Tag: PGA Tour University

PGA Tour announces two direct pathways for college golfers through PGA Tour University

The new pathways have addressed a key issue for the Tour and will give elite college players something to consider.

On Monday a new proposal was approved by the PGA Tour’s Policy Board that, effective immediately, will now allow for college golfers to earn direct access to the PGA Tour via two different pathways.

First, the No. 1 player in the final PGA Tour University Velocity Global Ranking will become a PGA Tour member and be eligible for all open, full-field events following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship in May. Before the start of the 2022-23 season in August, PGA Tour University increased its number of graduates from 15 to 20. The top-five players were set to earn Korn Ferry Tour membership, while Nos. 6-10 earn conditional Korn Ferry Tour status and Nos. 11-20 receive PGA Tour Canada and Latinoamérica status. Aside from the top player now earning PGA Tour membership, the rest of the exemptions remain the same. The Tour estimates that the No. 1 player will be eligible for 14 events in 2023, beginning with the 2023 RBC Canadian Open, June 8-11.

Second, underclassmen can earn PGA Tour membership through a new program, PGA Tour University Accelerated, where players earn points based off achievements in college, amateur and professional tournaments. For a player to receive membership via PGA Tour University Accelerated, they must earn 20 points by the end of their third year of NCAA eligibility through the following achievements:

Win a major college golf award Haskins Award (3 points)
Hogan Award (3 points)
Div. I Nicklaus Award (3 points)
Div. I Outstanding Freshman Award (2 points)
Career-best rank in the World Amateur Golf Ranking No. 1 (5 points)
No. 2 (4 points)
No. 3 (3 points)
No. 4 (2 points)
No. 5 (1 point)
Tournament wins Div. I NCAA individual championship (3 points)
U.S. Amateur (3 points)
The Amateur (3 points)
Western Amateur (2 points)
European Amateur (2 points)
Latin America Amateur (2 points)
Asia-Pacific Amateur (2 points)
Participate in a national team competition Walker Cup (2 points)
Palmer Cup (1 point)
World Amateur Team Championship (1 point)
Performance in official PGA Tour events and major championships Top-20 finish in major championship (2 points)
Compete in major championship (1 point)
Top-10 finish in Tour event (1 point)
Made cut (1 point)

For example, if Player A were to finish 13th at the 2023 Masters, he would earn four points: 1 point for competing, 1 point for a made cut and 2 points for a top-20 finish at a major.

According to the Tour, dating back to 2010 only three players would have earned membership through PGA Tour University Accelerated: Patrick Cantlay (2012), Justin Thomas (2013) and Patrick Rodgers (2014). The top current college players who have earned the most Accelerated Points are Stanford junior Michael Thorbjornsen (12 points) and Vanderbilt sophomore Gordon Sargent (10 points).

“Success at the highest levels of college and amateur golf has proven to be a strong indicator of a player’s potential as a professional golfer,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan via a release. “The first two classes of PGA Tour University alumni have shown us that these players are ready to compete and win immediately, and these two additions to the program further strengthen our commitment to college golf and will provide future stars with direct access to the PGA Tour.”

The move comes at a critical time for the Tour as it continues its battle with LIV Golf for supremacy in the professional ranks. College upperclassmen are undoubtedly weighing their options between the two different circuits, especially after seeing the success Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra had as a rookie with LIV in 2022.

“Well, the PGA Tour, what they’ve created with PGA Tour University is great, but they didn’t secure you anything,” Chacarra said in June on his decision to join LIV and leave Oklahoma State.

These two new pathways to the Tour have addressed that issue and will give elite college players even more to think about when it comes to their future in golf.

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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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PGA Tour University announces numerous changes ahead of 2022-23 season

The path for elite men’s college golfers to get to the PGA Tour is being upgraded.

The path for elite men’s college golfers to get to the PGA Tour is being upgraded.

PGA Tour University announced Wednesday enhanced performance benefits to the top college seniors before the start of the 2022-23 season.

