Tour Card Reductions Are Already Effecting Hopefuls

As most committed PGA fans know, 2025 was the year that the league decided that it was time to address the issue of slow-play.  This has led to several measures taken during the tournaments.  Those are penalties, tools for the players, and leaderboards of shame.  There is one additional method that has been considered and is being implemented at the time of writing.  That being a reduction of Tour Cards from the decades-long standard of 125 to 100.  

The Tour Cards History

The Tour Card, as it is known today, is a system that is only just a little over forty years old.  It was first implemented in 1983 after Gary McCord pushed heavily for an all-exempt tour.  The idea was that the original system of the Monday qualifiers was grueling for the golfers.  Specifically, those who would travel to the venue a week ahead of the tournament, only to miss their chance anyway.  The Tour Card reduced the need for the qualifying rounds greatly.  The number of cards was based on how many players it took to fill out a field.  It became so popular that every pro league has a system similar to it.  Now, however, the number of Tour Cards being handed out is down to 100 in an effort to reduce the field size and bring down tournament time.

Tour Cards, Q School, And Korn Ferry

Right now, the PGA Tour Q school is going through its first phase.  It is scheduled to wrap up in mid-December.  At the end of the final stage, five cards will be given out to the top five.  The competition is a bit more intense due to the card reductions, with the idea being that the players who earn their cards are more likely to keep them.  Meanwhile, the Korn Ferry Tour has concluded its 2025 season with 20 players earning their tour cards.  As opposed to 30 in previous years.  The decision to reduce Tour Cards is still controversial.  Ben Griffin sees how it can hurt a player’s chance as he got in through the Korn Ferry.  He explained the issue:

“The Korn Ferry players that are in the top 20 are going to have a much better opportunity than maybe the past few seasons to play well and keep their PGA Tour cards. Now, as for going from 30 to 20, that’s 10 less guys that would have had a chance to play in a PGA Tour event.  So in a way, you’re limiting the amount of players that are now going to be on the PGA Tour.  The new and up-and-coming players, maybe.”

Griffin does remain supportive of the idea.  He went on to say that the reduced number of players now has a better chance of getting into tournaments and playing with the top players.  

The Reductions And Slow Play

Reducing the number of Tour Cards being handed out will work to reduce the time it takes to finish a tournament.  Fewer players available means a greater chance that the field won’t be completely filled.  However, it does mean that hopeful players need to work even harder to squeak by if they want to play for the Tour.  Now the question will be whether the players will tolerate the reductions in the years to come.