Korn Ferry Tour

Last updated
Korn Ferry Tour
Current season, competition or edition:
Golf current event.svg 2024 Korn Ferry Tour
Korn Ferry Tour logo.svg
FormerlyBen Hogan Tour (1990–1992)
Nike Tour (1993–1999)
Buy.com Tour (2000–2002)
Nationwide Tour (2003–2012)
Web.com Tour (2012–2019)
Sport Golf
Founded1989
Founder PGA Tour
First season1990
CountriesBased in the United States [a]
Most titlesTournament wins:
Flag of the United States.svg Jason Gore (7)
Related
competitions		 PGA Tour
PGA Tour Americas
PGA Tour Canada
PGA Tour China
PGA Tour Latinoamérica
Official website kornferrytour.com

The Korn Ferry Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either not yet reached the PGA Tour, or who have done so but then failed to win enough FedEx Cup points to stay at that level. Those who are on the top 30 of the money list at year's end are given PGA Tour memberships for the next season. Since the 2013 season, the Korn Ferry Tour has been the primary pathway for those seeking to earn their PGA Tour card. Q-School, which had previously been the primary route for qualification to the PGA Tour, has been converted as an entryway to the Korn Ferry Tour.

Contents

History

Announced in early 1989 by PGA Tour commissioner Deane Beman, [1] the "satellite tour" was formalized by the PGA Tour in 1990, originally named the Ben Hogan Tour, sponsored by the Ben Hogan Golf Company. [2] [3] [4] The first season of 1990 had 30 events, and the typical event purse was $100,000. [5] Late in 1992, [6] Nike acquired the title sponsorship and it became the Nike Tour for seven seasons (1993–1999). Buy.com was the next title sponsor with the tour being titled the Buy.com Tour for three seasons (2000–2002).

Nationwide Insurance became the tour's next title sponsors for the start of the 2003 season, with the tour being renamed the Nationwide Tour. After 9+1⁄2 seasons as the Nationwide Tour, Web.com was announced as the new title sponsor in late June 2012. The 10-year sponsorship deal was effective immediately, and the tour's name was changed to the Web.com Tour mid-season. [7] In June 2019, the PGA Tour announced a 10-year deal with Los Angeles–based consulting firm Korn Ferry to replace Web.com as the tour's sponsor. [8]

The vast majority of tournaments have always been hosted within the mainland United States. In 1993 the tour reached beyond those boundaries for the first time, with the Monterrey Open in Mexico. It was an annual fixture on the tour schedule until 2001. The following season, the tour added PGA Tour of Australasia co-sanctioned events in Australia and New Zealand, and the Canadian PGA Championship in Canada. A tournament in Panama was added in 2004, and the tour returned to Mexico in 2008. The tour has also visited Colombia (since 2010), Chile (2012–2015), Brazil (2013–2016), the Dominican Republic (2016–2017) and the Bahamas (since 2017).

Rules and results

All Korn Ferry Tour tournaments operate similarly to typical PGA Tour tournaments in that they are all 72-hole stroke play events with a cut made after 36 holes. The cut on the Korn Ferry Tour is for the top 65 players and ties, which is the same as the PGA Tour. The fields are usually 144 or 156 players, depending on time of year (and available daylight hours). As with the PGA Tour, the winner of the tournament will get a prize of 18% of the total purse.

Since this tour is a developmental tour, players are usually vying to play well enough to gain status on the PGA Tour.

Until 2012, there were a number of ways of getting onto the Korn Ferry Tour: Top 50 golfers at qualifying school after the top 25 and ties, those who finished between 26th and 60th on the previous year's money list, 126–150th on the previous season's PGA Tour money list, and those who were formerly fully exempt on the PGA Tour in the recent past. Those without status can also earn enough to exceed 100th on the previous season's money list and earned unlimited exemptions for the remainder of the season. Around 14 open qualifying spots are given during the Monday of tournament week, and those who finished in the top 25 of a Korn Ferry event are automatically exempt into the next tournament. If a Monday morning qualifier wins an event, they will earn full-exempt status for the remainder of the season. Past PGA Tour winners aged 48 and 49 can play on the Korn Ferry Tour on an increased basis to prepare themselves for PGA Tour Champions, while former PGA Tour winners with limited status use the Korn Ferry Tour as a way to get back to the main tour.

