FRENCH LICK, Ind. — Neal Shipley staked his claim straight to the top of the leaderboard Friday in Southern Indiana, throwing his hat into the ring for early access to the PGA TOUR.

The 24-year-old rising star fired a second-round 66 on Friday at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance, vaulting into a tie for the lead at 5-under on the brutally demanding Pete Dye Course at French Lick Golf Resort.

If Shipley goes on to win this weekend, it would mark his third victory of the season, a magic number among those familiar with the PGA TOUR pathway.

The so-called Three-Victory Promotion grants immediate PGA TOUR status, opening the door for him to tee it up in the remaining 2025 FedExCup Fall events like the Bank of Utah Championship in two weeks.

“That'd be awesome,” Shipley said after his round. “There's a couple of fun events, I could go play Cabo (World Wide Technology Championship), Bermuda (Butterfield Bermuda Championship), you know, go to some warm places. It'd be fun and I think it'd be a huge bonus and a great way to cap off this season.”

It’s a rare opportunity. Last year, Matt McCarty earned the same promotion and went on to capture his first PGA TOUR win at the Bank of Utah. Shipley knows what’s at stake, but he’s keeping his focus narrow.

“Oh yeah, that’s just life-changing, career-changing stuff, especially to do that early,” he said. “But at this point, there’s so much golf left. I haven’t really put a lot of thought toward that.”

Shipley already has his PGA TOUR card secured after locking up #TOURBound status in August, thanks to wins at the LECOM Suncoast Classic in April and The Ascendant presented by Blue in July. Both came in dramatic fashion as he erased final-round deficits of four and seven shots, respectively.

He was the third player this season to clinch his #TOURBound status, a feat almost expected from one of the game’s most popular young competitors.

After a rough 1-over 73 on Thursday at French Lick, Shipley’s 66 on Friday was a statement of intent. His back-nine 31 featured five birdies, including a slick chip-in on the par-5 14th.

“It feels great to play a golf course where par is a good score,” Shipley said. “I think that’s great for my game. I feel like I’m able to manage these tougher golf courses maybe a little better than some other guys. Really excited about the weekend and having it play tough for another two days.”

Shipley’s infectious personality and strong play made him a breakout figure on Netflix’s “Full Swing,” a spotlight he earned after his run as low amateur at both the 2024 Masters and U.S. Open.

Before those moments, though, he wasn’t sure he belonged.

“I think before my experience at the Masters and U.S. Open last year, I didn’t know if I was good enough,” Shipley said Friday. “And then after I played those two events and a few events on TOUR, I kind of found out that these guys are superhuman. They’re really good at golf, but I’m almost as good as they are.”

Shipley’s strong amateur pedigree includes a runner-up finish at the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championship, where he fell to Nick Dunlap, now a two-time PGA TOUR winner. That budding rivalry could soon continue on golf’s biggest stage.

“I learned a lot about what I needed to improve on,” Shipley said. “I’m really excited about next year where I feel like a lot of those courses suit me really well. They’re difficult, tough tracks, and I like playing hard golf courses."

As the weekend looms at French Lick, Shipley stands on the verge of one of professional golf’s most exclusive achievements. One that would fast-track his rise from a core fan favorite, to PGA TOUR regular and one of the faces of golf’s next generation.