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How a top amateur secured a PGA Tour card while still in college

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Andrew Redington

Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent became the first player to earn a PGA Tour card through the tour’s new University Accelerated program.

The tour’s Accelerated endeavor was announced last year, bestowing an avenue for college underclassmen to earn tour membership. Players earn points based on their accomplishments in college, amateur and professional golf. If a player earns at least 20 points by the end of their third year of NCAA eligibility, they become eligible for tour membership. Sargent, the 2022 NCAA Championship and current-ranked No. 2 in the World Amatuer Golf Rank, officially earned status on Wednesday when teeing it up at the World Amateur Team Championships in Abu Dhabi.

“Since winning the NCAA Championship as a freshman, Gordon has consistently proven himself as one of the top amateurs in the game, and he’s very deserving of becoming the first underclassman to earn PGA Tour membership through PGA Tour University Accelerated,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “We look forward to welcoming him to the PGA Tour after he concludes his collegiate career at Vanderbilt.”

Sargent, 20, earned low am honors at this year’s U.S. Open. He was also the recipient of a special invite to the Masters, becoming the first amateur since Aaaron Baddeley to earn such an honor. Augusta National announced during tournament week that a new field exemption for the reigning NCAA champion going forward. Sargent also went 4-0 at last month’s Walker Cup at the Old Course to lead the United States to victory.

Sargent, who shot 67 Wednesday at the Team Championship, is expected to forgo his senior season at Vanderbilt to turn professional. However, should he stay in school, he’d be after to defer his tour membership until 2025.

In May, Ludvig Aberg finished atop the PGA Tour U Rankings, becoming the first player to earn tour membership through that program. Aberg has five top-five finishes in his first 10 starts as a pro, highlighted by a victory at the DP World Tour’s Omega European Masters, and competed in last month’s Ryder Cup.

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What Are the Requirements for a PGA Tour Card?

Ben Martin earns his 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 five ways to snag one.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

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. Since then Q-School has 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 based on their priority ranking.

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Meet the five golfers who earned their 2024 pga tour tour cards at q-school, share this article.

pga tour card 2023

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Emma Springer held 1-year-old daughter Annie aloft as if she was Simba in “The Lion King,” smiled and said, “Baby, we’re celebrating tonight and you have no idea why!”

The reason is quite simple: husband Hayden Springer is PGA Tour bound for the first time. The 26-year-old, who played on PGA Tour Canada this season, shot 1-under 69 at Dye’s Valley at TPC Sawgrass on Monday. That was good enough to finish at 8-under 272 and T-4 and earn one of five PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season.

After a decade of solely awarding varying levels of Korn Ferry Tour membership, final stage of the 2023 PGA Tour Q-School marks the first time since 2012 there were tour cards on the line. The next 40 finishers and ties are exempt for multiple reshuffles of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, guaranteeing them between eight to 12 starts depending on their finish. The next 20 finishers and ties earned exempt status for the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season in addition to conditional Korn Ferry Tour status. All remaining finishers outside the aforementioned categories earned conditional Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas membership for 2024.

Springer entered the week with full Korn Ferry Tour status after topping the 2023 PGA Tour Canada’s season-long Fortinet Cup, but he’s skipping straight to the big leagues along with Mexico’s Raul Pereda, Trace Crowe, Blaine Hale Jr., and medalist Harrison Endycott.

Springer’s story was all the more remarkable because just over a month ago, on Nov. 13, his oldest daughter, Sage, died at age 3. She was prenatally diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a developmental disorder stemming from an extra chromosome.

What a moment for Hayden Springer ❤️ On Nov. 13, his 3-year-old daughter, Sage, passed away after battling Trisomy 18. Just a month later, Springer is headed to the PGA TOUR. https://t.co/QcdmHajA33 pic.twitter.com/lNObh2M2lk — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 18, 2023

Springer said he thought of Sage several times during the final round.

“It’s happy thoughts,” he said. “It’s kind of one of those things that I think about her, and I just think about her smile. Like that’s the thing that I can just close my eyes and think about her smiling, and it’s kind of a grounding, kind of gets you back to neutral.”

Springer’s wife was greenside at 18 with Annie in her stroller but when she started crying, Emma wheeled her away. Hayden’s dad took over so Emma, who played on the women’s team at Texas Tech, could witness him seal the deal with a 2-putt par at 18.  Three front-nine birdies lifted Springer into solid position to finish in the top 5. But he made bogeys at Nos. 11 and 12 to move into shakier ground. A birdie at the par-3 14 th gave him a cushio again.

