Short-term struggles, long-term gains for KFT grads under proposed Tour policy
The band-aid needed to be ripped off at some point, and as the PGA Tour proposes sweeping changes to its field sizes and eligibility, all set to take effect in 2026, the transition won’t come without this painful reality:
The Korn Ferry Tour and Q-School graduates will face an unprecedented task to keep their cards in 2025.
In preparation for 2026, only the top 100 players on the final 2025 FedExCup points list will retain fully exempt status, while other ’26 changes include reducing field sizes across the board, reducing or eliminating Monday qualifying spots, and decreasing the number of KFT graduates from 30 to 20 players.
These proposed changes will be voted on by the Tour’s policy board on Nov. 18, the week of the RSM Classic, though they are expected to pass.
The challenges this past season for those coming off the KFT and out of Q-School included difficulty getting into full fields, especially early in the calendar and before the early-April reshuffle, and in the events they did qualify for, playing for significantly fewer FedExCup points.
Now, those reorder-category players will operate in the same environment in 2025, though instead of shooting for the top 125 in FedExCup points, they will need to finish next fall inside the top 100. For reference, through last week’s Zozo Championship, only five KFT/Q-School grads (excluding fully exempt Ben Kohles) sat inside the top 100 in points:
48. Max Greyserman
61. Jake Knapp
85. Rico Hoey
86. Patrick Fishburn
98. Mac Meissner
Entering the mid-fall bye week, Rafa Campos, who began the year as the 30th KFT grad, has competed in 22 events offering a combined 9,900 FedExCup points to winners. In comparison, Mac Hughes, No. 50 on last year’s FedExCup list, has competed in 24 events for 16,100 total points, and Carl Yuan, No. 125 in points in 2023, has logged 25 starts offering 11,850 points.
“I don’t feel part of the PGA Tour, I really don’t, and that’s really depressing,” Campos said in February.
Starting in 2026, such feelings should be quelled.
Once the changes take place, it is widely believed that the reorder players, who will be bumped up just behind Nos. 71-100 on the priority list, will be able to get into all open events with potentially the only exception being the WM Phoenix Open, which will have its field reduced to 120 players.
The PGA Tour revealed on Tuesday proposed sweeping changes to its future field sizes and eligibility.
This, combined with the slight reduction in points awarded to finishers down the leaderboards at majors and signature events (top 11 or worse at majors; top 7 or worse at signature events) will provide the graduates a more level playing field with those fully exempt members and top-50 guys.
But, again, that doesn’t help the ’25 guys.
On Wednesday, the PGA Tour’s incoming rookies gathered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, for orientation. The previous first-year gathering was held in Hawaii the weekend before this year’s Sony Open, which about half of the KFT and Q-School guys didn’t end up getting into. So, already a marked improvement.
The rookies reached by Golf Channel on Tuesday evening were just starting to analyze the changes, though the common sentiment was positive.
“Probably a smart move on most of it,” texted one. “Not a fan of getting rid of a lot of Monday qualifiers, however, I get it.”
There was also the glass-half-full take that, yes, 2025 will be difficult to keep your card, but if the changes were made a year earlier, Nos. 21-30 on the KFT points list wouldn’t even have their cards.
Then there is the thought that fewer cards available through the KFT will push more players to the DP World Tour. Second stage of DPWT Q-School starts on Thursday, and over two dozen recent U.S. college grads are competing, including internationals Mats Ege, Herman Wibe Sekne, Adam Wallin, Bastian Amat, Julian Perico and current Arizona standout Tiger Christensen, plus Americans Canon Claycomb, Ryggs Johnston, Palmer Jackson and Spencer Cross.
But at least one of those players dismissed that belief:
“I don’t think these changes make Europe more appealing. I just think more people are going to quit and try and find a more stable, real job. People say it’s cheaper to come over here, but I’m in the hole 7-ish grand already. … It’s an insanely hard thing to do getting on one of these tours, and now they’ve made it even harder.”
For those sitting in a ballroom on Wednesday preparing for their debut PGA Tour seasons, they’ve already gotten to the big show. Their challenge is now staying out there.
That task will be tougher than ever next year, but they do have what many don’t – and that’s the opportunity.
Texted another rookie: “Time to get to work.”