Korn Ferry Tour to produce livestream of 72nd hole at all non-televised events

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Hayden Buckley often thinks back to his playoff victory at the 2021 LECOM Suncoast Classic. After arriving at the course Thursday morning as first alternate – practicing in the dark as he awaited an uncertain fate – he gained entry per a last-minute withdrawal.

Buckley proceeded to win in a playoff over Dawson Armstrong and Taylor Montgomery, kick-starting a sparkling 2021 campaign that saw him eventually earn his first PGA TOUR card via The Finals 25.

Last month, after missing the cut at the TOUR’s Genesis Invitational, Buckley flew to south Florida to get a head-start on practice for The Honda Classic.

During his Sunday afternoon practice round at PGA National, Buckley received a notification that the Korn Ferry Tour was livestreaming the 72nd hole of competition at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, a year after his memorable triumph.

Buckley opened the stream.

“I was having memories,” reflected Buckley at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, where he proceeded to make the cut at TPC Sawgrass’ Stadium Course as a PLAYERS First Timer. “That tournament got me here, 100 percent. There’s nothing else. I think I’m still on the Korn Ferry Tour … if I don’t play that tournament.

“A win out there is so big. It almost locks up a card, and it’s going to change some lives.”

Effective for all events moving forward, the Korn Ferry Tour has announced that 72nd-hole action will be broadcast live. For events not televised on GOLF Channel, a stream of the 72nd hole of competition will be provided on the Korn Ferry Tour's Twitter and Facebook channels, beginning when a leader or co-leader reaches the final hole of play. The livestream will continue to the conclusion of play, through any playoff holes.

Prior to this year, livestreaming of non-televised events was limited to playoffs, as well as the final hole of a “59 watch” and attempts at a Three-Victory Promotion to the PGA TOUR.

“As we continue to identify and implement new, innovative avenues to offer Korn Ferry Tour coverage to our passionate fans worldwide, I’m thrilled to share that we’ll be livestreaming the 72nd hole of all our non-televised events,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “This live feed on our social media channels will allow us to share some of our Tour’s most impactful, emotional moments, and I know golf fans will enjoy seeing the PGA TOUR’s next stars achieve their dreams in real time.”

Korn Ferry Tour alumni echo Baldwin’s sentiments.

When informed of the news at last week’s PLAYERS Championship, alumni thought back to their time on the Korn Ferry Tour and the excitement of sharing their successes with family and friends.

Achieving a PGA TOUR card represents a watershed moment in one’s career, and oftentimes it’s a dramatic victory that provides the necessary Points to cross the fail-safe threshold to secure a spot in The 25.

Last summer, Arkansas alum Taylor Moore crossed the threshold to cement his first TOUR card with a victory at the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS. In his fifth year as a pro, it marked the realization of a dream after various ups and downs on and off the course, including a collapsed lung in 2019 that required hospitalization and three months away from competition.

Moore’s victory was not livestreamed anywhere. For future moments in the same vein, that will not be the case.

“I think that the fan engagement will be awesome for the Korn Ferry Tour, and just being able to put a face to the name,” reflected Moore at THE PLAYERS. “I’m sure golf fans check leaderboards and stuff, but them actually being able to see who has the potential to win the golf tournament on the last hole, probably will help that Tour grow a little bit and their fans as well.”

Hank Lebioda was one of The 25’s proverbial bubble boys, his TOUR card hanging in the balance down to the final few holes of the Regular Season-ending WinCo Foods Portland Open in 2018.

The event was televised, allowing family and friends to see Lebioda’s moment in real time. Still, the Florida State alum expresses appreciation that even more #TOURBound moments will be shared universally moving forward.

“It’s long overdue, honestly,” reflected Lebioda at THE PLAYERS. “When events are won on TOUR, it’s very special, the money is really big, it’s life-changing … but to win on the Korn Ferry Tour, and to have that livestream for golf sickos who really, really want to watch more golf than is already available to them on television … it shows the true step up for these guys in their career, to make it to the PGA TOUR. It’s really, really special moments.”

“Everybody out there can win, and they can win on TOUR,” added Taylor Pendrith prior to THE PLAYERS, where he proceeded to finish T13. “To showcase their talents and let the world see how they handle themselves and get a win, and if you get a win, you’re really setting yourself up nicely to get a PGA TOUR card, so it’s an important thing. I think it will help people get to know players a little bit better as well, and that’s a great thing.”

Joseph Bramlett earned his first PGA TOUR card through the 2010 Qualifying Tournament, back when Q-School provided direct access to the PGA TOUR. The 2013 introduction of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals to earn a TOUR card, coupled with the reformatting of Q-School to provide Korn Ferry Tour access, cemented the Korn Ferry Tour’s position as the definitive path to the PGA TOUR.

Bramlett failed to maintain TOUR status and moved to the Korn Ferry Tour. After being sidelined by a back injury for the majority of four-and-a-half years, he rebuilt his swing and earned back his TOUR card via the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Finals – then did it again through the 2021 Finals, including a victory at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance.

The Stanford alum has experienced the inherent ups and downs of professional golf in a unique way, and he’s heartened that an additional means has been devised to showcase similar stories.

“I think anytime you can get a taste of what those guys go through, it makes you further appreciate what it takes to get out here,” reflected Bramlett at THE PLAYERS. “All of us out on this TOUR, we went through it at some point. The grind, the struggle, the pressure of trying to get out here is real.

“So I think anytime you can show that and illustrate that, it’s going to help fans understand it better, and it’s going to help represent the players better as well.”

And when a Buckley-esque scenario unfolds, fans will have the ability to experience the life-changing moment in real-time.

“At that level, for people to watch back home, knowing what it means, it’s going to be huge,” Buckley remarked. “I think it’s great for those guys, because all of those guys are coming out here next year, and they’ll be in my spot, getting ready to compete.”