“Bouncing back and making birdie there definitely kind of got me back into it, got me back on the right track,” he said.

But he drove into the water at 17 and made bogey, which meant he needed to avoid the water off the tee at 18. As his father put it, “Can you make it any harder?”

“I’ve worked essentially my whole life to get into this position, and you dream about it,” said Springer, who began playing U.S. Kids events at age 8. “It’s like you don’t know exactly when that day will come, but today is the day.”

Here’s the story of the four other newly minted PGA Tour members.

Harrison Endycott, 15 under

2023 Shriners Children's Open

Harrison Endycott hits his tee shot on the first hole during the first round of the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. (Photo: Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports)

The 27-year-old Australian grabbed medaliast honors with a final-round 3-under 67 at Dye’s Valley to shoot an impressive 15-under 265 total.

“A win is a win,” he said. “It’s great to go do the job over four days.”

Endycott struggled in his rookie season on the PGA Tour but entered this week with conditional status and nothing to lose. After the RSM Classic, he said he studied his stats and figured out where there was room for improvement in his game and targeted those areas.

“We just picked up what we needed to get better, did some really good work over the last few weeks, and it’s nice to come out and get a win,” he said.

Endycott, who appeared in the PGA Tour show “The Turn,” revealed that he stopped drinking alcohol following the 2023 Wyndham Championship.

“I got sick of feeling like crap all the time,” he said.

He’s feeling great about upgrading his status for next season to fully exempt.

Trace Crowe, 11 under

2023 Korn Ferry Tour Championship

Trace Crowe of the United States looks on while playing the 18th hole during the second round of the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Championship at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana. (Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Trace Crowe was asked what his 12, 13-year-old self would think about his earning his PGA Tour card for the time?

“ You’re going to make me cry right now,” he said. “We did it, dude. This is what I’ve been dreaming of doing my whole life.”

Crowe finished second at Q-School after shooting 3-under 67 on Monday at Dye’s Valley for a 72-hole total  of 11-under 269. The former Auburn Tiger, who shot four rounds in the 60s, said he was relaxed despite the pressure of having to wait an extra day due to a weather delay to pursue that lifelong dream.

“More than I thought I would have been,” he said.

That extra day off gave him more time for his ailing right foot to heal.

“Every time I put pressure on it walking, it felt like it was just like a knife digging into the side of it,” he said. “So if anything it was probably the best thing for me yesterday just to hang out and rest it.”

Crowe was a Monday qualifier into two PGA Tour events this season. Earlier this year, he got into the KFT’s Hometown Lenders Invitational when Chris Baker withdrew with an injury and converted that into a T-11 and future starts, eventually winning the NV5 Invitational in Chicago in a playoff in July. It’s a rapid rise to the big leagues for a 27-year-old who had a chance to earn his Tour card at Korn Ferry Tour Finals this fall but ballooned to 76-74 on the weekend and finish outside the top 30. Crowe, who grew up in a small town in South Carolina, said he’s always played with a chip on his shoulder as he never competed in any AJGA events or was touted as a top player.

“Just not having the resources like a lot of these people have out here and just growing up where I grew up, small town,” he said. “Yeah, just a lot of life – yeah, it’s been hard.”

But not too hard to overcome. Crowe said he couldn’t wait for the reality of getting his Tour card to kick in.

“I can’t wait for about an hour from now, and honestly, that first beer is going to be incredible,” he said.

Blaine Hale, Jr., 9 under

2023 Veritex Bank Championship

Blaine Hale Jr. at the 2023 Veritex Bank Championship at Texas Rangers Golf Club in Arlington, Texas. (Photo: Alex Bierens de Haan/Getty Images)

At the start of the week, Hale Jr. predicted that some player would go from having no status heading into Q-School to the PGA Tour. The 26-year-old turned out to be right as he posted a 1-over-par 71 at Dye’s Valley on Monday to finish third at 9-under 271.

“I didn’t think it would be me. Let me say that. But pretty exciting to be able to get it done this week,” Hale said. “Finishing third is more than a cherry on top.”

It’s been a bumpy road to the PGA Tour for the former Oklahoma Sooners star, who was a member of the 2017 national championship team. One year, he missed advancing at first stage of Q-School by one shot and then had to drive nine hours home from Lincoln, Nebraska.