In 2007 Paul Claxton became the first man to reach US$1 million in Korn Ferry Tour career earnings. [9]

The Korn Ferry Tour offers Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. From 2006 until August 2022, when the OWGR points system changed, the winner earned a minimum of 14 points (provided at least 54 holes were played) and 20 for the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. [10] Starting in 2013, the other events of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals awarded 16 points to the winner. Tournaments shortened to 36 holes were given reduced values of ten points for regular season events and the win is considered unofficial. With the change in the OWGR system, there are no minimum points for any tour. In 2023, the winner's points ranged from 10.14 to 15.31, averaging 13.05. In 2024, the winner's points ranged from 11.08 to 14.63, averaging 13.13.

Three-win promotion

Since 1997, a player who wins three tournaments in one year on the Korn Ferry Tour receives an immediate promotion to the PGA Tour for the remainder of the year and for the following year. [11] This "performance promotion" (sometimes informally referred to as a "battlefield promotion") has occurred 13 times: [12]

Changes for 2013 season and beyond

On March 20, 2012, the PGA Tour announced radical changes to the main tour's season and qualifying process effective in 2013. Major changes to what was then known as the Nationwide Tour were also announced at that time. [14] [15] Full details of these changes were announced on July 10 of that year. [16]

The first major change was that beginning in fall 2013, the PGA Tour season started in October of the previous calendar year. [15] This change had several consequences for the Korn Ferry Tour, either directly or indirectly.

Starting with the 2013 season, the Korn Ferry Tour has a structure similar to that of the main PGA Tour, with a regular season followed by a season-ending series of tournaments. In the case of the Korn Ferry Tour, the ending series consists of four tournaments, to be held during the main tour's FedEx Cup playoffs, called the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. At least 150 players will be eligible to compete in the Finals—the top 75 on the Korn Ferry Tour regular-season money list, plus the players finishing between 126 and 200 on the FedEx Cup points list. [17] Non-members of the PGA Tour are also eligible if they would have earned enough FedEx Cup points to finish 126 to 200. In addition, PGA Tour players who have been granted medical extensions for the following season are eligible. Because some of the PGA Tour players will be exempt by other means, such as tournament wins in the previous two years, the Finals fields will not consist of all eligible players. [18] A total of 50 PGA Tour cards for the following season will be awarded at the end of the Finals—25 to the top regular-season money winners on the Korn Ferry Tour, with the remaining 25 determined by total money earned during the Finals. [17]

Those who finish in the Top 75 on the points list but fail to earn PGA Tour cards retain full Korn Ferry Tour status, along with those who finished 126–150 on the PGA Tour FedEx Cup standings. Conditional status is given to those who finish in the top 100 on the money list or 151–200 in the FedEx Cup.

From 2013 to 2022, the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament was replaced by the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament which granted playing rights only for the Korn Ferry Tour. [16] [17] In 2023, the Qualifying Tournament again awarded PGA Tour cards, this time to the top five plus ties. Those up to 40th plus ties are fully exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour. The next twenty are fully exempt on PGA Tour Americas and conditionally on the Korn Ferry Tour. All others who reach the final stage are conditionally exempt on bot the PGA Tour Americas and Korn Ferry Tour.

