOUR. No lollygagging. No taking a while to tweak a swing unless they have five-year PGA TOUR exemptions for winning majors or THE PLAYERS.

Now, here’s the get out of jail free card. After the TOUR Championship, those who did not make the top 70 will be able to add to their point total in the fall tournaments to upgrade their status. Nobody has announced how that will work as yet, so there are questions, particularly for those who are in the 50- to 70-point list. Could they get bumped out of their spot? Probably not, but there are unknowns at this juncture. 

Regardless, the fall events will allow those placed 71 and above to improve their point position for the following season by playing in the fall events. We don’t know if those at 70 and better on the list will be able to add to theirs, but no one has said they can’t. It is sure that guys who are in the 126-150 slots will do their darnedest to unseat players in the 70-125 group. If you like full contact golf, this is as close as it gets. Every point will matter when it comes to having a chance to play the following season. 

This is not altogether different from the days before FedEx points when it was top 125 in money or before the all-exempt tour, when it was top 60 were guaranteed a place to play, period. In those years, players lower in status would play in the fall to add to their money list total and move up to get a better shot at entering tournaments in the next season. Same idea here.

End of season tournaments may allow some who are in the 126-175 or so to move into the top 125 and secure a card and a better chance at entering tournaments. Right now, the lower priority a guy has, the harder it is for him to enter an event. We don’t know what will happen with jostling in this category, but some are going to go away unhappy with their performance at the end of the season. 

Advancing in points during the fall is made harder by the fact that the Zozo and CJ Cup are limited field events that invite a specific number of players. In addition, two of them have many exemptions for golfers on the Japan Tour (Zozo) and the Korean Tour in (CJ Cup).

When the dust settles, what happens is the top 70 get a guaranteed slot in every PGA TOUR event, including invitationals and events with the biggest purses. They are set. Once a player is in the top 70, he’s good for the next year. If he doesn’t stay there, he has problems.

Then, starting next January, the future seasons will begin with the calendar year. There is no more wrap-around season. No more sort of starting in September and then going to the following September.  (Thank goodness!)

In addition to the top 70 becoming the new benchmark, there is another change in the pecking order, too. 

Lifetime Status

Lifetime status comes sooner if you are a prolific winner. In the past, a player had to have 20 victories and play for 15 seasons on the PGA TOUR to get lifetime status. Lifetime means he can enter any regular, non-invitational PGA TOUR tournament, even if he is lower than the top 70. Davis Love III, for example, is in this category, although it’s hard to believe any tournament would ever say no to him.

Now, if a player wins 20 times, he doesn’t have to wait for the 15 years. Let’s call this the Rory McIlroy rule, but it could just as easily be the Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus or the Arnold Palmer rule.

McIlroy joined the PGA TOUR in 2010 although he’d been a pro in Europe for a few seasons before that. He reached that magic number 20 in the fall of 2021 with a victory at the CJ Cup. He’s gathered up three more since then. But the 15-year criteria wouldn’t give him lifetime status until 2025. Now, he has it. Deservedly so.

To compare to legends in the game, Woods had 20 PGA TOUR victories by the middle of 2000, and he started his career in the fall of 1996. So that’s 20 victories in less than five years. Jack Nicklaus won 20 times in his first six years on the PGA TOUR. Arnold Palmer won 20 between August of 1955 and June of 1960.

There are 14 more golfers who have 20 or more PGA TOUR victories who are still alive. Can you name them? Two of them have flown the coop. They’re on another tour that we don’t talk about here in PVB!

(Answer: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson, Vijay Singh, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Dustin Johnson, Gary Player, Raymond Floyd, Davis Love III, Lanny Wadkins, Hale Irwin and Greg Norman.)

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How To Become A PGA Tour Pro

There are various different ways to earn a PGA Tour card as we explain...

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Becoming a PGA Tour pro is a dream all young golfers have when starting out and aside from being very, very good at golf - take a look at our scratch handicap vs PGA Tour pro comparison for proof - the question is, how do you become one?

In ultra-simplistic terms, to officially become a PGA Tour pro you need to earn your PGA Tour card. So how is that done?

There are various different ways, with the world's best players earning theirs from a number of different routes.

Scottie Scheffler , for example, earned his PGA Tour card via the Korn Ferry Tour, while Jon Rahm earned his from capitalising on sponsors exemptions. Danny Willett earned his PGA Tour card after winning the 2017 Masters, while Corey Conners earned his after Monday qualifying and going on to win the Valero Texas Open.

Corey Conners Monday qualified into the 2019 Valero Texas Open and went on to win the tournament, earning a two-year PGA Tour exemption

Rahm turned pro in 2016, gained a sponsors exemption into the Quicken Loans National, finished T3rd to qualify for The Open before getting into the RBC Canadian Open too. He finished T2nd there to secure Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour and earned enough points in the remaining events in the season to secure his PGA Tour card for 2017.

Tom Kim was also given a Special Temporary Membership in 2022. The Korean star went on to win the Wyndham Championship to earn a two-year exemption and then another year was added on after his Shriners open win.

Earning enough points simply means accruing enough FedEx Cup points to sit inside the top 125 on the FedEx Cup standings at the end of the regular season. All 125 are guaranteed to earn cards for the next season and go on to the Playoffs. Those who finish just outside of the top 125 will tend to earn a certain number of starts on the PGA Tour for next season, where good finishes will give them the chance to qualify for more tournaments and get into the fabled 125.

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Collin Morikawa 's route to earning a PGA Tour card was similar to Rahm's. As an elite amateur, he had sponsors exemptions when turning professional and managed to capitalise on them to make it to the big league.

A new way to earn a PGA Tour card is via the DP World Tour. Thanks to the new strategic alliance between the two tours , the top ten finishers (without cards already) on the Race to Dubai will all earn PGA Tour status.

Keith Pelley, DP World Tour CEO

The DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour are the main two feeders for the PGA Tour, with ten coming from the DP World Tour each year and a total of 30 cards handed out on the Korn Ferry Tour. Three wins in a single Korn Ferry Tour season also earns a 'battlefield' automatic promotion to the main tour.

There are routes to the Korn Ferry Tour via the other tours that the PGA Tour runs including its circuits in Canada and Latin America.

The top five finishers (and ties) at the Final Stage of 2023 Q-School will earn PGA Tour cards for 2024, while the number one player in the final PGA Tour University Velocity Global Ranking also earns a PGA Tour card.

Another way to earn your PGA Tour card is to win a PGA Tour event. To tee it up in a PGA Tour event without a PGA Tour card you need a sponsor's exemption or to earn a spot via one of the tournament's Monday qualifiers. 

A victory on the PGA Tour secures your card for at least two years. Some of the elevated events offer three-year exemptions with wins, while Major victories earn five-year exemptions.

Below we summarise the most common ways of earning a PGA Tour card:

• Earn one of the 30 cards given out to the Korn Ferry Tour top finishers.
• Earn one of the 10 cards given out to the DP World Tour top finishers.
• Finish in the top five of Final Stage Q-School.
• Rank number one at the end of the PGA Tour University Velocity Global Ranking.
• Win a PGA Tour event.
• Earn a sponsor's exemption and win enough points to earn your card.
• Win a Major.

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook , Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV

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Tour Championship

East Lake Golf Club

Starting over: When you lose your tour card

The number was 5,509. That’s how many strokes Martin Piller took on the PGA Tour last season. He needed 5,508.

The shaved stroke could have come at Mayakoba or Palm Springs. It would have done the trick in Dallas or Houston as well. Without a doubt, it was the difference in Greensboro. Piller entered the regular-season finale, the Wyndham Championship, 124th in the FedEx Cup standings. The top 125 players advance to the postseason; more importantly, they keep full tour membership the following year.

“I thought I was in good shape,” says Piller, a Texas native whose wife Gerina plays on the LPGA Tour. “I was two under through two days. That felt like it was going to be enough.”

It wasn’t. Piller missed the cut by one shot. Nick Taylor and Harris English, both on the outside of the top 125 to start the Wyndham, made the weekend, grabbing enough points for playoff invites. Piller dropped to 126th.

One shot. One shot and Piller would have kept his card, and the splendor and security that come with it. Instead the 33-year-old is here. What “here” is … well, it’s tough to explain.

“To be honest, I’m not sure how to describe it,” Piller says.