PGA TOUR member has a nice ring to it. Since turning pro in 2019, Blaine Hale, Jr. has made his living playing mini tour events and Monday qualifiers. Life is about to change for the 25-year-old. pic.twitter.com/PwHRzw1wtB — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 18, 2023

“Being a professional golfer is not necessarily glamorous when you’re not playing on the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour. It’s driving to the middle of nowhere Kansas for a Monday qualifier or driving to small-town Oklahoma to play a mini-tour event and you pack your clubs in the back and you’ve got your shoes and your extra clubs and it’s just you and the open road for a lot of that. That’s the stuff that people don’t see that really is the hard part of professional golf,” he said. “I even told my wife last week when I made it through second stage, to me it was almost hard to tell people that I was a professional golfer because they’re like, what Tour are you on, and I’m like, well, I play mini-tour, I play glorified money games, I play Monday qualifiers. Actually getting to say I’m a PGA Tour golfer might hold a little bit more merit now.”

Indeed, it will.

“It doesn’t feel right,” said Hale who has yet to make a PGA Tour start, “but we’ll figure it out hopefully in the next couple days.”

Raul Pereda, 8 under

2023 PGA Tour Q-School

Raul Pereda meets with the media following his third-round 66 at the Sawgrass Country Club in the 2023 PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. (Photo: USA TODAY)

Raul Pereda believes it was destiny .

The 27-year-old Mexican native chipped in twice on the back nine to shoot 1-under 69 at Dye’s Valley on Monday and finish T-4 with Hayden Springer.

Pereda earned a spot in the final stage thanks to Alex Chiarella making bogey on the last hole at a second-stage site in California.

“I just felt like everything was a win for me,” Pereda said. “I think the fact that it happened here was meant to be. It was for a reason. It was set for me at the table, and I just took advantage of it the best way possible.”

Q-school is the best. On July 1st of this year. Just 170 days ago… Blaine Hale- Was playing the All Pro Tour and didn't have a win Trace Crowe- Was 139th in KFT Points Raul Pereda- Finished his season 22nd in points on LatinoAmerican Tour Hayden Springer- Had a best… — Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) December 18, 2023

Pereda moved to Jacksonville, Florida, in 2014 to attend Jacksonville University. He figured he’s played at least 50-60 rounds at Dye’s Valley and benefited from more course knowledge than anyone else in the field.

“I really know the course like the palm of my hand,” he said. “It really helped me put myself in position all day today. The putts didn’t drop like the past couple days, but the chips did.”

Pereda also benefited from Sunday’s play being washed out as he spent half the day at the emergency room with his father, who suffered from kidney stones.

“That really helped me not think about the round, not get ahead of myself again. Looking at my dad just hurt, it was just, I did it for them. He’s good. He’s got some meds. He’s walking. He couldn’t go out there and watch,” Pereda said. “My brother was here, my mom was here, and this is for them, and this is for my entire country supporting me.”

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Which 10 DP World Tour players have earned PGA Tour cards for 2024?

Adrian meronk leads the list of dp world tour stars heading to the pga tour in 2024..

Andy Roberts's picture

A total of 10 DP World Tour players officially received their PGA Tour cards for 2024 following the completion of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. 

The leading 10 players on the Race to Dubai standings following the completion of the DP World Tour Championship - who were not already eligible to compete on the PGA Tour - earned their cards for the PGA Tour in 2024.

Adrian Meronk, who was agonisingly denied a pick in Luke Donald's 2023 European Ryder Cup team, led the list of DP World Tour stars heading to the PGA Tour in 2024. 

BMW PGA champion Ryan Fox also secured his place on the PGA Tour. 

Late drama unfolded in the final round of the DP World Tour Championship as Pavon birdied the final four holes to play his way into a PGA Tour card.

Nicolai Hojgaard's brother Rasmus Hojgaard was unfortunately the player to miss out on earning a PGA Tour card after finishing 11th in the list. 

Nicolai, who won the DP World Tour Championship to finish second to Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai, is already a PGA Tour member playing on both circuits. 

It was therefore a mixed day of emotions for the Hojgaard brothers, albeit Rasmus was delighted to see his brother win the DP World Tour's season finale.

Ryder Cup rookie Nicolai Højgaard wins the DP World Tour Championship! #DPWTC | #RolexSeries pic.twitter.com/y52cIzvce4 — DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) November 19, 2023

Which 10 DP World Tour players earned PGA Tour cards for 2024?

