PGA TOUR introduces two membership opportunities through PGA TOUR University

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR announced Monday that Division-I college golfers will have two opportunities to earn PGA TOUR membership through PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global. The eligibility modifications were approved at today’s Policy Board meeting and the changes are effective immediately, meaning PGA TOUR University’s No. 1 player will earn PGA TOUR membership after the conclusion of stroke play at the 2023 NCAA D-I National Championship.

• The No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking will become a PGA TOUR member and eligible for all open, full-field events following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship. The Velocity Global Ranking includes seniors who meet eligibility criteria.
• Juniors, sophomores and freshmen who achieve elevated benchmarks in college, amateur and professional golf can earn PGA TOUR membership through a new program called PGA TOUR University Accelerated. Once the benchmarks are met, the player would become a PGA TOUR member and eligible for all open, full-field events following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship. A detailed overview of PGA TOUR University Accelerated, including the threshold needed to earn PGA TOUR membership, is provided below.

With the adoption of these PGA TOUR membership opportunities, all D-I college golfers will compete for PGA TOUR membership, starting with their first tournaments as freshmen.

“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. “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.”

Players who earn PGA TOUR membership via PGA TOUR University will earn official FedExCup points and will also be exempt into the Final Stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying School, which assures them Korn Ferry Tour membership along with the opportunity to earn a PGA TOUR card. For the 2024 season and beyond, PGA TOUR eligibility for PGA TOUR University players has not yet been determined.

For the PGA TOUR University Class of 2023, the Performance Benefits for the Nos. 2-20 players in the Velocity Global Ranking will remain the same, with Korn Ferry Tour serving as the path to the PGA TOUR. Players finishing Nos. 2-5 will be exempt members on Korn Ferry Tour, and Nos. 6-10 will earn conditional membership on the Korn Ferry Tour. Additionally, players finishing 6th through 20th will be exempt members on PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. Furthermore, players finishing Nos. 1-5 remain exempt into Final Stage of PGA TOUR Qualifying School and Nos. 6-20 remain exempt into Second Stage.

No. 1 Player in PGA TOUR University

The player who finishes No. 1 in…