PGA Tour University announces more benefits for college seniors starting with the Class of 2023

The PGA Tour announced Wednesday significant changes to its PGA Tour University program, adding more benefits for college seniors looking to get a head start once turning professional.

Starting immediately, in what is the fledgling program’s third season, five more players will earn added benefits for their final standing on the Velocity Global Ranking. That brings the total to 20 players. Those finishing at Nos. 6-10 will earn conditional membership on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Here is the breakdown of status for the top 20 players in the season-ending ranking:

Positions 1-5, known as the first team, will be exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour for the current season and exempt on one of the tour’s international tours the next year.

Nos. 6-10, the second team, will immediately become conditional members on the Korn Ferry Tour, exempt on PGA Tour Canada for the current season and PGA Tour Latinoamerica the following season.

The third team, Nos. 11-20, will be exempt on PGA Tour Canada for the current season and PGA Tour Latinoamerica the next season.

“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,” said Brendan von Doehren, executive director of PGA Tour University.

A player’s finish in the Velocity Global Ranking will determine his respective priority once he turns professional, with Nos. 1-5 being exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour and those at Nos. 6-10 being conditional members. Previously, only the top-five players earned membership.

Aside from the aforementioned changes, the first team from 2023 will be exempt into the final stage of PGA Tour Q School, while the second and third teams will be exempt directly into the second stage.

“As we have done from Day 1, we will evaluate the criteria on an ongoing basis to ensure PGA Tour University is achieving our objectives for the program,” Von Doehren said.

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).