1. Adrian Meronk

2. Ryan Fox

3. Victor Perez

4. Thorbjorn Olesen

5. Alex Bjork

6. Sami Valimaki

7. Robert MacIntyre

8. Matthieu Pavon

9. Jorge Campillo

10. Ryo Hisatsune

VIEW THE FULL STANDINGS HERE

What do you make of the DP World Tour handing 10 of their best stars over to the PGA Tour in 2024? Has it simply become a feeder Tour, or has that always been the case? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels. 

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Nicolai Hojgaard goes on birdie blitz to win DP World Tour Championship

PGA Tour Rookie of Year Eric Cole returns to Cognizant after last year's runner-up finish

pga tour card 2023

One year ago, Eric Cole was about six months into earning his PGA Tour card, was ranked 330th in the world and had pocketed less than $400,000 on the Tour.

Now, the Tequesta resident is 37th in the world, has just under $7.2 million in career earnings and is the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year .

And all of this happened in the year he turned 35.

"I think everyone's story is probably a little different as far as their road to the PGA Tour and success on the PGA Tour," said Cole, the son of professonal golfers Laura Baugh and Bobby Cole.

"In my case, it was a long road and a tough road. I just tried to stay the course and not not get too down on myself and stick to what I'm doing and kind of have confidence in what I'm doing is right. And then eventually the results will be there."

Those results came quick. Cole grinded away for more than a decade on mini tours, winning 56 events on the Minor League Golf Tour, earning his Korn Ferry Tour card in 2017 and 2021. He earned his PGA Tour card for the 2022-23 season - 14 years after turning pro - and in about four months started turning heads.

And he took full advantage of that status playing 37 events last season.

Finally, after his first top 15 finish at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Cole's breakout event occurred a few miles from his home. Cole shot a 266 to force a playoff with Chris Kirk at the 2023 Honda Classic, the lowest score since the tournament - now known as the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches - moved to PGA National in 2007. Kirk won the playoff, denying Cole his first PGA Tour win.

Since then, he's come close with five more top 5s.

Cole, who practices with Tequesta neighbor Nick Hardy along with Mark Calcavecchia and Russ Cochran, who play on the PGA Tour Champions, is not surprised with his meteoric rise. He's a professional athlete and professional athletes are not lacking confidence. The one thing he believed prevented him from reaching the next level was putting together that one solid round each week that could take him to the top.

Especially in Q-School, where the pressure is greater than any of these golfers face, often determining whether they continue in their sport or start looking for work in the real world.

"It was really more than anything just performing when I needed to," Cole said. "That was a big problem for me, for whatever reason, I couldn't have a good round when I needed one. I just couldn't kind of get over the finish line.

"I just kept hitting that wall and then once I broke through it, it was almost like relief … 'Alright, I've gotten here. Now I can kind of take a deep breath and kind of just play my game.' "

And it wasn't just forcing that playoff with Kirk with a par on the 72nd hole. Cole said earning his tour card was a "huge breakthrough," but being near the top of the leader board on the final day for the first time was the next step.

"That was the first tournament where I was really in contention," said Cole, who will play the event for the second time this year. "So that was a great environment and a cool spot to be. When you get in, it's a little bit addicting, so you kind of want to be in it again. And in my case, I wanted to get different results.

"Once you kind of feel that you want to feel it as much as you can."

The finish got Cole into the Players and two months later he was in his first major, placing 15th at the PGA Championship in Rochester, N.Y. A steady climb throughout the year resulted in Cole qualifying for FedEx Cup Playoff and earning his way into the 2024 signature events.

Some of those not in signature events this season: Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Shane Lowry and Billy Horshel.

What does that mean?

"I'm going to be able to take a few more weeks off maybe throughout the year versus last year," he said. "I was trying to play to get in a lot of the big events."

Then came the reward for that patience and hard work: Winning an award his mom won 50 years ago on the LPGA Tour.

Baugh turned professional after winning the 1971 U.S. Women’s Amateur. She joined the LPGA Tour in 1973 and captured Rookie of the Year honors after a solid debut season.

Cole is the second-oldest player to be named top rookie on the PGA Tour behind Todd Hamilton, who was 39 when he won in 2004. The Rookie of Year Award was established in 1990.

Cole now is seeking to join his dad as a PGA Tour winner. Bobby Cole, a South African, won the 1977 Buick Open and twice finished third in a major. Baugh had 10 runner-ups in her career.

