What's at stake: 2027 season results to dictate 2028 PGA Tour eligibility ahead of sweeping competitive changes

How will players qualify for the new-look PGA Tour in 2028?

The PGA Tour unveiled membership categories and eligibility criteria for the revamped competitive structure, detailing exactly how players will qualify for PGA Tour Championship Series and PGA Tour Challenger Series.

So where will players need to finish in 2027 to ensure a spot on the PGA Tour Championship Series in 2028? What avenues are available to play onto the PGA Tour Challenger Series?

Here’s what is at stake for the 2027 PGA Tour season and how players will qualify for various elements of the competitive system.

It’s important to note that eligibility criteria in 2027 will differ from those in 2028 and beyond once the new structure is fully implemented. This transition-year eligibility was crafted to ensure the PGA Tour maintains meritocratic integrity.

Transition-year eligibility

To determine membership for 2028, the following transition-year eligibility has been set.

Tournament winners

Players will continue to earn varying exemptions by winning tournaments on the PGA Tour in 2027.

• PGA Tour Tournament Winner exemptions earned by the conclusion of the 2026 season will be honored through the duration of the term on the PGA Tour Championship Series.
• Winners of THE PLAYERS, majors and Signature Events in 2027 will earn:
  • PGA Tour Championship Series membership through 2029
  • PGA Tour Challenger Series membership through 2031
• Winners of Full-Field Events in 2027 during the regular season will earn:
  • PGA Tour Championship Series membership through 2028
  • PGA Tour Challenger Series membership through 2029
• Winners of FedExCup Fall Events and Opposite Events in 2027 will earn:
  • PGA Tour Challenger Series membership through 2029

FedExCup Points List

Players can also ensure a spot on the PGA Tour Championship Series via the FedExCup Points List.

• Players who earned a two-year exemption by finishing in the top 30 of the 2026 FedExCup Points List will have PGA Tour Championship Series membership for the 2028 season. This two-year exemption will not be awarded for the top 30 finishers in 2027.
• The top 70 players in the final 2027 FedExCup Points List after the TOUR Championship will earn PGA Tour Championship Series membership for 2028.
• The top 95 players in the final 2027 FedExCup Fall Points List will earn PGA Tour Championship Series membership for 2028.
• Nos. 96-175 in the final 2027 FedExCup Fall Points List will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership for 2028.

Career milestones

The top 25 and top 50 members on the PGA Tour Career Money List at the end of the 2027 season may elect a one-time, one-season PGA Tour Championship Series exemption for 2028. Members utilizing a Career Money Exemption must have played in 15 or more PGA Tour events in 2027.

Korn Ferry Tour Points List

Korn Ferry Tour members will earn exemptions on the PGA Tour Championship Series and PGA Tour Challenger Series, based on their finish in the 2027 Korn Ferry Tour Points List.

The top 10 players in the final 2027 Korn Ferry Tour Points List will earn PGA Tour Championship Series membership for 2028. The next 30 players in the final 2027 Korn Ferry Tour Points List, not otherwise exempt, beginning with No. 11, will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership for 2028.

PGA Tour University

The No. 1 player in the final 2027 PGA Tour University Ranking will earn PGA Tour membership for the remainder of the current season, following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship, and PGA Tour Championship Series membership for 2028.

Nos. 2-10 in the final 2027 PGA Tour University Ranking will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for the remainder of the current season, following the conclusion of the NCAA Championship, and the top five performers on the 2027 total points list will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership for 2028.

PGA Tour Americas

The No. 1 player in the final 2027 PGA Tour Americas Points List will earn PGA Tour Challenger Series membership for 2028.

Medical Extensions

The criteria also account for existing and future medical extensions.

Players who are injured in 2027 and require a Major Medical Extension in 2028 will receive a medical on the PGA Tour Championship Series if:

• They are competing in a tournament winner category at the time of their injury, OR
• They are competing out of the top 70 category at the time of their injury, OR
• They maintained a three-year average of top 70 points at the time of their injury.

Major Medical Extensions for players who do not meet the criteria, as well as all Conditional Medical Extensions, will be played out on the PGA Tour Challenger Series. All medical extensions for injuries prior to 2027 will be played out on the PGA Tour Challenger Series in 2028.

Final Stage of Q-School

The top 10 finishers from Final Stage of Q-School in 2027 receive PGA Tour Challenger Series membership in 2028.

Final Stage exemptions include:

• Players in fully exempt categories on the PGA Tour in 2027 (through top 30 FedExCup Points Year 2)
• Nos. 176-200 on the final 2027 FedExCup Fall Points List
• Players within the top 75 on the 2027 Korn Ferry Tour Points List
• Top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of the Final Stage entry deadline
• Nos. 2-10 in the 2027 PGA Tour University Ranking
• Top 10 on the 2027 PGA Tour Americas Points List
• Leading player from International Tour partners
• Medical Exemptions/Extensions

For more info on PGA Tour Championship Series, click here.

For more info on PGA Tour Challenger Series, click here.