The PGA Tour announced Thursday another modification to PGA Tour University that will award more points to college players through the accelerated pathway as well as more spots on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Over the last few years, the PGA Tour has ramped up its efforts to get, and keep, its young players on Tour. PGA Tour University began in 2020 but changed significantly in 2022 after the threat of LIV Golf emerged. Beginning in 2023, the top-ranked collegiate golfer was immediately awarded membership on the PGA Tour.
Previously, college players earned a point for a top-10 finish in a PGA Tour event. Now, a top-5 finish will get them an additional point. Players will also receive additional points for time spent at the top of the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Despite showing he belongs on Tour after four top-10 finishes in 2024, Luke Clanton will be forced to stay at Florida State University until the end of the college golf season, which may have been an indicator to the PGA Tour that the system needs to be slightly modified. The points will not apply retroactively but if the new system was implemented last year, Clanton would have earned the 20 accelerated points he needed for a PGA Tour card.
The deliberate effort to get young stars on the PGA Tour as quickly as possible should be well received by professional golf fans.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as PGA Tour University System Changing Again to Benefit Top College Players.