Still, the younger Cole is not feeling any added pressure to win. He's the ultimate 'stay in the moment' kind of guy. He is able to move on from each shot, each round, each tournament.

"I think of it more individually," he said. "Each shot has its own shot, each tournament has its own tournament, each year has its own year. So while it's cool to have that honor from last year it's just a combination of having a lot of good weeks, having a whole bunch of little things right.

"Now it's just onto the next thing."

Tom D'Angelo is a sports columnist and reporter at The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on social media @tomdangelo44.

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12 notable pros who just lost their PGA Tour cards

Jason Dufner will not have full PGA Tour status next season.

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While the golf world celebrates the breakthrough win for budding superstar Ludvig Aberg Sunday at the RSM Classic , it’s a totally different story for several other Tour players.

For the first time in the event’s history, the RSM Classic served as not only the last event of the calendar year, as it had previously, but now with the change back to a calendar year schedule, the RSM is also the end of the PGA Tour season. That means the top 125 cutoff for full PGA Tour playing privileges for 2024 happened Sunday.

And this year, the stakes have never been higher for securing full PGA Tour membership this week.

For the past 10 seasons, PGA Tour status was decided after August’s Wyndham Championship, meaning those who failed to meet the threshold could go play the Korn Ferry Tour Finals where 50 more cards were at stake. However, The Korn Ferry Tour has already awarded 30 cards this year.

While some golfers on this list can fall back on career money list exemptions or past champion status, the only remaining option for many to improve from conditional status or less is next month’s PGA Tour Q-School. However, there they will be competing against dozens of other pros of past, present and future for just five PGA Tour cards.

It’s also important to note that most of these golfers will still have jobs and get into a number of events next season. However, missing out on the top 125 means they’ll have a lot less flexibility to chose their schedule and will likely get into fewer events.

With that, here are 12 golfers who fell short of the top 125 this season and will likely be starting 2024 without full PGA Tour status.

12 players who lost their PGA Tour cards on Sunday 

126. Carl Yuan – Last year’s Korn Ferry Tour points leader came to the 72nd at Sea Island projected at 126 in the FedEx Cup Fall rankings. He made birdie, but his ranking didn’t budge.

128. Maverick McNealy – McNealy had a chance to move back into the top 125 with a couple solid rounds this week. But a third-round 71 on a day when scoring was crazy low proved his undoing. However, he missed six months with a shoulder injury and will likely apply for a medical extension.

Jimmy Walker

‘It’s total bulls**t, that’s what I think of it’: Major winner rips PGA Tour changes 

139. Jimmy Walker – Walker burned his one-time top 50 career money exemption this past season. He failed to do better than a T13 at Torrey Pines in January and missed his last four cuts to finish. Walker also notably ripped the recent changes to the PGA Tour structure in September.

141. Charley Hoffman – Hoffman had the opportunity but did not choose to burn his career money exemption for 2023. That means he still can use it for 2024 if he wants.

145. Harry Higgs – Higgs managed to stay inside the top 150 for the second consecutive season meaning he’ll have conditional status once again in 2024.

158. Doc Redman – Redman ended a disappointing season with a 20th missed cut at the RSM. Finishing outside the top 150 means he’s likely to head to Q-School if he wants to regain PGA Tour status next year.

165. Jason Dufner – Dufner used his top 50 exemption this past season. His only option will be to play out of the past champions with more than 150 career cuts made category.

Adrian Meronk hits a drive at the DP World Tour Championship.

These 10 European Tour members just earned PGA Tour cards

166. Sean O’Hair – The four-time PGA Tour winner played 20 events out of the past champion beyond 150 category in 2022-23 and will likely do so again in 2024.

168. Zach Johnson – The U.S. Ryder Cup captain played 21 events using his second career money exemption for being the 14th leading money winner. He made 13 cuts and finished T12 at the Honda.

171. James Hahn – Hahn played 27 events and made just 14 cuts with a top 10. However, his last start at the World Wide Technology Championship was his 150th career cut made, meaning he will qualify for the past champions beyond 150 exemption.

199. Nick Watney – The five-time PGA Tour winner re-earned full status last year, but made just eight cuts in 32 starts in 2022-23. He used his career money exemption in 2022 and will likely play out of the past champions beyond 150 category.