Professional golf is said to be the purest rendition of sports meritocracy. Which is true, but also diplomatic. At its core, stripped of refinement and nuance, it’s cannibalistic. Absolutely and unequivocally merciless.

Last season, 174 golfers, including a contingent of European Tour members, made 20 or more appearances on tour. If historical trends hold, of those 174, between 40 and 45 won’t sniff that benchmark in 2019. That’s a competitor turnover hovering around 25 percent. For context, no other major sports league cracks 16 percent.

All walks of tour life are represented in the 25 percent; it is democratic in its axing. No-names and journeymen, yes, as well as veterans, former prodigies, tour winners and major champs. Last year’s notables included Graeme McDowell, Bill Haas, Chad Campbell and Aaron Baddeley.

Why the high turnover? Much of this is due to to the lack of guaranteed contracts—multi-year exemptions earned by winning tour events provide immunity to just 65 or so individuals. The rest play a game of musical chairs, hoping they have a seat after Wyndham, when the music stops.

“It is one of those things where you're constantly having to prove yourself,” says Roberto Castro, 33, who has logged more than 150 career PGA Tour starts. Adds Will Wilcox, famous for recording an ace at the 17th at Sawgrass: “There are so many good players out here now … There’s not much room for error.”

So what happens when they do? What happens when players lose their tour cards?

There are three levels for non-exempt players:

• Players ranked 126th-150th in the FedEx Cup, who are given conditional PGA Tour status for the season and are fully exempt on the Web.com Tour. • Players ranked 151st-200th, who have conditional Web.com Tour status. • Players ranked 201st and lower, who receive no status.

Option No. 1 is the desired fate, at least out of the three, as it presents a direct route back to the PGA Tour. Piller himself has already played three PGA Tour events in the 2018-'19 season, with another 10 or so likely on the docket.

However, it is not without drawbacks. Players are essentially part of two tours and none at the same time. Case in point: Piller’s schedule predicament. Due to his position in the PGA Tour’s priority rankings, he doesn’t know if he will play in the Desert Classic (formerly the CareerBuilder Challenge) next week. Full-membership players don’t have to commit until the Friday before, and non-exempt players who finish in the top 10 at the Sony Open will earn a spot in the field. Only then can conditional-status players gain entry.

The wait is problematic for all the reasons associated with last-second travel planning. The situation is complicated by the fact that the Web.com Tour’s season-opening Bahamas event starts this Sunday.

“So do you go to the Bahamas where you know you can play, or do you hold out hope?” Piller wonders. “Clearly, I want to go to Palm Springs, but what if I’m bumped out? That means I’m sitting at home, or traveling to Palm Springs hoping someone drops out during the week.”

This is not an aberration. Piller faces a similar quagmire with next month's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Reading the forecasts, he should— should —be in the Clambake. There’s also a very real possibility, because of the factors listed above, he gets the boot. If that comes to pass, it’s a doozy of an itinerary change, eschewing the patina and glitz of Pebble for … Panama City, some 2,500 miles away. A distance underlining the expanse between the two worlds.

And what happens if a player is struggling? Do you continue to chase the big check on the PGA Tour or take your medicine on the Web.com, where the competition is fierce and the course set-ups are not, providing a possible psychological boost to your game the big tour may not afford.

“This is new for me,” Piller avowed, in his ninth year as a professional, but his first in this seesaw status. “It feels like a lot of waiting.”

Keep in mind, Piller is on the preferred route.

Then there’s the second group, those with conditional Web.com status. This designation is usually good for entry into half the Web.com slate, sometimes more if a player has clout. Castro operated in this realm last summer, PGA Tour vet Scott Langley the year before.

The semblance of steady work can't be overlooked, particularly at this level. Still, there are trials. Starting with an adjustment to the surroundings.

“Coming from the PGA Tour made the Web events I played seem pretty bare bones,” said Langley, 29, a former NCAA individual champion at Illinois and low amateur at the U.S. Open in 2010. “It took more effort and more ownership on my part to play well and stay healthy.”

Before we travel too far down this road, it’s worth noting, to a man, players were effusive in praise for Web.com Tour president Dan Glod and the improvements he and his staff have made to the tour. Whatever aspersions are attached to minor-league operations need to be checked, as more than 50 players pulled in six-figure earnings in 2018. That’s in the top 10 percent of individual American incomes.

In that same breath, it’s faint cry from the PGA Tour, where 114 players pulled in a million bucks and 194 made more than $200,000. Sam Burns, who finished second on the Web.com money list in 2018, would have ranked 184th on the PGA Tour.

That cut can be a rude awakening. Rental homes and Ritz-Carltons are subbed out for the Fairfield Inn, and players think twice before booking a first-class ticket. "Travel costs the same, no matter what tour you're playing," Piller says.

Cash is not the only thing slashed. Media attention is basically non-existent. PGA Tour ranges are littered with teams of agents, instructors, lackeys and general parvenus. In the feeder circuit, most players fly solo. Crowds at Web events are not much to speak of; ditto the amenities—food, gifts, valets—available to players and their loved ones. With less money to go around caddie relationships are tenuous, with a host of players grabbing a new looper on a routine basis.

"On the tour, there are hundreds of volunteers waiting on your every wish, and the wishes of your family," Wilcox said. "When you arrive at the airport, there's someone to hand you keys to a free Mercedes-Benz for the week. On the Web, there might be one volunteer for every 30 players, if that."

Again, these guys aren't making peanuts, traveling by Greyhound from stop-to-stop and sleeping eight to a room. But golfers, as much as any other athletes, are creatures of habit. The transition can be a tough swallow.

"I quickly felt like a rookie again," Langley said. "All new courses, new cities, a few interesting international events. It presented a whole new challenge, and I had to do a lot more on my own to prepare in the same way I was able to prepare on the PGA Tour."

"Challenges" brings us to the third sect, those without status. A majority of the time, this comes with a caveat: former fully exempt PGA Tour players are still high on the eligibility ranking, and past Web.com Tour champions aren't far behind. There's also the chance to gain eight-to-12 guaranteed starts with a good finish at Web.com Tour Q School.

"The nightmare," as two players called it, is more abstract than actual. However, the reality of no safety net is a scary proposition.

"You feel like you're at square one," says Wilcox, who missed the top 200 in 2017 by a fraction of a point. "Missing by that much took me to the bottom of the barrel."

Players are in full scramble mode. That means writing events for sponsor's exemptions, asking agents and friends of friends for favors, competing in Monday qualifiers. It's a hustle.

Some notice certain friends stop calling when they're no longer in the top ranks. Same goes for the corporate endorsements. For those used to the world at their feet, ego can be shattered.

Nevertheless, they go, onward. Adapt or die.

"If you're a golfer you're used to being humbled," Castro said. "Every player no matter how good, has taken a bad beat and has had to figure out how to let it go and keep going."

Steve Dykes

Which raises the most crucial element of losing your card: the crisis of confidence. True, every golfer at every skill level wrestles with conviction. This is different. Their game, their place in it, their new environment, everything is re-calibrated. "At one point I looked around and wondered, 'Should I be out here, or should I be giving lessons?'" Wilcox said.

It's a fair question, one that should be asked. Not doing it can bring dire consequences. Langley admitted he was guilty on this front, and the results showed, struggling through his first year on the Web.com Tour.

"I had a bad attitude, and was in danger of losing my Web card and going back to Q School," he said. "I made a promise to myself at the midway point of that year that I was going to operate in a 'no complaints' zone.

"The Web Tour wasn’t the PGA Tour, so what? It still provided me opportunities to compete against great players and elevate my career back to where I wanted to be."

A near-universal epiphany. It takes longer for some to get there, but they do, eventually. Whatever their current standing, players point to this setback, losing your card, as a catharsis. Better yet, without the tour's bells and whistles, the tinsel and noise, the game—to which a handful conceded had stopped being fun when it became a career—becomes a game again.

"On tour, I was so wrapped up in what I was doing, I didn't get to smell the roses," Wilcox said.

The 32-year-old remains committed to returning to the PGA Tour. Conversely, if he never makes it back, there will be no bitterness. "Golf gave me a life, a good life," Wilcox said. "I'm lucky to be doing what I'm doing."

There's a stigma, generated by media and fans and fellow players, that comes with losing your card. It's also one rejected to those that have experienced it. They paint the journey in a positive light.

