The PGA Tour has transformed over the past few years. But it seems that the dramatic change has encouraged other events too, to shake things up! On 29 October last year, PGA Tour’s 16-member Player Advisory Council (PAC) dropped a 23-page memo outlining a range of proposed changes aimed to kick in by 2026. It includes everything from reducing tournament field sizes and cutting down the number of exemption categories to changing the FedEx Cup points distributions during certain events. They’re even rethinking the pace-of-play policy.

These interconnected changes, as hinted at by PAC chairman Camilo Villegas in a previous memo on October 16, are designed to streamline the competitive atmosphere in hopes of enhancing the overall PGA Tour experience. Well, we might not know how much positive change the new rules will bring in, but one thing is for sure, other tours and events won’t sit idle after this dramatic shift. And we’re already seeing proof!

Korn Ferry’s new rules make 2025 a must-win for PGA Tour players

After the PGA Tour last year, the Korn Ferry Tour has also sprinkled some tensions among players with its new rule for this season. It won’t be wrong to call it sweat-sour kind of news. Sweet, because the event promises to provide a way to PGA Tour cards across it’s 26-event campaign. Along with that, the top 20 players on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List also earn the 2026 PGA Tour membership. 

Coming to the sour part, the past two seasons, 2023 and 2024 gave the top 30 finishers on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List the opportunity to earn the PGA Tour membership. And this year the number has drastically reduced to 20. This adjustment seems to be influenced by the PGA Tour’s reduction from 125 to 100 exempt cards via the FedExCup Fall standings.

Now, if we talk about the structure, the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour is packed with 26 events, concluding with four finals that will include elevated points, larger purses, and progressive field reductions. To highlight the stakes, the top 156 players will qualify for the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, with cuts progressively narrowing down to 144 players (in the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship), 120 players (in the Compliance Solutions Championship), and finally, 75 players (in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance).

To add a cherry on top, the top 75 players will retain their fully exempt membership for the 2026 season, while those ranked Nos. 76-100 will keep conditional membership at the very least, with opportunities to improve their status through the PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. Luckily, these numbers remain unchanged from previous seasons. Well, that’s not all! The top 10 finishers on the 2025 PGA TOUR University Ranking will now earn exempt Korn Ferry Tour membership for the remainder of their season. In the past, only the top five achieved this, while those ranked 6-10 were given conditional membership.

Other recent changes include a 36-hole cut that now includes both professionals and amateurs, aligning with the PGA TOUR’s cut regulation. Previously, Korn Ferry Tour cut lines were limited to the top 65 professionals and ties, leaving amateurs out. Finally, during the 2025 U.S. Open, Korn Ferry Tour players will be idle and will not be able to earn Korn Ferry Tour points for their finishes. But did you wonder what’s driving this change?

What’s driving this change?

Well, the PAC has been taking a closer look at the number of tournaments where players couldn’t finish their rounds before it got dark. It turns out that nearly a third of the events in 2024 had at least one round suspended because of darkness. On top of that, having bigger groups makes it harder to keep a good pace, which just adds to the problem. This has even impacted practice sessions; players have had to practice in the dark for 31 rounds this year, compared to only 26 last year. It’s clear this isn’t the “Follow the Sun” tour we used to know!

You might think that this just means players need to pick up the pace, right? Surprisingly, that’s not the plan. Instead, after considering some new data, there are suggestions to give players more time for each stroke and to redefine what it means for a group to be “out of position.” Plus, fines for slow play or timing issues are set to be lowered. It’s an interesting approach!

What are your thoughts on these back-to-back changes? Are you with the changemakers or against them? Let your thoughts flow in the comment section below!