By Don Donohue
June 17, 2025
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR Board today approved competitive changes supported by the Korn Ferry Tour Player Advisory Council (PAC) that will ensure the Korn Ferry Tour is comprised of the most competitive players striving to reach the PGA TOUR. The changes, which include adjustments to the eligibility system and Priority Ranking for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, are designed to account for the improvements to the PGA TOUR’s competitive structure which take effect in 2026.
“The changes announced today will elevate the Korn Ferry Tour, creating an even more competitive membership base and further strengthening our Tour for fans, players, tournaments and partners,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “After thorough review, we determined the most competitive membership composition for the Korn Ferry Tour would be a combination of Korn Ferry Tour members retaining status, rising stars earning membership through our Pathways, and PGA TOUR players actively seeking a return to golf’s highest level. This membership composition became the basis for adjusting the Korn Ferry Tour’s eligibility system.”
Baldwin added: “With the 2025 season already underway, all of the desired changes could not be implemented until the 2027 season, requiring the 2026 season to serve as a bridge year, with the new competitive structure being fully implemented for the 2027 season.”
Two adjustments to the Priority Ranking have been approved beginning with the 2027 season:
- A reduction of fully exempt members from the top 75 to the top 60 on the prior year Korn Ferry Tour Points List. Finishers 61-75 will be subject to the third reshuffle and will retain all health subsidy benefits.
- A modification to the PGA TOUR Former Fully Exempt category, whereby all players who have earned exempt status on the PGA TOUR will receive exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the year following the loss of their PGA TOUR eligibility. With this change, finishers 151-200 from the FedExCup Fall Points List will move to conditional status.
In order to achieve the transition to 2027, the following changes have been approved for 2026:
- Until the modified Former Fully Exempt category can be implemented (beginning in 2027), players eligible for the current Former Fully Exempt category must enact their exemption for the 2026 season.
- Players who finished among the Top 30 from the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, and Top 5 Finishers and Ties from 2024 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will receive exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2026 season should they lose their PGA TOUR eligibility at the end of the 2025 season.
- Beginning with the 2026 season, the first reshuffle will be moved from after the fourth event to after the sixth event. This change projects to maintain current access levels for categories subject to the reshuffle.
- Finishers 151-200 on the prior season FedExCup Fall Points List are currently subject to the first reshuffle and are positioned ahead of the After the 25 + Ties to 40 + Ties from PGA TOUR Q-School. For the 2026 season, finishers 151-175 from the FedExCup Fall will be positioned ahead of the previously noted PGA TOUR Q-School category, and finishers 176-200 will be positioned after the previously noted PGA TOUR Q-School category. Both PGA TOUR categories will remain subject to the first reshuffle (approved to occur after the sixth event).
- Beginning with the 2026 season, the Korn Ferry Tour Special Medical Extension category will be positioned ahead of the Medalists and Ties from Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School category.
- Beginning with the 2026 season, the two sponsor exemptions restricted to Korn Ferry Tour members will be removed from tournament eligibility, allowing the next two members on the Priority Ranking entry.
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About Korn Ferry Tour
Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour identifies and develops golf’s next stars, preparing them to compete and win on the game’s biggest stage. The Korn Ferry Tour, which has served as a path to the PGA TOUR since its inception, annually awards 20 PGA TOUR cards based off its points list, with the No. 1 player earning exemptions into the following year’s PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open. With more than 700 PGA TOUR titles, 34 major championships and eight FedExCup champions, Korn Ferry Tour alumni make up 82 percent of the PGA TOUR’s current membership. To learn more about the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour and to follow the season-long quest for PGA TOUR cards, visit PGATOUR.COM or follow the Korn Ferry Tour on social media. Nine Korn Ferry Tour events in 2025 are televised on Golf Channel in the United States, with tournament coverage available internationally in more than 170 countries and territories via 23 media partners.
COURTESY PGA TOUR COMMUNICATIONS