"After six years on tour, the Web.com was certainly not what I wanted to be doing. But I shifted my thinking by reminding myself that in a vacuum, the Web.com Tour is still a great opportunity," Castro said. "There is a greater appreciation for what I've accomplished."

"I appreciate and notice all of the perks on tour more after not having them for a little while," said Langley, who regained his card last fall. "But the bigger change for me is I really appreciate the good tournaments more now. I have more gratitude for playing good golf. My perspective is a lot different than it used to be; I probably “need” to play well less than I ever have, but I also enjoy playing well more than I ever have.

"This change brings me a lot of peace on the golf course."

Besides, as they all point out, they are close. Their games, their dreams, remain in reach. "You are always six good months away, one great week away," Langley said.

Or, as Piller knows all too well, one shot.

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How to Get Your PGA Tour Card: A Guide to the Q-School Process

How to Get On the PGA Tour

The PGA Tour is the pinnacle of professional golf. It’s where the best players in the world compete for the biggest prizes and the most prestigious titles. But how do you get there?

It’s a long and difficult road, but it’s one that’s achievable for anyone with the talent, the dedication, and the right attitude. In this article, we’ll take a look at the steps you need to take to get on the PGA Tour.

We’ll cover everything from getting started in golf to playing your way through the professional ranks. We’ll also provide tips on how to improve your game, how to handle the pressure, and how to stay motivated.

So if you’re dreaming of playing on the PGA Tour, read on for everything you need to know.

How To Get On The Pga Tour?

| Step | Requirement | Action | |—|—|—| | 1 | Have a handicap of 0.4 | Maintain a USGA handicap index of 0.4 or lower for a period of 12 months | | 2 | Earn enough FedExCup points | Earn 200 FedExCup points during the current season or the previous two seasons | | 3 | Be a member of the PGA of America | Be a member in good standing of the PGA of America |

The PGA Tour is the highest level of professional golf in the world. It is a dream for many golfers to play on the PGA Tour, but it is a difficult goal to achieve. There are only 200 players on the PGA Tour at any given time, and only a handful of those players are able to stay on tour for more than a few years.

If you are serious about trying to make it on the PGA Tour, there are a few things you need to do. First, you need to improve your golf game to the point where you are consistently shooting under par. Second, you need to get a Tour Card, which you can do by winning a Tour event or by finishing in the top 25 on the PGA Tour’s developmental tour, the Korn Ferry Tour. Third, you need to stay on tour by consistently playing well and avoiding injuries.

In this article, we will discuss the steps you need to take to qualify for the PGA Tour and improve your golf game. We will also provide tips on how to stay on tour and achieve your dream of playing on the biggest stage in golf.

Qualifying for the PGA Tour

The first step to playing on the PGA Tour is to get a Tour Card. There are two ways to do this:

• Win a Tour event. If you win a PGA Tour event, you will automatically earn a Tour Card for the following season.
• Finish in the top 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour. The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour. If you finish in the top 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour, you will earn a Tour Card for the following season.

The Korn Ferry Tour is a challenging tour, but it is a great opportunity for golfers to improve their game and earn a Tour Card. The tour consists of 25 events, and the top 25 players at the end of the season earn Tour Cards. The Korn Ferry Tour also offers a number of exemptions into PGA Tour events, which can help golfers get experience playing on the big tour.

If you are not able to win a Tour event or finish in the top 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour, you can still try to qualify for the PGA Tour through Qualifying School. Qualifying School is held every year in December, and it is a three-stage process. The first stage is held at 12 different sites around the world. The top 25 players at each site advance to the second stage, which is held at four different sites. The top 25 players at each site advance to the final stage, which is held at the PGA Tour’s headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. The top 50 players at the final stage earn Tour Cards for the following season.

Qualifying School is a grueling test of golf, but it is a great opportunity for golfers to earn a Tour Card. If you are good enough to make it through Qualifying School, you will have proven that you have what it takes to play on the PGA Tour.

Improving Your Golf Game

Once you have a Tour Card, the next step is to improve your golf game. The PGA Tour is the highest level of professional golf, and the players are all very good. If you want to compete on the PGA Tour, you need to be able to play at a high level.

There are a number of things you can do to improve your golf game. You can get lessons from a PGA Tour pro, practice regularly, play in tournaments, and work on your mental game.

• Get lessons from a PGA Tour pro. A PGA Tour pro can help you identify the areas of your game that need improvement and develop a plan to improve your game. They can also give you tips on how to play on the big tour.
• Practice regularly. The more you practice, the better your golf game will become. Make sure to practice all aspects of your game, including your swing, your short game, and your putting.
• Play in tournaments. Playing in tournaments is a great way to test your skills and improve your game. It will also give you the opportunity to compete against other good players.
• Work on your mental game. The mental game is just as important as the physical game on the PGA Tour. You need to be able to stay focused under pressure and control your emotions.

If you are willing to work hard and put in the effort, you can improve your golf game and achieve your dream of playing on the PGA Tour.

The PGA Tour is the highest level of professional golf in the world. It is a dream for many golfers to play on the PGA Tour, but it is a difficult goal to achieve. However, if you are good enough and you are willing to work hard, it is possible to make it on

3. Networking with PGA Tour Pros

Networking with PGA Tour pros is a great way to get your foot in the door and learn more about the professional golf world. There are a few different ways you can do this:

• Attend PGA Tour events. This is a great way to see PGA Tour pros in action and meet them in person. You can attend tournaments, pro-ams, and other events.
• Meet PGA Tour pros at tournaments. This is another great way to meet PGA Tour pros. You can introduce yourself to them before or after their rounds, or during the pro-am.
• Join a PGA Tour pro’s practice round. This is a great way to get up close and personal with a PGA Tour pro. You can typically sign up for practice rounds through the PGA Tour website.
• Reach out to PGA Tour pros on social media. This is a great way to connect with PGA Tour pros and stay up-to-date on their latest news. You can follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

4. Marketing Yourself to PGA Tour Pros

In addition to networking with PGA Tour pros, you also need to market yourself to them. This means creating a strong social media presence, writing articles about golf, submitting your golf videos to YouTube, and sending out press releases about your accomplishments.

• Create a strong social media presence. This is one of the best ways to market yourself to PGA Tour pros. Make sure you have a strong presence on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Post regularly about your golf game, your accomplishments, and your goals.
• Write articles about golf. Another great way to market yourself to PGA Tour pros is to write articles about golf. You can submit your articles to golf magazines, websites, and blogs.
• Submit your golf videos to YouTube. YouTube is a great platform for you to share your golf videos with the world. Make sure you create high-quality videos that showcase your skills.
• Send out press releases about your accomplishments. Sending out press releases about your accomplishments is a great way to get your name out there and attract the attention of PGA Tour pros. Make sure your press releases are well-written and include all of the relevant information.

Getting on the PGA Tour is a difficult but achievable goal. By networking with PGA Tour pros and marketing yourself to them, you can increase your chances of making it to the big leagues.

How old do I need to be to join the PGA Tour?

You must be at least 18 years old to join the PGA Tour.

What are the qualifications for joining the PGA Tour?

To join the PGA Tour, you must have a professional golf status and have earned enough money on the Korn Ferry Tour to be eligible for a PGA Tour card.

How do I get a professional golf status?

There are a few ways to get a professional golf status. You can:

• Turn professional after graduating from college.
• Play in a number of professional golf tournaments and earn enough money to qualify for a professional tour.
• Get a sponsor to help you pay your way onto the professional tour.

What is the Korn Ferry Tour?

The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour. It is where players can earn money and points to qualify for a PGA Tour card.

How do I earn money on the Korn Ferry Tour?

You can earn money on the Korn Ferry Tour by finishing in the top 25 in a tournament or by making the cut in a tournament. You can also earn money by winning a tournament.

How do I get a PGA Tour card?

To get a PGA Tour card, you must finish in the top 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list or win a tournament. You can also get a PGA Tour card by winning a major championship or the Players Championship.

What is the difference between the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour?

The PGA Tour is the highest level of professional golf in the world. The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the PGA Tour. The players on the PGA Tour are the best golfers in the world, while the players on the Korn Ferry Tour are trying to earn their way onto the PGA Tour.

How much money do PGA Tour players make?

The average PGA Tour player earns over $1 million per year. The top players on the PGA Tour can earn over $10 million per year.