Entering its third year, PGA Tour U will increase the number of graduates who earn tour membership. It also reaffirmed those players will receive exemptions into a new PGA Tour Q-School, and it will also be more advantageous for players who take PGA Tour exemptions the summer after graduation.

There are now 20 total graduating spots, up from 15 in the first two years. The grads will also be split into three groups, earning benefits based on their final position in the standings.

The first team, which is spots 1-5, will be exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour for its current season and exempt on an international tour the following season. For the second team, spots 6-10, they also earn conditional KFT cards. They will play out of the PGA Tour U category and get into tournaments through one of those allotted slots if any of the top players decide not to play. The sixth in the rankings would have first priority, and so on. The players could also earn more status through the points list. Nos. 6-10 are also exempt for that summer’s Canada season and the following Latinoamerica season. The third team, the remaining 10, receive full Canada status for the current season and full Latinoamerica status the following season.

There are also changes coming to PGA Tour Q school, where Nos. 1-5 will be exempt into the final stage of Q school. Nos. 6-20 will be exempt into the second stage.

Additionally, the top-20 finishers will compete against each other for future eligibility. The three players with the highest combined point total in events played on the then-current PGA Tour and KFT seasons will be exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour for the following season.

Florida’s Fred Biondi is the top-ranked player in the PGA Tour U rankings to begin the season. Texas Tech’s Ludvig Aberg is second, Texas A&M’s Sam Bennett, the U.S. Amateur champion, is third, with North Carolina’s Austin Greaser and Texas’ Travis Vick rounding out the top five.

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Ping signs three young pros to contracts: Cole Hammer, Logan McAllister and RJ Manke

The trio finished among the top five in the PGA Tour U standings to earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Ping announced Tuesday it had signed three young professionals – Cole Hammer, Logan McAllister and RJ Manke – to multiyear equipment contracts. Each of the trio earned status for the rest of the Korn Ferry Tour season after finishing in the top five of this year’s PGA Tour University, which gives college players opportunities on various tours.

Hammer helped lead the Texas Longhorns to the 2022 NCAA Division I team championship, and he was medalist at the 2021 Big 12 Conference Championship. The Houston native has played on two winning Walker Cup teams and was awarded the 2019 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top amateur golfer. He finished on Golfweek’s Third Team All-Americans list for the 2021-22 season.

McAllister, a native of Oklahoma City, had four wins in his college career at Oklahoma. As a senior, he was named to the Ping All-America first team and All-Big 12 first team. He finished on Golfweek’s Second Team All-Americans list for the 2021-22 season.

Manke in 2021-22 was a fifth-year senior transfer from Pepperdine to the University of Washington in his home state, where he was the Pac-12 men’s player of the year while earning Ping All-America first-team honors. He won four times in college, twice at Washington and twice at Pepperdine. He finished on Golfweek’s First Team All-Americans list for the 2021-22 season.

“Our college program continues to identify and build relationships with some of the top young players in the game,” Ping President John K. Solheim said in a release announcing the signings. “To have three of the top five from the 2022 PGA Tour U class is a testament to that commitment. Cole, Logan and RJ all had exceptional records throughout their college careers and are ready to take the next step into the professional game. We’re excited to be aligned with these talented players and look forward to supporting them as they transition to the pro ranks.”

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PGA Tour University’s second class sends 15 college players on path to professional golf

Fifteen college golfers earned status on various professional tours as part of the PGA Tour University Class of 2022.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — School’s out for the seniors. Next stop: professional golf.

The second class of PGA Tour University graduates was finalized following the completion of stroke play at the 2022 NCAA Div. I Men’s Golf Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club, with the top 15 players in the standings earning status on varying professional tours.

