The PGA Tour University program is constantly evolving.
On Thursday, PGA Tour organizers announced additional benefits, including more PGA Tour Accelerated point-earning opportunities, expanded access for Korn Ferry Tour alumni and additional PGA Tour cards for outstanding senior runners-up.
Starting this year, Accelerated, which gives underclassmen access to the PGA Tour after accumulating 20 points for achieving certain performance benchmarks, will expand to offer points for the following, while adjusting point values ​​for certain prior achievements:
- Lifetime 26 weeks as #1 in WAGR – 1 point
- Lifetime 52 weeks as No. 1 in WAGR – 1 point
- Top 5 in an official PGA Tour event or select DP World Tour events – 1 point
- Top ten and ties in the DI NCAA Individual National Championships – 1 point
- Jones Cup – 1 point
- Northeast Amateur – 1 point
- Southern Amateur – 1 point
- African Amateur – 1 point (previously 2 points)
- Asia-Pacific Amateur – 1 point (previously 2 points)
- DI NCAA Individual Champion – 2 points (previously 3 points)
- European Amateur – 1 point (previously 2 points)
- Latin American Amateurs – 1 point (previously 2 points)
- British Amateur – 2 points (previously 3 points)
- USA Amateurs – 2 points (previously 3 points)
- Western amateur – 1 point (previously 2 points)
(Note: Events listed mean the player must win them to earn points.)
These points will not be applied retroactively, so Florida’s Luke Clanton and Auburn’s Jackson Koivun each have 17 points. Virginia’s Ben James is next with 11 points.
Vanderbilt senior Gordon Sargent became the first player to score 20 points in 2023 and is expected to assume membership on the PGA Tour this summer.
Additionally, the top 10 seniors in the regular PGA Tour U program will receive exempt KFT membership. Previously numbers 6-10 were conditional members. Additionally, the top five players in total points earned between the PGA Tour and KFT in their first season after graduation will retain their KFT status for the following season, compared to three players. This goes into effect this year.
Finally, if the PGA Tour U runner-up scores 1,300 points, he or she will also earn PGA Tour status equal to the No. 1 player starting in 2026. Since the PGA Tour’s launch in 2021, the runner-up has not exceeded 1,300 points, averaging 1,176 points.
