The days of earning a PGA Tour card by finishing on the top 125 on the regular-season money list is coming to an end.
The PGA Tour Policy Board approved a change in June, according to Golf Channel, that will eliminate a player's opportunity to secure PGA Tour status through what was once the gold standard to maintain a PGA Tour card. The change takes effect with the 2017-18 PGA Tour season.
When the FedEx Cup was created in 2007, the intent was to make the points system the lone way of maintaining a PGA Tour card and replacing the exemption for the top 125 on the money list with the top 125 in FedEx Cup regular season points -- that is, if you get into the playoffs, you keep your card. However, for the last 10 years, a player has been able to maintain their PGA Tour card if they finished in the top 125 in official regular season money, even if they didn't finish in the top 125 in FedEx Cup regular season points. In fact, this season, six players managed to retain their PGA Tour card through the top 125 money exemption.
117. Ken Duke -- $773,025
118. Steve Marino -- $768,200
119. Bud Cauley -- $760,430
122. Retief Goosen -- $745,735
124. Chad Collins -- $734,548
125. Morgan Hoffmann -- $717,890
Ultimately, the policy will give more opportunities to players who earn cards through the Web.com Tour regular season money list and through the Web.com Tour Finals.