The top-five players in the PGA Tour University standings receive Korn Ferry Tour membership and will be exempt into all open, full-field events beginning with the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX (June 9-12). The players are also exempt into the final stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

The following players who finished 6-15 in the standings receive PGA Tour Canada status beginning with the ATB Classic presented by Volvo Edmonton (June 16-19) through the end of the regular season. The players are also exempt into the second stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

The program is designed to streamline the process for college players to advance to the professional level while also rewarding those who honor their college commitments. Players must play on the NCAA Division I level and complete a minimum of four years in college to be eligible for PGA Tour University.

Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual

PGA Tour University changes eligibility rules as first LIV Golf event approaches

Players set to receive PGA Tour University benefits have a big decision to make regarding their professional futures.

Greg Norman has said that amateurs would be able to play in his Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, but those in the top 15 of the PGA Tour University Ranking who are considering the rival golf entity may want to think otherwise.

The Tour has previously stated that it “reserves the right to make final determinations regarding a player’s eligibility in PGA Tour University,” and Wednesday Golfweek learned of two amendments, effective immediately.

Players who finish inside the top 15 of the final ranking will be ineligible for PGA Tour University, “and may not accept the performance benefits associated with a top-15 finish (in the current season and subsequent seasons) if such player competes in any professional golf tournament that is not ranked by the Official World Golf Ranking, excluding such events that have been previously approved by the PGA Tour.”

If a player is deemed ineligible or decides not to accept the benefits, they will be offered to the next eligible player in the final ranking. The first LIV Golf Invitational Series event is scheduled for next month, June 9-11, in London. As of now, the LIV Golf events do not offer OWGR points.

More: PGA Tour denies releases for LIV Golf event

The PGA Tour University Ranking is based on results and level of competition. After the 2022 NCAA Men’s Golf National Championship ends June 1, the top‐15 players in the Class of 2022 will earn status on the Korn Ferry Tour or a PGA Tour international tour.

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Oklahoma State star Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra to forfeit PGA Tour University status and will return to college

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra has won twice already this spring.

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra has won twice already this spring, taking home the hardware at both the Amer Ari Invitational and National Invitational Tournament. He was on a recent watch list for the Haskins Award, which annually honors the player of the year in men’s college golf, as selected by the college players, coaches and members of the college golf media.

Due to his success, Lopez-Chacarra was the third-ranked player in the latest edition of the PGA Tour U rankings.

However, he plans on returning to college. On Wednesday, the Oklahoma State star announced on social media that he’s returning to school for a fifth year.

“I am convinced that an additional year of hard work in Stillwater will allow me to continue to grow academically and personally,” Lopez-Chacarra said in a Twitter post, “which will only prepare me better for the PGA Tour and my professional career,”

The top five finishers from the PGA Tour University Ranking List receive Korn Ferry Tour membership and will be exempt into all open, full-field events beginning the week following the national championship through the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour regular season, and will also be exempt into the Final Stage of that year’s Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Even though he forfeited eligibility this time around, he’ll once again be eligible next season. His points from 2021-22 and 2022-23 will be accrued.

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Golf’s future stars highlight PGA Tour University’s inaugural rankings

Golf’s future stars highlight PGA Tour University’s inaugural rankings, topped by a Florida State star.

PGA TOUR University became official last month, providing an improved path to the Tour for college golf’s best players through developmental circuits like the Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour (PGA Tour Canada), PGA Tour Latinoamérica and PGA Tour Series-China.

On Wednesday PGA Tour University announced its inaugural rankings, with Florida State’s John Pak at the top spot. A rising senior for the Seminoles, Pak has earned five wins since the start of the 2019 spring season, including last year’s ACC Championship.

“When I first heard that I was No. 1, I was a little bit shocked as I thought it was going to be someone else,” said Pak via a release. “But for me to be the first one to top the Ranking is awesome and it shows that a lot of hard work is paying off.”

“I think this is so good for college golf – it’s something that will make guys stay in college. I was always planning to stay at Florida State for four years, but this definitely helped,” Pak continued. “This program provides a lot more incentive to a lot of people, and it’s cool to think you can get guaranteed starts on the Korn Ferry or International Tours.”

