Since its inception in 1990, back when it was the Ben Hogan Tour, the Web.com Tour has judged its players based on the money list. The top earners -- first five, then 15, then 20, then 25 -- earned promotion to the PGA Tour the next season.
With the creation of the Web.com Tour Finals in 2013, the top 25 players on the Web.com Tour regular season money list earned PGA Tour cards. Their status was based on total earnings from the regular season and the Web.com Tour Finals events. Then another 25 cards were awarded to the other eligible players in the Web.com Tour Finals based on earnings in those Finals events.
Now, starting with the 2019 Web.com Tour schedule, money won't matter.
From dollars to points
Under a new proposal approved in November 2018, the Web.com Tour will adopt a points-based system similar to the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup. Golf Channel reports the new system will award points similar the payout system for the Web.com Tour purses. Players who win Web.com Tour regular season events will earn 500 points, through the regular season until the regular-season finale, the WinCo Foods Portland Open. The Portland Open will offer 600 points to the winner.
During the three Web.com Tour Finals events, points will double, with the winner earning 1,000 points.
How PGA Tour cards are earned
The top 25 players in total points at the end of the regular season will earn guaranteed PGA Tour status at the end of the Web.com Tour Finals. Their priority order will be based on their total points earned in the regular season and Web.com Tour Finals events.
The Web.com Tour Finals format changes from dollars to points. For the players in the Web.com Tour Finals who weren't in the top 25 on the regular season points list, they will be competing for 25 PGA Tour cards based on points earned in the three Finals events.
A majority of players have been clamoring for a points system to replace money, just as the PGA Tour has done. Purses vary substantially on the Web.com Tour (as they do on the PGA Tour) from $550,000 to $800,000 in the regular season. By going to a points-based system to determine who gets PGA Tour cards, each tournament has equal focus.