213. Brandt Snedeker – Sneds was playing on his second career money exemption for being No. 23 on the list. He made just 11 starts this year due to a strange back injury that required experimental surgery causing him to miss eight months.

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Robert Garrigus, Jeff Overton highlight Cognizant Classic's Monday qualifiers

Monday Qualifiers

Chris Crawford, Michael Gligic also advance to PGA National

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Three pros with ample PGA TOUR experience and a mini-tour dreamer punched their ticket to the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches via Monday's open qualifier.

Longtime TOUR pro Robert Garrigus earned medalist honors at the qualifier with a 7-under 65 at Tesoro Club's Palmer course in Port St. Lucie, Florida, with Chris Crawford and Jeff Overton one shot back at 6-under 66. All three earned spots at the Cognizant Classic without needing extra holes.

Six players tied at 5-under 67, requiring a 6-for-1 playoff to determine the Cognizant Classic field's final spot. The playoff was suspended due to darkness Monday evening with three players still in the mix: Michael Gligic, Chris Nido and Kevin Tway.

Gligic earned the final spot via the playoff on Tuesday morning.

Garrigus and Overton have combined for 679 TOUR starts, while Gligic has made 107 TOUR starts but lost his card last fall. Garrigus holds conditional status as a past champion and veteran member, while Overton (also a veteran member) spent six years mostly sidelined due to injury but is attempting a comeback to professional golf. Crawford has competed in three U.S. Opens but never in a non-major TOUR event.

Read below for more on the Cognizant Classic's four Monday qualifiers:

Robert Garrigus (7-under 65)

Age: 46 Hometown: Nampa, Idaho Alma mater: Scottsdale Community College PGA TOUR starts: 381 Cuts made: 214 Best PGA TOUR finish: Win, 2010 Children's Miracle Network Classic

Notes: Made seven birdies in a bogey-free qualifying round ... Will make his first PGA TOUR start of 2024; holds conditional status as a past champion ... Made one cut in nine TOUR starts last season, a T27 at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship ... Has made five cuts in nine prior starts at the Cognizant Classic.

Robert Garrigus Monday qualifies for Cognizant Classic

Chris Crawford (6-under 66)

Age: 29 Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Alma mater: Drexel University PGA TOUR starts: 3 Cuts made: 0

Notes: Made eight birdies against two bogeys in qualifying round ... Has qualified for three U.S. Opens, hence known as a specialist on Golf's Longest Day (36-hole Final Qualifying for the U.S. Open), but this will be his first non-major TOUR start ... Has made 20 cuts in 27 career starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, highlighted by a third-place finish at the 2023 JHSF Aberto do Brasil. Finished No. 18 on 2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica's season-long Totalplay Cup.

Jeff Overton (6-under 66)

Age: 40 Hometown: Evansville, Indiana Alma mater: Indiana University PGA TOUR starts: 298 Cuts made: 194 Best PGA TOUR finish: Runner-up, four times

Notes: Made six birdies and an eagle against two bogeys in qualifying round ... Has made 11 prior starts at the Cognizant Classic, highlighted by a T6 in 2011 ... Amid a comeback from a life-threatening infection suffered during a routine surgery for a herniated disk on his back; returned to competition in summer 2022 after making just one TOUR start in a six-year span ... Played four TOUR events in 2023 but didn't make a cut. Played eight Korn Ferry Tour events in 2023, missing the first seven cuts but finishing T23 at the Magnit Championship in August ... Competed for the U.S. Team at the 2010 Ryder Cup.

Michael Gligic (5-under 67, advanced via playoff)

Age: 34 Hometown: Burlington, Ontario, Canada Alma mater: N/A PGA TOUR starts: 107 Cuts made: 47 Best PGA TOUR finish: T4, 2021 Corales Puntacana Championship

Notes: Made six birdies against one bogey in qualifying round, then advanced via 6-for-1 playoff (completed on Tuesday morning) ... Finished No. 205 on last year's FedExCup Fall standings to lose PGA TOUR status ... First earned TOUR card via 2019 Korn Ferry Tour; season was highlighted by a victory at The Panama Championship. Also earned back his TOUR card via 2021 and 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Finals ... Spent 12 years as a hockey goalie before deciding to pursue golf ... Completed his final semester of high school online to move to the Orlando area and work with Sean Foley ... Played 88 events on PGA TOUR Canada, including a win and three runner-up finishes.

Michael Gligic Monday qualifies for Cognizant Classic

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