What are the benefits of being a PGA Tour player?

PGA Tour players get to compete in the biggest golf tournaments in the world, they earn a lot of money, and they have the opportunity to become one of the best golfers in the world.

getting on the PGA Tour is a difficult but achievable goal for any aspiring professional golfer. It takes a combination of hard work, dedication, and natural talent. However, if you have the drive and the determination, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Here are some key takeaways to remember:

• Set realistic goals. Don’t expect to be on the PGA Tour overnight. It takes years of hard work and dedication to reach the highest level of professional golf. Set small, achievable goals for yourself and work your way up.
• Get the proper training. You need to have the skills and knowledge to compete with the best golfers in the world. Get lessons from a qualified instructor and practice regularly.
• Play in as many tournaments as you can. The more you play, the more experience you will gain. This will help you to improve your game and learn how to compete under pressure.
• Network with other golfers. Get to know the people in your local golf community. This will help you to get your name out there and make connections that could lead to opportunities to play on the PGA Tour.
• Never give up on your dream. The road to the PGA Tour is long and challenging, but it is possible if you never give up on your dream. Keep working hard and never lose sight of your goal.

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How Does The PGA Tour Work? [Season Explained]

Not to be confused with the USGA and the PGA , the PGA Tour is the biggest professional golf tour in the world, with the best golfers competing each week for iconic trophies and huge prize money.

So how does it actually work? In this article, we’ll walk you through the PGA Tour season and how it works.

How Does The PGA Tour Work?

Table of Contents

How Does The PGA Tour Season Work?

The PGA Tour season runs from September until August the following year and features a total of 47 FedEx Cup events.

44 of the scheduled events are part of the regular season and include the four major events, as well as The Players Championship.

The final 3 events of the season are known as the FedEx Cup Playoffs, where the PGA Tour golfer with the highest number of FedEx Cup points will be crowned the FedEx Cup champion.

The season starts in September and each week the number of golfers competing varies between 144 and 156 . Not every week is a full PGA Tour event, with FedEx Cup points available, however, most weeks will have a golf tournament.

Each PGA Tour event, as part of the regular FedEx Cup season, is worth points. These points go towards the final standings and help players rise or fall in the rankings.

Most official PGA Tour events are worth 500 points to the winner, with points decreasing depending on the player’s finishing position for the tournament. This also includes a co-sanctioned event on the DP World Tour (European Tour), the Scottish Open, which is worth 500 points.

Points are given out to any player that makes the cut, with 2nd place gaining 300 points, and 3rd place picking up 190 points, reducing all the way down to the bottom of the field who made the cut.

There’s also a few PGA Tour events where the 1st place receives 550 points. The following events are 550-point events:

• World Golf Championships events
• Sentry Tournament of Champions (which includes the longest par 5 on the tour )
• The Genesis Invitational
• Arnold Palmer Invitational
• Memorial Tournament

Other golf tournaments which aren’t seen as full PGA Tour events on the schedule are only worth 300 points for the winner and are part of the strategic alliance between both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. These events include:

• Barbasol Championship
• Barracuda Championship

The most amount of points available to the winner in the regular season is at the majors and The Players Championship.

The Open Championship, US Open Championship , PGA Championship and The Masters tournament are all worth 600 FedEx Cup points, as well as the “5th” major and flagship event on the PGA Tour, The Players Championship.

Each week professional golfers will compete to try and gain as many FedEx Cup points as possible. After the final event in the regular season, the PGA Tour will then go into the FedEx Cup Playoffs in early August.

Although the top 125 players in the rankings will keep their tour cards for the next season, only the top 70 will progress to the first of 3 events in the Playoffs. Those outside the top 125 for the season will lose their full playing rights on the PGA Tour for next season.

The points system for the Playoffs is different to the regular season, with far more on offer and a greater emphasis on good scoring late on the season.

The winner of the first Playoff event will gain 2000 points (4 times as many as a regular season event). The top 50 players in the rankings after this tournament played will move on to the second event which is also worth 2000 points to the winner.

Finally, the top 30 players in the standings will progress to the Tour Championship for the FedEx Cup Playoffs Finale. The Tour Championship is different to the other season-ending golf events, in that it starts with a staggered start using Starting Strokes.

Starting Strokes means that players will start round 1 on a score based on how they’re sitting in the final top 30 rankings. The leading player in the FedEx Cup rankings will start at 10 under for the Tour Championship before even hitting a shot. Number 2 in the standings at 8 under, and so on, all the way down to the bottom 5 players who’ll start on even par.

Like other professional tournaments, after four rounds , the golfer who comes out top of the rankings will be crowned the FedEx Cup Champion, which includes a huge prize bonus.

What Are The PGA Tour Standings?

The PGA Tour has a rankings system which runs throughout the season and is known as the FedEx Cup Standings.

These rankings are used to keep track of which professional golfers are playing well and having a good season, compared to others who might be struggling to get good results.

Each week, players will earn points based on how well they did in tournaments played, with better results earning more points.

At the end of the season, the number of FedEx Cup points a player has, will determine whether or not they keep their playing rights for next season and whether they’ll be eligible for the end-of-season Playoff events.

Those players ranked in the top 125 of the rankings will be guaranteed a PGA Tour card for next season. Those outside the top 125, will most likely end up playing on the Korn Ferry Tour (the 2nd tier tour to the PGA Tour) or they will need to go through PGA Tour qualifying.

Those within the top 70 in the rankings will be eligible to progress to the final Playoff events.

Final Thoughts

The PGA Tour is the place every single golfer dreams of reaching. It’s the biggest and best tour in the world, with the best golfers competing week in and week out in some of the most prestigious tournaments.

The FedEx Cup is the main element of the PGA Tour and with that comes very lucrative returns, but as a result, PGA Tour cards are very difficult to come by.

The PGA Tour is set up to provide drama all year long but puts an emphasis on having a great finish to the season. With so many points on offer at the final PGA tournaments, as long as a player qualifies in the top 70, they can very easily have a run and end up becoming FedEx Cup champion.

Is the Masters part of the PGA Tour?

The Masters is an official PGA Tour event during the regular season with full FedEx Cup points available, however, it is organised by Augusta National Golf Club and not the PGA Tour.

Are the majors part of the PGA Tour?

All four of the major championships are part of the PGA Tour and all have 600 points on the offer to the winners. Each major is organised by a separate organisation, but the events are still included in the PGA Tour season.

Founder, Editor

Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.

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How to Become a Professional Golfer

The term “golf pro” gets thrown around loosely these days.

In reality, you could decide to enter a tournament tomorrow as a professional, even if you don’t have any degree or playing experience. I would argue that a lot of high level amateurs could even beat a lot of “pros” on any given day.

But there is a big difference between a PGA Tour pro, a mini tour pro, a club pro, and a teaching instructor.

When it comes to being a professional in golf, you might be thinking,

• “Is it hard to become a golf pro?”
• “What are the different types of golf pros?”
• “What degree do you need to be a golf pro?”

Or, you might even wonder, “Is it too late to become a pro golfer?”

By the end of this post, you will understand what it takes to make it as a pro and more about working in the golf industry.

Understanding the Types of Golf Pros

Let’s start by breaking down the types of golf professionals. In general, there are:

• Teaching Pros
• Mini Tour Pros
• Non PGA Tour Professionals
• PGA Tour Professionals

Head Professional

Every golf club, private or public, has a head golf professional. These individuals run the operations of the golf course, manage employees (like the greenkeeping staff) and make sure things run smoothly. Some are even involved in course design .

Here is the process to becoming a golf professional.

Step 1: Become an Associate Pro

Before going straight from avid golfer to golf pro, you have to work your way up. The first step in the process is to complete the PGM Associate Program.

To become a member, everyone must:

• Pass a background check.
• Pass a written, qualifying test.
• Employed in an eligible position.
• Make it through the player ability test (PAT).

The written test is an overview of the game and requires a good amount of studying. It covers things like the rules of golf, history, and more. While the PGM also requires you to be employed in an eligible position (not necessarily in the golf industry). Examples include tournament director, hospitality, marketing, etc.

The hardest part of this process is the player ability test. The PAT is a 36-hole playing test where all your skills are tested in a one-day marathon of golf.

