PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – In advance of its third season, PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global has enhanced the performance benefits being offered to the best seniors in college golf. Effective for the Class of 2023, the changes further elevate the path to the PGA TOUR for elite college golfers – a path that helped Davis Thompson, Trevor Werbylo and Kevin Yu earn their PGA TOUR cards for the 2022-23 season.

“PGA TOUR University players have proven they’re ready to compete immediately after turning professional, and these additional benefits are part of the process of growing PGA TOUR University,” said Brendan von Doehren, PGA TOUR University Executive Director. “The PGA TOUR remains committed to providing the best playing opportunities for the top players in college golf, and we will continue to explore ways to enhance these benefits and strengthen the pipeline to the PGA TOUR.”

PGA TOUR University performance benefits include:

PGA TOUR University Top-20 Finishers | Five more players – now a total of 20 – will earn benefits based on their finish in the final Velocity Global Ranking. Additionally, players finishing 6th through 10th will earn Korn Ferry Tour conditional membership. (See below, Korn Ferry Tour Access.)

• PGA TOUR U First Team (1st-5th) – Exempt on Korn Ferry Tour for the current season and exempt on a PGA TOUR International Tour the following season.
• PGA TOUR U Second Team (6th-10th) – Conditional member on Korn Ferry Tour for the current season; Exempt on PGA TOUR Canada for the current season and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica the following season.
• PGA TOUR U Third Team (11th-20th) – Exempt on PGA TOUR Canada for the current season and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica the following season.

Korn Ferry Tour Access | The top-10 players from the final Velocity Global Ranking will be eligible to play out of the PGA TOUR University category (5 spots) on Korn Ferry Tour. A player’s finish in the Velocity Global Ranking determines his priority, with players finishing Nos. 1-5 being exempt members, and players finishing Nos. 6-10 being conditional members. Previously, only the top-five players earned Korn Ferry Tour membership and could play out of the PGA TOUR University category.

PGA TOUR Q-School Access | These benefits become more significant, as the top-five finishers (and ties) at Q-School Finals in 2023 will earn PGA TOUR status for the 2024 season.

• PGA TOUR U First Team (1st-5th) – Exempt into Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School
• PGA TOUR U Second Team (6th-10th) – Exempt into Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School
• PGA TOUR U Third Team (11th-20th) – Exempt into Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School

Korn Ferry Tour Eligibility – Following Season | Duringthe season of their last year in PGA TOUR University, the top-20 finishers in the Velocity Global Rankingwill compete against each other for future eligibility. The three players with the highest combined point total in events played on the then-current PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour season (“PGA TOUR University Total Points”) will be exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour for the following season. The Class of 2023 will be the first to compete for PGA TOUR University Total Points.

“We’re proud of these enhanced performance benefits that have been approved for the PGA TOUR University Class of 2023,” said Von Doehren. “As we have done from day one, we will evaluate the criteria on an ongoing basis to ensure PGA TOUR University is achieving our objectives for the program.”

In partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), PGA TOUR University ranks collegiate players based on their average performance in NCAA Division-I men’s team competitions, official PGA TOUR tournaments and select DP World Tour events. Florida’s Fred Biondi topped the pre-season Velocity Global Ranking, and he is followed by Ludvig Aberg (Texas Tech), Sam Bennett (Texas A&M), Austin Greaser (North Carolina) and Travis Vick (Texas).

Eligible players in the Class of 2023 must enroll with PGA TOUR University in order to be included in the regular season Velocity Global Ranking. Player Registration is open, and the complete Class of 2023 Ranking will be released September 7.