Big changes are coming to the PGA Tour U program, and it’s all about keeping young talent from jumping ship to LIV Golf. The Tour is set to announce that the top 10 players in the PGA Tour U rankings at the end of the college season will now get exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour (KFT), a significant increase from the previous 5 exempt and 5 conditional spots.
In the latest tweet by Monday Q Info, we got a breakdown of the changes coming to the PGA Tour U program. The accelerated points system, which allows freshmen, sophomores, and juniors to earn PGA Tour membership by accumulating 20 points, is also getting an overhaul. Starting in 2025, there will be additional ways for players to earn those points. Furthermore, in 2026, if multiple players surpass 1300 points in PGA Tour U points but don’t finish first in the rankings, they’ll still get the same benefits as the number one player – including PGA Tour status.
“While I hate the fact that pro golf gets closer to hand picking the players that make it, I understand the changes. They want to protect young talented players from leaving to LIV”, read the tweet. It’s no secret that the PGA Tour is trying to keep its young stars from being poached by LIV Golf. Just look at Yubin Jang, the 18-year-old Korean phenom who just joined LIV’s Ironheads team. The PGA Tour is clearly trying to create a more appealing path for young players to stay within the fold.
This is a developing story…