According to the PGA , “In order to pass the 36-hole PAT, you must achieve a 36-hole score within 15 shots of the course rating. For example, if the course rating is 72, the target score for the 36 holes would be 159 (72 x 2 – 144 +15 – 159).”

Less than 20% pass this test as nerves are high and let’s get real, it’s golf! Anything can happen.

Step 2: Climb the Ranks

After you become an assistant golf professional, then you can work your way up to head golf pro. There are more formal tests required and of course, golf clubs want you to gain experience for a few years as well.

Then, it comes down to finding the right gig, applying, nailing the interview process, and taking the reins as the head pro. From there, you can play in professional events, qualifiers, and even teach as well.

Teaching Professional

The next type of professional is known as a teaching pro. This may or may not be the same person at your local golf club. Some work full-time in the clubhouse, setting up tournaments, helping members, etc. and still teach too.

While other golf courses will have two different pros. One for the running of the club and one for the teaching side of the game.

A teaching professional has to go through the same process listed above. Additionally, they need to register for an apprentice position on the PGA website.

Then, they have to work through three levels in the PGA program and gain work experience as well. This can be earned through a college degree and working under a PGA professional.

Obviously, you also have to have a strong desire to help other golfers improve their game too. Being a teaching pro is much different from the operation side of things as you have to find clients, build relationships, and help them get results.

Also, just because you’re a head pro or teaching pro doesn’t necessarily mean you’re an elite player. Sure, you have to pass some playing tests and you won’t likely be a hack, but that doesn’t mean you can break par any given round.

While some pros definitely have a ton of game, a lot of them are solid players but don’t get out on the course a ton. Sadly, a lot of guys are so busy working and teaching, they don’t get much time to work on their own game. Or, they’re so “golfed out” that they don’t feel like hanging around their workplace much more than they need to.

Mini Tour Golfers

The next type of golf professionals are known as mini-tour players. Being a mini tour pro doesn’t require any degree, apprenticeship, or formal training. Instead, all you have to do is have a low handicap and register for an event near you.

Mini tours aren’t in every part of the country and tend to be in major cities to attract more golfers. Some of the places include:

• North Dakota

Depending on the tour, sometimes amateurs are allowed to compete and instead of winning money, they get credit or gift cards. If you’re an amateur golfer who wants to make it to the big leagues, mini tours are a great way to gain experience.

Professional Golfers

The next step up from the mini tours are professional golfers who compete on tours below the PGA Tour. These events are much larger than mini tour events and offer much bigger payouts as well.

Some examples include the Mackenzie Tour, PGA Tour China, Latin American Tour, and the Korn Ferry Tour.

PGA Tour Golfers

The final set of pros are professional golfers who competed on golf’s biggest stage, the PGA Tour. The best male competitors in the world compete on the PGA Tour. It’s the coverage that most watch each weekend and is the most elite players on the planet.

Did you know that the PGA Tour only has 125 full-time players each year?

That’s right, of all the thousands of highly qualified golfers, only 125 have full-time playing privileges on the PGA Tour. While only 125 have full-time playing privileges, there are hundreds more that compete based on past exemptions and sponsor exemptions too. On the flip side of that, usually the top 60 will qualify for golf’s major tournaments .

Make sure to read about Pro-Am golf tournaments .

For example, a player might lose his PGA Tour card one year but still have part-time privileges based on past exemptions. Or, a player could get a sponsor’s exemption to compete as well in certain events too.

How to Become a PGA Tour Player

Now that you have a better understanding of the different types of pros, let’s go through the process of becoming a PGA Tour professional. For so many players, this is the ultimate dream come true. It’s why so many players grind for years and in many cases, decades to make it on the biggest stage in the world.

But I’ll be the first to say, it’s not an easy path… far from it.

I know because I quit my corporate job in 2017 at 29 years old to chase the pro golf dream. I knew I was late to the party at nearly 30 years old, but I figured my dreams were worth a shot.

In the past few years, I’ve learned so much about the process and want to share the exact steps that it takes. Similar to becoming an elite player in any sport like basketball, baseball or football, there are only so many spots available.

For example, in the NFL, there are only 32 quarterback positions. With golf, there are only 125 spots that thousands of players want.

While the rest of the highly skilled players compete on smaller tours like the PGA Latin America, Canadian Tour, and Korn Ferry Tour.

Here is the step-by-step process to go from amateur golfer to PGA Tour player.

Step 1: Get Really Good

You might be thinking, duh, of course. But seriously, the more my game improves, the more I realize how far it is from PGA Tour form.

Here’s the thing, golf is wildly competitive and people are starting this game younger and younger. It’s up to you to have the discipline to find a coach, work endlessly on all parts of your game, avoid injuries, and not burn out. As you will see, this is easier said than done.

Step 2: Compete in Amateur Events

Once your game feels solid in friendly competition , it’s time to register for a formal amateur tournament . For example, in Arizona, I regularly compete through the Arizona Golf Association. Each state has something like this and makes it easy for golfers who want formal competitions to compete.

Each tournament is slightly different from the others. The venues change frequently, total cost varies, total number of days, and some have cuts as well. You want to confirm this before enrolling in every tournament.

Aside from local amateur tournaments, you can also join USGA events. These include tournaments such as the US Open, US Amateur, US Mid-Am, and US 4-Ball among others.

These tournaments bring the best players in the world together to compete at a national level. While some players are exempt from qualifying, most golfers need to go through local qualifying to make it to these prestigious tournaments.

For example, if you want to compete in the US Amateur, you need to compete in a local qualifier first. These are 36 hole events where only 2-4 (or so) players move on to the big event out of a field of 100 guys.

Once you get to the US AM, then there is a stroke play 36 hole event with a cut. After that, the match play portion begins. It’s quite a process, kind of like becoming a pro.

Amateur Golf 101

This is a brief overview of the process of registering and competing in amateur golf events. For most golfers, this is where most of them stay. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Tons of golfers from their teens to 60+ compete in amateur golf events their entire life. Formal events are a great way to test your skills, meet new people, play against great golfers, and compete at fun courses.

I’ve played in hundreds of days of amateur tournaments the past few years and can say it’s one of the best experiences out there. If you love the game and want to keep getting better, enroll in some local events to see how your game holds up in competition.

Unless you have a strong desire to become a professional, going from amateur to professional isn’t usually worth it. The tournament costs soar, the competition is even more difficult, and you can’t compete in amateur events as a pro.

Step 3: Give Up Your Amateur Status and Go Pro

If you made it to step three, you clearly want to make golf your career. If and when you consistently excel at amateur golf events, the next step is turning pro.

This is the step where most people get confused. Unlike other sports, there is no formal process to becoming a professional, as you aren’t drafted by a team.

You simply decide that you will compete as a professional golfer in events instead of an amateur. Unless you’re Tiger Woods at his “Hello World” press conference, it’s nothing crazy.

Instead, you find a professional event and register. As I mentioned, mini tour events are much more expensive than amateur events because they pay out players. This is another stage where a lot of guys get stuck as the competition increases drastically and making a profit isn’t easy.

Step 4: Go to Q-School

As you build your professional golf resume in the mini tours, the next step is to go to Q-school. In the past, the journey to the PGA Tour was much different from what it is today.

Now, to get to the PGA Tour, you have to first go through the Korn Ferry Tour. But in the past, you could register for Q-school, grind out six days of tournament golf (yes, six days), and could make it to the big leagues.

But as golf became more popular and competitive, so they had to adjust the process. Now, golfers must go to Q-school to earn a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour.

The Q-school process is quite a grind, too. It’s made up of four stages over the course of four months. That’s right, four months! I have some personal experience here as well and would love to share how it works…

Pre-Qualifying

The first step for most golfers is to go through the pre-qualifying stage. You can register as a professional or even compete as an amateur (although registration is the same price). In 2019, I registered as an amateur because I wanted to see how my game stacked up.

All you do is find a location that you want to compete in and enter your credit card information. It costs between $2,500 – $3,000 just for the event, not to mention travel and airfare costs.

Pre-qualifying is a 3-day, no cut event. Each venue selects a certain number of players and ties to move on to the first stage based on total size of the field.

For me, I registered for a site in Nebraska as the course looked fun and I wanted an adventure. The course was brutal; 7,000+ yards, high humidity, thick rough, and greens that rolled a 12 on the stimpmeter. After shooting 71-73-75, I ended up missing the first stage by two shots.