PGA Tour University rankings

Ranking Player University
1 John Pak Florida State
2 Chun-An Yu Arizona State
3 Austin Eckroat Oklahoma State
4 Davis Thompson Georgia
5 Sandy Scott Texas Tech
6 Garett Reband Oklahoma
7 McClure Meissner Southern Methodist
8 Trevor Werbylo Arizona
9 John Augenstein Vanderbilt
10 Jovan Rebula Auburn
11 Quade Cummins Oklahoma
12 Cooper Dossey Baylor
13 Hunter Eichhorn Marquette
14 Tim Widing San Francisco
15 Tripp Kinney Iowa State

Nos. 16-25 will be announced on Thursday, July 23.

“The goal all along has been to ease the transition from collegiate golf into the pro ranks for the top four-year players, and this program allows us to achieve that,” said the PGA Tour’s Brendan von Doehren. “College golf creates a tremendous amount of tournament drama for both teams and individuals, and it will be fun to watch the game’s rising stars compete to be part of our Class of 2021 next June.”

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Introducing PGA Tour University: A streamlined path from college golf to a pro career

Monday marked the debut of PGA Tour University, a program designed to strengthen the path to the PGA Tour through developmental tours.

Considering that the PGA Tour is the ultimate goal for many men’s college golfers, the Tour’s new streamlined process of getting there comes as welcome news – at least for the game’s best. Monday marked the debut of PGA Tour University, a program designed to strengthen the path to the PGA Tour through developmental tours such as the Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour (PGA Tour Canada), PGA Tour Latinoamérica and PGA Tour Series-China.

It comes with good news for college coaches, too. The program rewards players for honoring their commitments to their teams. Players must play on the NCAA Division I level and complete a minimum of four years in college to be eligible for the PGA Tour University Ranking List, a newly created college ranking. Based on a player’s respective finish on that list, he will be awarded exempt status to the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, the Mackenzie Tour and PGA Tour Series-China.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for these players to begin their professional careers on a path to the PGA Tour. Just as importantly, we are able to continue building on the great momentum the Korn Ferry Tour and our International Tours have enjoyed in recent years by strengthening the field of competition with the addition of these collegiate stars,” Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin.

Changes to the PGA Tour’s qualifying structure in 2013 made it much more difficult for a player to come straight out of college and onto the PGA Tour. Matthew Wolff, who won a Tour event 41 days after claiming the NCAA individual title, is the exception. The vast majority of players are funneled up through the Korn Ferry Tour. That will still be the case under PGA Tour University.

Under this new structure, the top five finishers from the PGA Tour University Ranking List, which will be decided upon completion of the NCAA Championship, will receive Korn Ferry Tour membership and will be exempt into all open, full-field events beginning the week following the national championship through the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour regular season. The top five finishers will also be exempt into the Final Stage of that year’s Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Finishers Nos. 6-15 will secure membership on their choice of one of the international tours for the current season and a spot in the Second Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament (if necessary).

The PGA Tour is partnering with the World Amateur Golf Ranking, run by the USGA and R&A and considered the premier amateur ranking, to compile its ranking list. That means that finally, a player’s amateur record can help him work his way toward Tour aspirations. The rankings will take into account the final two years of a player’s collegiate career, but he won’t appear on the ranking until his fourth year of college begins.

Events counting toward the Official PGA Tour University Ranking List include NCAA Division I men’s golf events and official PGA Tour events, including the Masters, U.S. Open and the Open Championship. According to the PGA Tour, the first Ranking List will be unveiled this summer leading into the start of the 2020-21 college golf season, with the Ranking List updated each week during the season.

PGA Tour University even allows a player to remain amateur – for example, to allow for a Walker Cup or World Amateur Team Championship appearance – and still receive his guaranteed starts. In this event, a player must declare in writing to the PGA Tour within three days following the release of the final Ranking List and may participate in events as a non-member. He would then have to join as a member within 10 days of the conclusion of the team event in which he was participating.

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