Finally, the Korn Ferry Tour now provides up to two entrants in the following year's Players Championship. One invitation is extended to the player who tops the money list for the entire season, including the Finals. The golfer who earns the most during the Finals also receives an invitation; if the same player leads both money lists, only one invitation is given. [17]

Money and points list winners

SeasonPoints listPoints
2024 Flag of the United States.svg Matt McCarty 2,703
2023 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Kohles 1,893
SeasonRegular season
points list		PointsFinals
points list		PointsOverall
points list		Points
2022 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Yuan Yechun 1,819 Flag of the United States.svg Justin Suh 1,167 Flag of the United States.svg Justin Suh 2,312
2020–21 Flag of Germany.svg Stephan Jäger 2,804 Flag of the United States.svg Joseph Bramlett 1,139 Flag of Germany.svg Stephan Jäger 3,524
2019 Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Zhang Xinjun 1,962 Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler 1,268 Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler 2,935
SeasonRegular season
money list		Prize money ($)Finals
money list		Prize money ($)Overall
money list		Prize money ($)
2018 Flag of South Korea.svg Im Sung-jae 534,326 Flag of the United States.svg Denny McCarthy 255,793 Flag of South Korea.svg Im Sung-jae 553,800
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Brice Garnett 368,761 Flag of the United States.svg Chesson Hadley 298,125 Flag of the United States.svg Chesson Hadley 562,475
2016 Flag of the United States.svg Wesley Bryan 449,392 Flag of the United States.svg Grayson Murray 248,000 Flag of the United States.svg Wesley Bryan 449,392
2015 Flag of the United States.svg Patton Kizzire 518,240 Flag of the United States.svg Chez Reavie 323,066 Flag of the United States.svg Patton Kizzire 567,865
2014 Flag of Mexico.svg Carlos Ortiz 515,403 Flag of the United States.svg Derek Fathauer 250,133 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Adam Hadwin 529,792
2013 Flag of the United States.svg Michael Putnam 450,184 Flag of the United States.svg John Peterson 230,000 Flag of the United States.svg Chesson Hadley 535,432
SeasonMoney listPrize money ($)
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Wittenberg 433,453
2011 Flag of the United States.svg J. J. Killeen 414,273
2010 Flag of the United States.svg Jamie Lovemark 452,951
2009 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Michael Sim 644,142
2008 Flag of the United States.svg Matt Bettencourt 447,863
2007 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Richard Johnson 445,421
2006 Flag of the United States.svg Ken Duke 382,443
2005 Flag of the United States.svg Troy Matteson 495,009
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Walker 371,346
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson 494,882
2002 Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Moore 381,965
2001 Flag of the United States.svg Chad Campbell 394,552
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Spike McRoy 300,638
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Carl Paulson 223,051
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Burns 178,664
1997 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Smith 225,201
1996 Flag of the United States.svg Stewart Cink 251,699
1995 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Kelly 188,878
1994 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Perry 167,148
1993 Flag of the United States.svg Sean Murphy 166,293
1992 Flag of the United States.svg John Flannery 164,115
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Lehman 141,934
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Maggert 108,644

Awards

SeasonPlayer of the YearRookie of the Year
2024 Flag of the United States.svg Matt McCarty Flag of Australia (converted).svg Karl Vilips
2023 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Kohles Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Adrien Dumont de Chassart
2022 Flag of the United States.svg Justin Suh Flag of South Korea.svg Kim Seong-hyeon
2020–21 Flag of Germany.svg Stephan Jäger Flag of the United States.svg Greyson Sigg
2019 Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler Flag of the United States.svg Scottie Scheffler
2018 Flag of South Korea.svg Im Sung-jae Flag of South Korea.svg Im Sung-jae
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Chesson Hadley No award
2016 Flag of the United States.svg Wesley Bryan
2015 Flag of the United States.svg Patton Kizzire
2014 Flag of Mexico.svg Carlos Ortiz
2013 Flag of the United States.svg Michael Putnam
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Casey Wittenberg
2011 Flag of the United States.svg J. J. Killeen
2010 Flag of the United States.svg Jamie Lovemark
2009 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Michael Sim
2008 Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Brendon de Jonge
2007 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nick Flanagan
2006 Flag of the United States.svg Ken Duke
2005 Flag of the United States.svg Jason Gore
2004 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Walker
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Zach Johnson
2002 Flag of the United States.svg Patrick Moore
2001 Flag of the United States.svg Chad Campbell
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Spike McRoy
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Carl Paulson
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Bob Burns
1997 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Smith
1996 Flag of the United States.svg Stewart Cink
1995 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Kelly
1994 Flag of the United States.svg Chris Perry
1993 Flag of the United States.svg Sean Murphy
1992 Flag of the United States.svg John Flannery
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Lehman
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Maggert