While I was disappointed, I can say it was one of the best experiences of my life. It taught me a ton about my game and learned how to play under pressure. But I also learned what a grind it was for so many and could see why so many guys burn out over time.

If you move on to the next stage, the process is very similar and happens in late September or early October. Register and pay for the first stage, which is also a 3-day, no cut competition. Expect competition to be even more competitive here!

If you move on to the second stage in late October or November, well done. There are only 3-5 sites for the second stage in the country and if you make it through, you get to finals.

Final Stage

Finally, in November or December each year, it’s the finals. This is a 4-day, no cut event where golfers grind it out. The goal is to finish in the top 25 spots to secure their spot on the Korn Ferry Tour.

If you finish 26-50, not all is lost though. You still get conditional status, which means you can play in a select number of events.

All in all, it’s a long process just to make it to the Korn Ferry Tour, let alone the PGA Tour.

Alternate Route

The Korn Ferry Tour is just below the PGA Tour and a lot of guys go back and forth. But if a player isn’t ready for the Korn Ferry Tour, they can go another route. This option is usually better than grinding it out on mini tours.

The alternate route is competing on another high level tour like the Mackenzie Tour (Canada), Forme Tour, PGA Tour China, or the PGA Tour Latino America.

A final alternate route is the Monday Qualifiers. You can check out a deep dive of Monday qualifiers here .

Step 5: Compete on the Korn Ferry Tour

Once you make it to the Korn Ferry Tour, then you need to compete and travel a lot. The goal is simple: make it to the finals and finish in the top 25 . If you do, you become one of the lucky guys to advance to the PGA Tour. If you finish between 25-50, you still get conditional status and will get a chance to make your PGA Tour debut as well.

Step 6: Become a PGA Tour Player

After you finish in the top 25 in the Korn Ferry Tour finals, you get your elusive PGA Tour card. For every player, this is one of the most important days of their lives. It’s the culmination of blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice to chase a goal.

Step 7: Stay on the PGA Tour

Getting to the PGA Tour is wildly impressive and requires more grit and determination than most people realize. But just because you become one of the lucky 125 players, doesn’t mean you get to stay there. You still need to play great golf and compete against the best players in the world, or you risk losing your card.

Some players last years, while others make it once and never make it back to the big stage. The truth is, high-level golf is a grind. The travel schedule is rigorous, the courses are super challenging, and let’s not forget, it’s golf.

Even for the best golfers in the world, the sport is extremely unpredictable. So many talented guys lose their cards because of too many missed cuts, injuries, and loss of confidence.

Winning an event really helps you stay in the picture. Each tournament comes with a big check, but the best part is the security from winning. For example, if you win an event like the Players Championship, you get:

• Five-year exemption on the PGA Tour.
• Three-year invite to play the Masters at Augusta.
• Three-year exemption to play in the Open Championship and PGA Championship.

But other guys make a comfortable living without winning often. A great example is Charles Howell III, who has only won three times but made a staggering 38 million dollars! Thanks to consistent top 10 finishes, he’s secured his future on the tour without winning regularly.

Final Thoughts

The road to the PGA Tour isn’t easy, but it’s a dream worth chasing if you love golf. Sadly, most players who go after this goal, never make it to the big stage.

My biggest piece of advice if you want to work in golf or chase the dream is to make sure you always love the game.

College golf burnt me out and I took six years off the sport that dominated my early life. But I fell back in love with it and have now played golf more than I could ever imagine.

Just remember, it’s a sport and should always be fun above all else. But if you love it like I do, then it might be worth pursuing a golf career or working your way up to compete with the best guys in the world.

Michael Leonard

Michael is an avid golfer of 25 years who played in high school, college, and now competes in Arizona amateur events. He is a full-time writer, podcast host of Wicked Smart Golf, and mental golf coach.

Is It Really Just Top 70 Who Will Keep Their PGA Tour Cards in 2024?

By kathlene bissell | jul 12, 2023.

For the first time in 40 years, some high-earning PGA Tour players are going to be stressed about keeping their playing privileges. Next season, only the top 70 in FedEx points for this year will advance into 2024 in terms of being guaranteed a spot in any PGA Tour event.

However, it doesn’t mean those farther down the list won’t participate. It just means their guarantees or opportunities are different.

Those below 70 have five weeks, counting this one, to get inside that 70 number or their place at the PGA Tour table will go to someone else first. They will be farther down the money food chain. Except for exceptions.

For some, this looks serious. Right now, Justin Thomas is 70th. If he messes up between now and the Wyndham, just on the number alone, it looks like he could be in trouble. Adam Scott is 79th.  Gary Woodland is 98th. Jimmy Walker is 117th.

You’d think that some golfers, even major champions, have really heavy lifting to do, like Webb Simpson, who is mired in some kind of golf misery at a surprising 161st place. Francesco Molinari is 168th. PGA Tour Champions player Padraig Harrington is 172nd, but that is just for comparison because he mostly plays the older guys’ circuit now.

"However, some, like Jimmy Walker, aren’t so lucky. Walker is currently playing on a top 50 in career money exemption and really can’t afford to be this far down in the rankings…"

While it looks like doom and gloom, there are other forces at work here. Adam Scott, for instance, has exempt status for his victory at the Genesis Invitational. He doesn’t have to really grind this season.

But next year on the PGA Tour, he will need to.

Gary Woodland has another season or two on his exemption for winning the U.S. Open. But there’s a good chance he will miss out on the big cash grab at the FedEx Cup finale this year.

Francesco Molinari is in a similar situation. As a past British Open winner, he has a five-year exemption that works through next season. At that point, he can work to maintain his PGA Tour card or go back to the DP World Tour where he may never have to buy a glass of wine again because he’s the first and only Italian to win the British Open.

Similarly, for Justin Thomas. He just started working on his five-year exemption for winning last year’s PGA Championship. So, while he may want to get into the top 70 to advance in the FedEx Cup playoffs, it’s more of a matter of pride for him.  He doesn’t really have to worry about an exemption for 2024. He has one for that year and several that follow.

Webb Simpson has the golden ticket through 2026 from his victory at The Players, so even though he’s 161st, it doesn’t matter because he can play in any regular PGA Tour event and may qualify for some invitationals.

However, some, like Jimmy Walker, aren’t so lucky. Walker is currently playing on a top 50 in career money exemption and really can’t afford to be this far down in the rankings, although, with his pedigree as a past PGA Champion, it’s likely he will still make it onto the invitation list for many tournaments. Walker is now 44 and will be 45 in January. He may be biding his time until he can go to the original no-cut tour, PGA Tour Champions.

Padraig Harrington has made the jump to PGA Tour Champions but continues to straddle both Tours. He’s playing the Genesis Scottish Open this week, and as a former British Open champion, he’ll go on to Royal Liverpool the following week.

Harrington played on the PGA Tour from 2005 to 2022.

He is now a member of PGA Tour Champions with five victories in less than two full seasons. He’s a winner of three majors: the British Open twice and the PGA Championship once. He has won 15 tournaments in Europe and six in the U.S. and numerous in other countries. There’s a pretty good chance he can get an invitation to any PGA Tour event where he wants to play, whether he’s exempt or not.

However, regarding who is in the top 70 and who’s not, sometimes a top 70 isn’t really a top 70.  Sometimes, it’s infiltrated with major champs and players who have other kinds of exemptions, which is how many will find their way into tournaments next season and in subsequent years.

Steve Stricker's New Beer 'Strick 9'. dark. Next

So, from now on, Top 70 is important, but for some players, it’s not the only way they get into a tournament. There are plenty of different ways to secure playing spots, like being a past champion of an event.

But unless you are Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy, it can be hard to build a schedule without being top 70 or having a lengthy exemption for a victory.

Harry Hall excited for long-awaited first start on home soil as a professional

By Mathieu Wood

Life is good for Harry Hall at the moment. The Englishman's road to making his first start as a professional on home soil might be different from the norm, but here he is, thrilled by the prospect of embarking on a stretch of golf that will see him play at some of the United Kingdom’s most historic venues.

While he is one of the home stars teeing it up in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry, Hall is perhaps better known to American fans than he is by English fans. Prior to this week, Hall had only played in seven events on the DP World Tour.

