2020-21 Rookie Watch

THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK is contested in coordination with the KPGA, but for the first time in its four-year existence, it wasn’t played in South Korea. It was moved to Las Vegas due to the pandemic, so there were only six non-members in the field of 78. All represent what normally is the host country.

Suffice it to say that the chances were low for any to make noise given the depth of the PGA TOUR membership that committed. To wit, Hanbyeol Kim paced his contingent with a share of 48th place.

History also was up against a notable result given that K.T. Kim (T28, 2018) is the only non-member in tournament history who has recorded a top-35 finish.

Of the non-members on the watch list below, Joohyung (Tom) Kim finished alone in 64th place at Shadow Creek. The upside is that he didn’t have to exhaust a sponsor exemption because the event is an invitational and he fulfilled the singular spot in the field as the highest-ranked South Korean on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.

None of the non-members below are slated to compete in this week’s ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD, but 11 non-members are in the field of 78.

Takumi Kanaya headlines those who haven’t exhausted rookie eligibility in a prior season. The former top-ranked amateur in the world placed seventh in his professional debut at the Japan Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

Rafael Campos (only 2020-21 PGA TOUR rookie)
Starts = 2
Cuts Made = 0
FedExCup Points = 0.000
FedExCup Rank = n/a
Last Week = DNP
Next = TBD#

NOTE: None of the non-members below are scheduled to compete in the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP @ SHERWOOD as of Oct. 18.

Non-members: Through THE CJ CUP @ SHADOW CREEK

* - Because the 2019-20 season was contracted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this season's target for Special Temporary Membership is 288.035 FedExCup points. It's what Martin Kaymer totaled en route to ranking 150th in the FedExCup during the 2018-19 season. Non-members who achieve STM receive numerous benefits, three of which are primary as it concerns opportunities to compete on the PGA TOUR: 1) Unlimited sponsor exemptions; 2) Unlimited starts; 3) Position in the Beyond 150 Reshuffle. However, a non-member who achieves STM remains ineligible for the FedExCup Playoffs unless he wins a tournament.

NOTE: The Player Advisory Council and the Player Directors nominate annually a list of first-season PGA TOUR members for the PGA TOUR members for the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year. A player’s rookie season (“Rookie Year”) is defined as the season in which he becomes a PGA TOUR member (including Special Temporary Members) and plays in 10 or more events as a member or finishes in the Top 125 on the official FedExCup points list or qualifies as a Top 125 non-member, whichever occurs first. Further, for purposes of this definition, a new member (including Special Temporary Members) shall not be eligible to be a rookie if he has previously played in more than seven official PGA TOUR money events as a professional in any prior season. PGA TOUR members who have played in at least 15 official money tournaments vote on this award. The Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and Olympic Games each count as one the 15. In their discretion, the Player Advisory Council and Player Directors may determine that circumstances (the potential lack of nominees due to the absence of 2020 graduating class from the Korn Ferry Tour) may not warrant the selection of an award recipient in the 2020-21 season