PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The PGA TOUR Board on Tuesday approved competitive changes supported by the Korn Ferry Tour Player Advisory Council (PAC). The changes will ensure the Korn Ferry Tour is comprised of the most competitive players striving to reach the PGA TOUR. The changes, which include adjustments to the eligibility system and Priority Ranking for the 2026 and 2027 seasons, are designed to account for the improvements to the PGA TOUR's competitive structure, which take effect in 2026.

“The changes announced today will elevate the Korn Ferry Tour, creating an even more competitive membership base and further strengthening our Tour for fans, players, tournaments and partners,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “After thorough review, we determined the most competitive membership composition for the Korn Ferry Tour would be a combination of Korn Ferry Tour members retaining status, rising stars earning membership through PGA TOUR Pathways, and PGA TOUR players actively seeking a return to golf’s highest level. This membership composition became the basis for adjusting the Korn Ferry Tour’s eligibility system.

“With the 2025 season already underway, all of the desired changes could not be implemented until the 2027 season, requiring the 2026 season to serve as a bridge year, with the new competitive structure being fully implemented for the 2027 season.”

Two adjustments to the Priority Ranking have been approved beginning with the 2027 season:

• A reduction of fully exempt members from the top 75 to the top 60 on the prior year Korn Ferry Tour Points List. Finishers 61-75 will be subject to the third reshuffle and will retain all health subsidy benefits.
• A modification to the PGA TOUR "Former Fully Exempt" category, whereby all players who have earned exempt status on the PGA TOUR will receive exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the year following the loss of their PGA TOUR eligibility. With this change, finishers 151-200 from the FedExCup Fall Points List will move to conditional status.

In order to achieve the transition to 2027, the following changes have been approved for 2026:

• Until the modified "Former Fully Exempt category can be implemented (beginning in 2027), players eligible for the current "Former Fully Exempt" category must enact their exemption for the 2026 season.
• Players who finished among the top 30 from the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, and top five finishers and ties from 2024 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry will receive exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2026 season, should they lose their PGA TOUR eligibility at the end of the 2025 season.
• Beginning with the 2026 season, the first reshuffle will be moved from after the fourth event to after the sixth event. This change projects to maintain current access levels for categories subject to the reshuffle.
• Finishers 151-200 on the prior season FedExCup Fall Points List are currently subject to the first reshuffle and are positioned ahead of the "After the 25 and ties" to "40 and ties" from PGA TOUR Q-School. For the 2026 season, finishers 151-175 from the FedExCup Fall will be positioned ahead of the previously noted "PGA TOUR Q-School" category, and finishers 176-200 will be positioned after the previously noted "PGA TOUR Q-School" category. Both PGA TOUR categories will remain subject to the first reshuffle (approved to occur after the sixth event).
• Beginning with the 2026 season, the "Korn Ferry Tour special medical extension" category will be positioned ahead of the "Medalists and ties from Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School" category.
• Beginning with the 2026 season, the two sponsor exemptions restricted to Korn Ferry Tour members will be removed from tournament eligibility, allowing the next two members on the Priority Ranking entry.