After turning professional in 2019, following a four-year stint at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV), Hall played on the Korn Ferry Tour from 2020 to 2022, before gaining a PGA TOUR card for the 2022-23 season. As referenced earlier, it is a path trodden by many stateside but perhaps not so for players who hail from across the Atlantic Ocean.

Born in Camborne, in Cornwall, England, Hall picked up the sport from a young age, joining West Cornwall Golf Club as a member, before later going on to enjoy a successful amateur career which included him being selected to play at the Walker Cup in 2019.

So, five years on from playing alongside Alex Fitzpatrick among others at Hoylake, Hall is understandably excited by the prospect of ending his wait to play in front of home crowds in the paid ranks.

"Hopefully they know who I am and that I am English!" he joked.

The historic British Masters marks the first in a sequence of starts on British shores, with forthcoming appearances in the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down GC and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club on the DP World Tour to come in September.

“I always wanted to play over here since I turned professional, and it just didn't work out that way,” he said at a pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday.

“Worked my way through the Korn Ferry Tour to the PGA TOUR to then win a co-sanctioned event which was fantastic. Hopefully I can get a lot of friends and family to come up and watch this week and over the next few weeks.

"I've never played the Belfry, Royal County Down, or Wentworth. I'm excited to play some of the UK's finest golf courses over the next few weeks."

The 27-year-old, who welcomed his first child with wife Jordan last month, only took up membership after winning his first PGA TOUR and DP World Tour title at the ISCO Championship in July, the same week that the Genesis Scottish Open took place on the Rolex Series.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Harry Hall (@harryhall)

With the victory, achieved with a chip-in birdie in a play-off, and one which saw him emulate Seamus Power (2021) and Vincent Norrman (2023) in landing their breakthrough triumph in the event, Hall is now exempt on the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR through to 2026. He also earned exemptions into the 2025 editions of The Sentry, THE PLAYERS Championship and the US PGA Championship.

Yet, there is no doubt over what is Hall's burning ambition in the game: to win the Green Jacket at Augusta National.

Asked what his plan is going forward now that he is a dual member, he replied: "Play on both tours, play all the majors and hopefully take the green jacket home. That's the plan."

Should he do so, he would achieve something that even ‘Long’ Jim Barnes, who cut his teeth at West Cornwall Golf Club, couldn't do early on in the 20th century.

To this day, even after years living stateside, Hall's Cumbrian accent remains intact. He is well aware of what Barnes achieved in his career, winning the 1916 and 1919 PGA Championship, 1921 U.S. Open and 1925 Open Championship.

It is partly thanks to Phil Rowe, who himself played at the Walker Cup in 1991 and also comes from Cornwall, for where Hall is today.

"Philip Rowe, who was all over the clubhouse, played great amateur golf," he reflected.

"He went to Stanford University and fast forward ten years I was looking to go to college over there and he moved from being the assistant coach at Stanford to UNLV at the time and just because of our connection, he offered me a scholarship."

The rest is history as they say.

"I think if you're good enough, you can turn professional when you're 18 over here (England)," he said of his route into the paid ranks.

"You can do that, or if you're not quite good enough, and you need a bit more time, the U.S. college system is a great way to just get an education of how to play golf.

"So, I needed to do that. I wasn't quite good enough at 18 to turn professional. Four years on the field and it worked out pretty good for me."

Since his life-changing victory at the ISCO Championship in Kentucky last month, Hall has played twice on the PGA TOUR and arrives at the Belfry on the cusp of moving inside the top 100 in the world.

But after years of playing on the PGA TOUR, Hall admits it took support from his family to motivate himself in the days leading up to the tournament.

"I remember talking to my dad at the start of the week because it is an opposite-field event, and sometimes they are pretty tough when you are playing against the best players in the world in the biggest PGA TOUR events," he said.

"I had to fit my mind-set and go what does 300 points do for me for the FedExCup or what does a two-year exemption do for my life.

"It was massive. My dad kept me grounded and kept my mind in a good place. Since then it's so good to be back here creating a schedule that's worldwide, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

But, here this week on his homecoming, Hall is not short of motivation as he looks to make a quick impression in front of a new audience.

Why Danish golf is in 'dreamworld' and what has driven their success

By Mathieu Wood Nurturing talent and providing a structure to enable success is the goal of any nation in sport. When it comes to golf, Denmark is punching above its weight.

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Wheels turning on PGA-LIV deal, but slowly and quietly

August 28, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.

by DOUG FERGUSON / The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Jay Monahan spent 20 minutes Wednesday talking about momentum from a $1.5 billion private equity investment in the PGA Tour at the start of the year.

When it came to an investment deal with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour commissioner preached patience.

Monahan said a deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia remains a priority, though he also said there was no deadline.

"I don't think we want to restrict ourselves in that way," Monahan said in a news conference at East Lake Golf Club, which hosts the season-ending Tour Championship starting Thursday. "We want to achieve the best and right outcome at the right time."

It was a stark contrast to a year ago at East Lake. Monahan agreed to a stunning deal with PIF on June 6, 2023, to create a commercial arm called PGA Tour Enterprises. The deadline for that deal was the end of the calendar year.

Monahan's words last year: "As I sit here today, I am confident that we will reach an agreement that achieves a positive outcome for the PGA Tour and our fans — I see it and I'm certain of it."

So much has changed since June 2023.

The following month, the United States Department of Justice asked that an antipoaching clause be removed from the framework agreement. Jon Rahm defected to the LIV Golf League for Saudi riches in December. And the PGA Tour signed on Strategic Sports Group in January for an investment worth as much as $3 billion, which included an unprecedented equity program for players.

"When you look at where we are today and ... what we hear from fans and what we're hearing from players, ultimately we're both in a position to bring the best players in the world back together. I think that's a good and aspirational goal," Monahan said. "As I said earlier, we're in those discussions. We're at the table. They're complex, and it's going to take time."

In the meantime, the PGA Tour is wrapping up its first season of eight $20 million signature events, which still produced roughly the same turnover of players who reached the postseason. The tour has announced a similar schedule for 2025, and Monahan made it sound as though that would be the blueprint for the immediate future.

And it still doesn't include current LIV players, some of whom might fall out of the 54-man league depending on the contracts they signed.

There is a road back, although it is a long one.

Tyler Dennis, the PGA Tour's president, confirmed that LIV players will have to wait one year from their last competition to be eligible for the PGA Tour — provided they were never members.

England's Laurie Canter, who is in good shape to earn a PGA Tour card if he stays in the top 10 on the Europe-based DP World Tour, played as an alternate at LIV Golf Las Vegas in February. He would not be eligible until Feb. 11.

"Players who were members of the tour also have all of our tournament regulations and conduct policies applying to them," Dennis said. "I'm not going to get into details about that, but there's an additional set of guidelines there to consider."

Monahan was asked about a path back for LIV players and chose to look at some of the younger golfers who have emerged this year, such as Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and France's Matthieu Pavon through the DP World Tour, along with Sweden's Ludvig Aberg through the PGA Tour University program.

Another was Nick Dunlap, the U.S. Amateur champion who won a PGA Tour event in January, turned pro — he was in the midst of his sophomore year of college at Alabama — won again in July and advanced to the second stage of the FedEx Cup postseason.

"The system that we have, which extends to the international tours around the world, is really performing at a really high level, and that's what we're excited about," Monahan said.

As for a PIF deal, Monahan said the priority to get it done is still there, without offering details or being willing to discuss any negotiations publicly.

"I think when you get into productive conversations, that enhances the likelihood of positive outcomes, and that enhances the spirit of those very conversations," Monahan said. "I think that's where things stand."

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Tony Finau is 3-under at the Tour Championship and he hasn’t even teed off yet. Here’s how

The tour championship uses ‘starting strokes’ to reward players who performed well throughout the season.

By Kelsey Dallas

Tony Finau is tied for 11th in a golf tournament that he hasn’t played in yet.

How? Because the PGA Tour’s Tour Championship uses “starting strokes” to reward players who performed well throughout the season.

“Whoever leads the season-long FedEx Cup points standings entering the Tour Championship begins the tournament at 10 under par, with those behind him starting with scores on a staggered scale,” per The Washington Post .

Since Finau, who grew up in Utah, is in 15th place in the FedEx Cup points standings, he’s among the golfers who get to start this weekend’s competition at 3-under par.

How does the Tour Championship work?

The Tour Championship is the finale of a three-tournament playoff series. It’s the only one of the three — and the only PGA Tour competition all year — to use the “starting strokes” format.

