Report: Top college player in PGA Tour U’s rankings could earn direct path to Tour

The top men’s college player could earn a PGA Tour card.

There soon could be a way for the top men’s college golf senior to earn a PGA Tour card right after his college season ends in the spring.

On Monday, Tour members were notified that two proposals were sent to the Tour’s policy board for approval, according to a report from Golf Channel. One change is the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour U’s Velocity Global Ranking after the NCAA Championship would receive a PGA Tour card. The other would offer Tour status, post nationals, to underclassmen who meet certain elite benchmarks at the amateur and college levels.

The report states the policy board will review the proposals in early November, and the first change would go into effect immediately. That means the top golfer after the 2023 NCAA Championships conclude would earn a Tour card for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

The second change, which is coined PGA Tour Accelerated according to the report, would benefit superstar amateurs who achieve high marks in several areas, including amateur wins, PGA Tour and major performance, collegiate awards and career-best World Amateur Golf Ranking rank. The memo said  three college players since 2010 met the criteria.

In August, the Tour announced changes to the rankings system to make it more accessible for the top college golfers to earn their way onto the professional stage. This change is another incentive being offered by the Tour for top amateurs and college players.

Texas Tech’s Ludvig Aberg is currently the top-ranked golfer in the standings.

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