Career money leaders

The table shows top-10 career money leaders on the Korn Ferry Tour as of the 2024 season. Players in bold were 2024 Korn Ferry Tour members.

RankPlayerPrize money ($)
1 Flag of the United States.svg Darron Stiles 2,121,641
2 Flag of the United States.svg Kyle Thompson 1,882,729
3 Flag of the United States.svg Scott Gutschewski 1,864,922
4 Flag of the United States.svg Paul Claxton 1,802,290
5 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Kohles 1,779,140
6 Flag of the United States.svg Jason Gore 1,745,845
7 Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Gove 1,702,910
8 Flag of Argentina.svg Fabián Gómez 1,671,131
9 Flag of the United States.svg Hunter Haas 1,611,258
10 Flag of the United States.svg Rob Oppenheim 1,540,571

There is a full list on the PGA Tour's website. [19]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Schedules have also included events in Argentina, Australia, the Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand and Panama.

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References

  1. ↑ "Beman announces plan for Ben Hogan Tour". Ocala Star-Banner. Florida. Associated Press. January 5, 1989. p. 7C.
  2. ↑ Green, Bob (February 4, 1990). "Hogan Tour a test for young pros". Times-News. Hendersonville, North Carolina. Associated Press. p. 5C.
  3. ↑ Rushin, Steve (May 7, 1990). "Hogan's Golfing Heroes". Sports Illustrated. p. 61.
  4. ↑ Rovell, Darren (August 12, 2003). "Legendary brand will soon have new owner – again". ESPN. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
  5. ↑ Prisuta, Mike (May 1, 1990). "Ben Hogan Tour no minor league operation". Beaver County Times. Pennsylvania. p. B1.
  6. ↑ "Nike to sponsor Ben Hogan Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. August 28, 1992. p. 2B.
  7. ↑ "Web.com signs deal to be new umbrella sponsor". PGA Tour. June 27, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  8. ↑ Hennessey, Stephen (June 19, 2019). "Korn Ferry replaces Web.com as the umbrella sponsor of the PGA Tour's developmental tour". Golf Digest. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ Reimer, Chris (May 27, 2007). "PG County Open victory makes Claxton first million-dollar man". PGA Tour. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  10. ↑ "How the ranking evolved". Official World Golf Ranking. Archived from the original on August 15, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  11. ↑ "2008 Nationwide Tour Eligibility Requirements". PGA Tour. January 17, 2008. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  12. ↑ "How it works: Three-Victory Promotion to PGA Tour". PGA Tour. August 24, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Matt McCarty wins Albertsons Boise Open, earns Three-Victory Promotion to PGA Tour". PGA Tour. August 25, 2024.
  14. ↑ "PGA Tour announces changes". ESPN. March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  15. 1 2 Harig, Bob (March 21, 2012). "Decoding tour's schedule changes". ESPN. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  16. 1 2 Elling, Steve (July 10, 2012). "PGA Tour finalizes controversial makeover as Qualifying School gone after six-decade run". CBS Sports. Eye on Golf. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Dell, John (July 10, 2012). "Web.com impact expanded with qualifying changes". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Top 25 assured of PGA Tour card". ESPN. Associated Press. July 10, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Korn Ferry Tour: Career Money Leaders" . Retrieved October 27, 2023.
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