Only the top 30 golfers in the FedEx Cup points standings make it to the Tour Championship.

The unique format aims to ensure that whoever wins the Tour Championship will also come out on top in the FedEx Cup, per The Washington Post.

Before the starting strokes approach was adopted in 2019, “the tournament winner and playoff winner often were different players, leading to confusion,” the article said.

Because he’s No. 1 in the FedEx Cup points standings, Scottie Scheffler starts this weekend’s tournament at 10-under par, two strokes ahead of Xander Schauffele in second place.

That’s a notable advantage, but it doesn’t mean he’s guaranteed a win.

“In the five years that the PGA Tour has used the starting-strokes format at the Tour Championship, the leader at the start of the tournament has won only twice,” The Washington Post reported.

How to watch the Tour Championship

The Tour Championship starts Thursday and lasts until Sunday. It will be broadcast on the Golf Channel and NBC.

Here’s how to watch, according to The Washington Post .

• Thursday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. MDT on the Golf Channel
• Friday: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. MDT on the Golf Channel
• Saturday: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. MDT on the Golf Channel; 12:30-5 p.m. on NBC
• Sunday: 10-11:30 a.m. MDT on the Golf Channel; 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. on NBC

The tournament will also stream on Peacock.

Tony Finau at the Tour Championship

Heading into last week’s BMW Championship, Finau was in 14th place in the FedEx Cup points standings. He finished in a tie for 13th, which slid him one spot down the standings.

The slide didn’t affect his starting stroke number. He would have been at 3-under par either way.

Finau will tee off in the Tour Championship Thursday at 10:38 a.m. MDT.

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Still no deadline for PGA Tour deal with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, PGA Tour commissioner says

A deal was originally expected to be agreed upon before the end of 2023.

PGA Tour commissioner and PGA Tour Enterprises CEO Jay Monahan spoke at the 2024 Tour Championship on Wednesday, and again, no specific update was provided on his organization's ongoing negotiations with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The parties continue to seek fulfillment of a framework agreement that would lead to the PGA Tour and LIV Golf formally falling under the same banner.

"We have not agreed to a deadline," Monahan said. "I don't think we want to restrict ourselves in that way. We want to achieve the best and right outcome at the right time."

Originally, Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan announced a deadline of Dec. 31, 2023, by which they would complete their agreement. The parties flew past that date, though, with nothing yet to show in terms of bringing the PGA Tour and LIV Golf together. 

"I think the best way for me to respond to that is, when you look at where we are right now, we're in regular dialogue." he explained. "We have the right people at the table with the right mindset. I see that in all of these conversations, and that's both sides. That creates optimism about the future and our ability to come together."

Among those "right people at the table" is Tiger Woods, who is part of those discussions as a player director. He was asked about the conversations last month at The Open Championship.

"I can tell you we're making progress," Woods said. "I can't tell you more than that just because we're not going to negotiate on the outside. We've got to keep everything at a high level and private, but things are moving and things are changing. It's evolving each and every day. There's emails and chains and texts and ideas that we bounce back and forth from both sides.

"There's a good interchange of ideas and thoughts of how the game could look like going forward. It's just a matter of putting that all together legally. Obviously, we have the [Department of Justice] with oversight looking into that as well and making sure that we don't do anything improperly there but also making sure that all the players benefit from this as well as everyone who's involved.

"They want to make money as well. They want to make that return. We're now into not just charitable endeavors; we're into a for-profit model. So, we have to make returns."

Monahan echoed a lot of what Woods said at Royal Troon during his press conference Wednesday.

"These conversations are complex," Monahan continued. "They're going to take time. They have taken time, and they will continue to take time. As I sit here today, I think the most important thing for us and our obligations to our fans, our players and our partners is to focus on what we control, which we're doing -- as I outlined -- and to continue to carry this momentum forward.

"But I'm not going to negotiate details in public or disclose details or specifics. All I can say is that conversations continue, and they're productive."

PGA Tour Enterprises, the for-profit wing of the PGA Tour, received an  up-to-$3 billion investment from the Strategic Sports Group earlier this year, which has lessened the necessity for a merger agreement with the PIF.  There has also been recent speculation that money from the PIF invested into global entities could be coming to an end. That is certainly an interesting wrinkle as the PGA Tour tries to determine its future. 

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How it works: 2023 Korn Ferry Tour

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 02: The Korn Ferry Tour logo is displayed on a flag for the ninth hole during round one of the REX Hospital Open at The Country Club at Wakefield Plantation on June 02, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Qualification criteria for 2024 PGA TOUR membership

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The Korn Ferry Tour embarks on a new era in 2023.

The top 30 players on the season-long standings at the conclusion of the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Championship will earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2024 season.

Here's a look at pathway access to the 2024 PGA TOUR ...

Note: The PGA TOUR University program also provides PGA TOUR access for high achievers. Click here for more information.

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In 2023, Korn Ferry Tour members will compete for $28 million in total prize money, marking the highest purse in Tour history and a 37.6% increase from the previous season ($20.35 million in 2022). Each Korn Ferry Tour Finals event will feature a $1.5 million purse.

Effective in 2023, there will no longer be separate points standings for the pre-Finals and Finals events. The cumulative Korn Ferry Tour Points List will determine 2024 PGA TOUR membership for the top 30 finishers.

Each of the first 22 events will allocate 500 points to the winner. Each of the four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events will allocate 600 points to the winner.

Eligibility for the first 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Finals event will be determined by the Points List at the conclusion of the Magnit Championship, Aug. 17-20.

A key distinction: the previous Korn Ferry Tour Finals era did not feature elimination after each event. The reimagined Finals era will feature elimination after each event.

Here's a look at eligibility for each 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Finals event:

U.S. Open crossover

Another update for 2023: all Korn Ferry Tour members who make the cut at the U.S. Open will earn Korn Ferry Tour points for their finish .

Starting with the 2023 U.S. Open, scheduled for June 15-18 at Los Angeles Country Club, Korn Ferry Tour members (i.e. – active members at the time the U.S. Open is played) who make the 36-hole cut will have the FedExCup points they earn added to their season-long total on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List.

Notable perks for No. 1

• The top finisher on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will become fully exempt on the 2024 PGA TOUR, not subject to reshuffle, and will gain access to the 2024 PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open.

Three new events

Here's a look at the three new events on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour ...

The UNC Health Championship presented by STITCH will also be played at a new course; Raleigh (N.C.) Country Club, June 1-4.

Click here for more on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour schedule.

TOUR cards through the years

Here's a look at the number of PGA TOUR cards awarded via the Korn Ferry Tour's season-long standings, dating back to the Korn Ferry Tour's inception in 1990 ...

* Note: From 2013-2022, there were also 25 TOUR cards available via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals Points List, otherwise known as The Finals 25.

Effective in 2023, The Finals 25 is no longer.

DP WORLD TOUR

The top 10 players on the 2023 season-ending DP World Tour standings -- not otherwise exempt -- will earn 2024 PGA TOUR membership.

The top five finishers (and ties) at Final Stage of 2023 Q-School will earn 2024 PGA TOUR membership.

Players who finish outside the top five and ties at Final Stage of Q-School will earn 2024 Korn Ferry Tour membership, with status determined based on position of finish.

This marks the first time since 2012 that Q-School will provide direct access to the PGA TOUR. From 2013 to 2022, top Q-School finishers earned Korn Ferry Tour access.

PGA TOUR UNIVERSITY

Effective with the 2023 college graduating class, the No. 1 player on the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking will gain PGA TOUR membership for the remainder of the season.

• The No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking will become a PGA TOUR member and eligible for all open, full-field events following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship. The Velocity Global Ranking includes seniors who meet eligibility criteria.

• Juniors, sophomores and freshmen who achieve elevated benchmarks in college, amateur and professional golf can earn PGA TOUR membership through a new program called PGA TOUR University Accelerated. Once the benchmarks are met, the player would become a PGA TOUR member and eligible for all open, full-field events following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship. Click here for more information on the program.

Players who earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University will earn official FedExCup points and will also be exempt into Final Stage of Q-School, which assures them Korn Ferry Tour membership along with the opportunity to earn a PGA TOUR card. For the 2024 season and beyond, PGA TOUR eligibility for PGA TOUR University players has not yet been determined.