For most professional golfers, the PGA Tour is the place they dream of one day reaching. But unless you’re Tiger Woods, gaining a PGA Tour card usually comes through the Korn Ferry Tour.
So what actually is the Korn Ferry Tour and why does it exist? Let’s take a look.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.
What Is Korn Ferry Tour?
What Is The Korn Ferry Tour?
The Korn Ferry Tour is the development golf tour for the PGA Tour, based in the US, and features a whole schedule of tournaments throughout the year.
It offers a way for golfers to play a full season, earn money and points, and then potentially get a spot on the PGA Tour.
Similar to the Challenge Tour in Europe, The Korn Ferry Tour serves as a great place for professional golfers to get experience playing in big events for decent-sized prize funds.
But it also gives them the chance to either gain a card on the PGA Tour for the first time or earn back their playing rights for the PGA Tour, having previously lost them.
The tour began in 1990 as the Ben Hogan Tour and has since changed names a few times including the Nationwide Tour, however, Korn Ferry is the current title sponsors.
For many of the games best, they got their start in professional golf on the Korn Ferry Tour.
As a developmental tour for the PGA, the Korn Ferry Tour gives the new generation of professional golfers the chance to reach the heights of professional golf.
PGA Tour cards are far from easy to come by, but the Korn Ferry Tour is the ideal place to learn the ropes of pro golf and begin to feel the pressure of competing with the best golfers in the world.
What Is The Purpose Of The Korn Ferry Tour?
The primary purpose of the Korn Ferry Tour is to offer a place where golfers can earn a spot on the PGA Tour.
The regular season consists of many tournaments across the US, including the Korn Ferry Finals and then the season comes to a close at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship where the top players will earn a PGA Tour card.
Currently, the top 30 players in the rankings will earn a card for the PGA Tour, but historically this has been the top 25 and the top 50 players.
The Korn Ferry Tour is obviously the ideal place for young players coming out of college to start their professional careers.
Korn Ferry Tour tournaments are great for getting a feel of what life would be like on a PGA Tour season. With weekly events all over the country, playing for good-sized payouts and testing their games against other great players.
It’s perfect for a new pro to find their way in the challenging world of professional golf.
But not only is it the place for new pros, it’s also the tour for the golfers who have struggled on the PGA Tour.
If you’re not having a good season on the PGA Tour money list, chances are you’ll be losing your playing privileges for the following season and end up on the Korn Ferry Tour instead.
Although it might be devastating for a professional to lose their card and end up on the Korn Ferry, it does still give them a chance to play their way back onto the PGA Tour.
Some of the best players on tour have had to earn their playing rights back via the Korn Ferry Tour, and then gone on to have very successful PGA Tour careers including Max Homa.
Korn Ferry Tour Alumni
The Korn Ferry Tour has provided a springboard for many of the top players in the game to achieve PGA Tour membership and go on to have great careers including PGA Tour victories and major titles.
In 2014, Justin Thomas finished 3rd in the rankings to earn PGA Tour membership for 2015. He has since gone on to win 15 times on the PGA Tour, including two major championships, and rising to the number one position in the world.
In 2019, Scottie Scheffler ended the Korn Ferry Tour season top of the rankings received the Player of the Year award and got his PGA Tour card. Scottie has since gone on to win multiple times on the PGA Tour, as well as picking up a Masters victory.
Here’s a few other big names from the PGA Tour’s current membership who started out on the Korn Ferry Tour:
- Keegan Bradley
- Jimmy Walker
- Sam Burns
- Patrick Cantlay
- Jason Day
- Bryson DeChambeau
- David Duval
- Tony Finau
- Max Homa
- Viktor Hovland
- Zach Johnson
- Xander Schauffele
- Bubba Watson
- Cam Smith
Final Thoughts
The Korn Ferry Tour is hugely important for the PGA Tour and those professional golfers looking to make it onto the PGA Tour.
It gives players the chance to mix it with some great golfers and test their skills against strong competition, in the hope that they’ll be able to one day reach the PGA Tour.
FAQs
What is the Korn Ferry Tour for?
The Korn Ferry Tour is the gateway tour for the PGA Tour, offering places for players that finish high up on the overall tour rankings.
Why does the Korn Ferry Tour exist?
The Korn Ferry Tour exists to give professional golfers the chance to gain a PGA Tour card, either through a number of wins or by finishing in the top 30 places in the Korn Ferry rankings.
What golf tour is below the PGA?
The Korn Ferry Tour is the one below the PGA Tour and acts as a pathway onto the PGA Tour for younger players or those who have lost their PGA Tour cards.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.
