The PGA Tour has announced a new programme dubbed PGA Tour University, which will reward elite collegiate play with varying levels of playing access to the tours operated under the PGA Tour umbrella.
The PGA Tour University programme is designed to enhance the path to the PGA Tour through the Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Latinoamérica and PGA Tour Series – China, via the new PGA Tour University Ranking List of NCAA Division I golfers who complete a minimum of four years in college.
“With the level of immediate success from the top collegiate players in the last decade, our team has done extensive research over time and developed a plan to provide a pathway for those players as they begin their journeys into the professional ranks,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “By focusing our efforts on players who have completed a minimum of four years, PGA Tour University will not deter from the college game while ensuring its graduates benefit from their maturity and experience.”
The top 15 finishers from the final official PGA Tour University Ranking List at the conclusion of each NCAA collegiate spring season (defined by the conclusion of the NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship) will be awarded exempt status to the various secondary tours, based on their respective finish.
The top five finishers will receive Korn Ferry Tour membership and will be exempt into all open, full-field events beginning the week following the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Men’s National Championship through the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour regular season. They 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 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). At that point, these players will have their choice of which international tour their exempt status applies to.
The eligibility for each respective tour will begin the week following the conclusion of the NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship. The 2021 NCAA Men’s Championship is scheduled to be held at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, on May 28-June 2.
“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,” said Korn Ferry Tour president Alex Baldwin.
The PGA Tour will partner with the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), administered by The R&A and the USGA, to create the PGA Tour University Ranking List. The list will be filtered to include those players and results meeting the PGA Tour University eligibility criteria.
Events which will count towards the PGA Tour University Ranking List include NCAA Division I Men’s Golf events and official PGA Tour events, including the Masters, US Open and The Open Championship. The first ranking list will be unveiled this summer leading into the start of the 2020-21 Division I season, with the ranking list updated each week during the season.
For more information visit PGATour.com/University
