FAQs: Korn Ferry Tour Finals

Who is eligible to play in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals?

- The top-75 Points leaders on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List at the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season.

- Players who finish 126-200 on the PGA TOUR's FedExCup points list at the conclusion of the PGA TOUR's Regular Season.

- Non-members who have earned enough FedExCup points based on their performance on the PGA TOUR to place them 126-200 on that points list.

- Players competing on PGA TOUR medical extensions. 

Read more about eligibility

What happens to the Regular Season money list?

Players from the Korn Ferry Tour will carry their Points into the Finals, and will be placed in the Priority Ranking based off their combined Points from the Regular Season and Finals.

Read more about the qualifying structure

How many 2017-18 PGA TOUR cards will be awarded?

A total of 50 PGA TOUR cards will be awarded.

- The 25 leading Points winners from the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season are guaranteed PGA TOUR cards (The 25).

- Another 25 cards will go to those players who earn the most cumulative Points in the three Finals events (The Finals 25).

What happens in the event of a tie?

In the event of a tie for the first position on The 25, no playoff will be conducted and those players tied for the Points-leading position will receive exempt status for the following season.

In the event of a tie for the first position on The Finals 25, no playoff will be conducted and those players tied for the Points-leading position will receive exempt status for the following season.

In the case of a tie for the last PGA TOUR card positions on either list which would affect the number of PGA TOUR cards awarded, no playoff will be conducted and any players tied at the final position on either the official Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List or the official Korn Ferry Tour Finals Points List will receive a PGA TOUR card for the following season.

For the purposes of breaking ties within the 50 card positions for eligibility for the following year’s PGA TOUR season on either list, cumulative score in the last Finals event will be used. Should there still be a tie, round scores will be compared, beginning with the final round and working backwards. Should there still be a tie, hole-by-hole scores in the final round will be compared, beginning with the final hole and working backwards. 

How is the leading Points winner determined?

The exempt player from The 25 will be identified at the conclusion of the three Finals events, using combined Regular Season and Finals Points. Therefore, any top-25 player can earn the coveted No. 1 position if he performs well enough in the three Finals events.

Another fully exempt position will be awarded to the player who earns the most Points in the Finals among the PGA TOUR Nos. 126-200 and Korn Ferry Tour Nos. 26-75 players (The Finals 25).

In addition, the players earning fully exempt positions will receive an exemption into THE PLAYERS Championship for the upcoming PGA TOUR season.

Also note, any player from The 25 who earns enough Points solely as a result of his play in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals events such that he would have been No. 1 on The Finals 25 shall be placed in the No. 1 position on that list and shall be entitled to the benefits of that position. In such case, such player's other position on The 25 shall be skipped and the ordering of players shall continue as identified above. In such case, the leading 25 players from The Finals 25 will still earn their PGA TOUR card.

Note: If a player from The 25 wins the most cumulative Points during the three-event Finals, and also wins The 25 season-long Points title, as Chesson Hadley did in 2017, this player will receive the only fully exempt position between The 25 and The Finals 25 Points lists.

If a player wins twice on the Korn Ferry Tour during the Regular Season and then wins a Finals event, does that count for a three-win promotion?

Yes, a third win during the Finals would earn that player a promotion to the PGA TOUR with fully-exempt status for 2018-19.

What happens to players who do not earn their PGA TOUR card via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals?

There are various scenarios depending on a player’s status when they entered the Finals.  

> The next 25 Points earners on the Korn Ferry Tour Finals Points list, not counting those players who earned TOUR cards, will earn fully exempt Korn Ferry Tour status for 2019.

> The 25 who follow those players, again not counting those who earned TOUR cards, will be exempt into the Final Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

> Those who finished Nos. 26-75 on the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points list will be fully exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2019 (should they fail to earn a PGA TOUR card).

> Players finishing Nos. 76-100 on the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points list will have conditional status in 2019 on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Players who finish between 76th and 85th on the Regular Season Points list will be exempt to Final Stage of the Qualifying Tournament, while players who finish between 86th and 100th on the Regular Season Points list will be exempt to Second Stage.

> For the PGA TOUR, Nos. 126-150 on the FedExCup points list through the Wyndham Championship will be placed in the Nos. 126-150 category which comes after the 50 players receiving their card via the Korn FerryTour or the Korn Ferry Tour Finals (consistent with how it has historically been).

> For the Korn Ferry Tour, players Nos. 126-150 on the PGA TOUR's FedExCup standings are fully exempt for the following season on the Korn Ferry Tour.

> Non-members or Special Temporary Members finishing the equivalent of Nos. 126-150 on the PGA TOUR's FedExCup standings will be exempt into Final Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament.

> Those finishing Nos. 151-200 on the FedExCup points list through the Wyndham Championship will have no membership status on the PGA TOUR. On the Korn Ferry Tour, they will be part of the PGA TOUR Extended FedExCup Points List Category. This category is subject to the first reshuffle.

Is it possible for college players to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals?  

Amateurs cannot qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. They do not earn Korn Ferry Tour Points nor FedExCup points; therefore, they would not appear on the Korn Ferry Tour Points nor the Non-member FedExCup Points List.

How many Finals events are there?

There are three 72-hole stroke-play events, with a 36-hole cut coming at the Korn Ferry Tour's standard 65 and ties.

Aug. 15 - 18, Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship
Aug. 22 - 25, Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco
Aug. 30 - Sept. 2, Korn Ferry Tour Championship

How much money does the winner of each event receive?

Each Finals event has a $1 million purse. The champion wins $180,000.

How big will the fields be?

The field size is projected to be approximately 144, depending on player overlap with other eligibility for the PGA TOUR.

Will I be able to watch the Korn Ferry Tour Finals on TV?

Yes, all three events will be televised on Golf Channel in high definition. The WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by Kraft-Heinz will also be broadcast by Golf Channel.

Still can't find an answer to your question? Leave a comment below.