PGA TOUR University On TOUR: Kevin Yu earns first victory on TOUR, seven alumni earn TOUR cards at Korn Ferry Tour Championship

Over the weekend, eight alumni celebrated career achievements: one in Jackson, Mississippi and seven of them in French Lick, Indiana. Kevin Yu was the victor as he secured his first career win at the Sanderson Farms Championship after a birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Beau Hossler. At the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance, William Mouw, Quade Cummins, Karl Vilips, Jackson Suber, John Pak, Ricky Castillo, and Noah Goodwin finished inside the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour points list and will look to take after Yu in the search for their maiden TOUR victories next season, as the seven alumni earned PGA TOUR membership for 2025.

Yu wins on TOUR

In his second season on TOUR, Kevin Yu claimed his first career victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship and moved up 36 spots to No. 60 in the FedExCup Fall Standings. Yu defeated Beau Hossler on the first playoff hole to secure his maiden win on TOUR, and most importantly, had his parents in attendance to witness the triumph.

“It’s crazy to think about it. [My parents] have been working really hard trying to put me through college and my professional career, and just to have them out here, it’s really special,” said Yu at Sunday’s press conference. “I don’t really get to see them very often, so to have them out here is very special. Just really thankful for them to be here. I think they’re part of the reason I won today.”

With the win, Yu became the fifth alumnus to win on TOUR, joining Ludvig Åberg, Austin Eckroat, Chris Gotterup and Davis Thompson, and brought the total number of victories for alumni to 28. In the 2024 calendar year alone, 11 victories have been claimed across three tours, as Yu joins eight additional alumni in the winner’s circle: Austin Eckroat (PGA TOUR) Chris Gotterup (PGA TOUR), Davis Thompson (PGA TOUR), John Pak (Korn Ferry Tour), Frederik Kjettrup (PGA TOUR Americas), Ryan Burnett (PGA TOUR Americas), Karl Vilips (Korn Ferry Tour), and Johnny Keefer (PGA TOUR Americas).

Michael Thorbjornsen (T8/-19) improved eight spots in the FedExCup Fall Standings to No. 126 after earning his second top-10 finish of the season and first since his runner-up showing at the John Deere Classic in July. Jacob Bridgeman was only two strokes back of the lead after 36 holes following back-to-back rounds of 65-66. The PGA TOUR rookie posted a two-day total of 5-under over the weekend to finish tied for 11th and move further inside the top 125 to No. 112.

Yu, Thorbjornsen and Bridgeman are set to compete at this week’s Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah, and will join five additional alumni in the field: Parker Coody, Pierceson Coody, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Joe Highsmith, and Mac Meissner.

Seven alumni graduate from Korn Ferry Tour

Seven alumni secured a spot inside the top 30 of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour points list to earn their PGA TOUR cards for the 2025 season. William Mouw (No. 10), Quade Cummins (No. 11), Karl Vilips (No. 19), Jackson Suber (No. 20), John Pak (No. 23), Ricky Castillo (No. 26), and Noah Goodwin (No. 30) secured PGA TOUR membership on Sunday following the season-finale Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance. All seven alumni will be PGA TOUR rookies beginning in January.

Only two alums (Mouw and Cummins) had secured #TOURBound status heading into the final event of the season, held at The Pete Dye Course at French Lick. Thirteen cards remained up for grabs entering the week, and Goodwin was one of five players (Nos. 26-30) that needed a promising four days to remain inside the top 30, as well as a little help from those on the bubble.

A birdie on Goodwin’s final hole, along with two made putts for par and birdie from the final group’s Brian Campbell and Doc Redman, respectively, enabled Goodwin to outlast Alistair Docherty for the final PGA TOUR card on Sunday. After waiting two hours for the final putt to drop, Goodwin held onto the No. 30 spot and made true his seven-year-old self’s dream of playing on the PGA TOUR.

“I just fought the entire time," said Goodwin. "At the end of the day, I got lucky, but it takes a lot of luck to play this game ... (My girlfriend) supported me all the way…. It was mom and dad who were there back whenever I was 7, I told them I wanted to play this stupid game for a living, and I never looked back since. Seven-year-old me would be really proud right now.”

Vilips was the only 2024 PGA TOUR University alum to earn a PGA TOUR card last weekend, as two players each came from the preceding classes: Mouw and Castillo (2023), Suber and Goodwin (2022), and Cummins and Pak (2021). Vilips joins PGA TOUR member Adrien Dumont de Chassart as the second alum to move directly to the PGA TOUR after debuting their professional careers in the same calendar year.

In addition to the top 30 who secured PGA TOUR cards for 2025, Nos. 31-60 in the Korn Ferry Tour points list earned another opportunity to become PGA TOUR members, as they are exempt into Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School, set to take place Dec. 12-15 at TPC Sawgrass and Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Sam Bennett (No. 31), Trent Phillips (No. 33) and Ross Steelman (No. 56) round out the alumni in that category. Furthermore, Cole Hammer (No. 65) retained exempt membership for the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season through a top 75 finish in the Points List.

PGA TOUR University Alumni – Korn Ferry Tour Points List 

*Class of 2024

PGA TOUR University Alumni – FedExCup Fall standings 

*Class of 2024