The annual PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, also known as Qualifying School or Q-School, was historically the main method by which golfers earned PGA Tour playing privileges, commonly known as a Tour card. From 2013 to 2022, Q-School granted privileges only for the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour's official developmental circuit, but in 2023 it began to again award a small number of PGA Tour cards.

History

At the PGA of America's annual meeting in 1963 Earl Stewart, a club professional from Dallas, first brought up the idea of having a qualifying school. Two years later at the inaugural q-school he explained to the press on the purpose of the event. "It is designed to take the burden of making a judgement on a proposed player's talent away from the local level," he said. "Formerly the various sections were responsible for screening and qualifying a man for the tour, but all they do now is screen and recommend for the new qualifying tournament."[1]

In several early years (1968–69, 1975–81), two separate tournaments were played, one in the spring and one in the fall.[2] The format of the tournament has changed several times, ranging from a 72-hole tournament to a 144-hole tournament.[2] The current format (in place since 1982) is 108 holes over six days in late November and early December.[2] Before 2013, the top 25 players and ties earned their tour cards.[2] The next set of fifty finishers earned full Korn Ferry Tour cards.[3] The remaining participants received conditional Korn Ferry Tour status.

The 2012 Qualifying Tournament was the last to grant playing privileges for the PGA Tour. On March 20, 2012, the tour announced radical changes to its season structure and qualifying process,[4] and announced further details on July 10 of that year.[5]

The 2013 season ended with The Tour Championship in September, and the 2014 season began the following month. Since then, the Qualifying Tournament only grants playing privileges for the Korn Ferry Tour (known as the Nationwide Tour at the time of the March 2012 announcement). A new series of three tournaments known as the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, held in September, grants 50 PGA Tour cards to a field consisting of the top 75 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list and the golfers placed 126 to 200 on the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup points list. The top 25 on the Korn Ferry Tour money list before the Finals receive PGA Tour cards, with total money earned in the Finals determining the remaining 25 card earners.[5]

For 2023, qualifying school again awarded PGA Tour cards, this time to top five plus ties in the final stage. Those in the top 40 plus ties were guaranteed starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. The next twenty plus ties earned full status on the PGA Tour Americas, while all others who reached the final stage received conditional Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas status. The 2023 edition of Q School also awarded privileges on the PGA Tour Americas to First Stage medalists. Second stage medalists also earned eight Korn Ferry Tour starts.

Medalists

YearWinnerCountryCards
2012Lee Dong-hwan South Korea26
2011Brendon Todd United States29
2010Billy Mayfair United States29
2009Troy Merritt United States25
2008Harrison Frazar United States28
2007Frank Lickliter United States26
2006George McNeill United States40
2005J. B. Holmes United States32
2004Brian Davis England35
2003Mathias Grönberg Sweden34
2002Jeff Brehaut United States38
2001Pat Perez United States36
2000Stephen Allan Australia36
1999Blaine McCallister United States40
1998Mike Weir Canada41
1997Scott Verplank United States38
1996Allen Doyle
Jimmy Johnston
 United States
 United States
49
1995Carl Paulson United States42
1994Woody Austin United States46
1993Ty Armstrong
Robin Freeman
Dave Stockton Jr.
 United States
 United States
 United States
46
1992Skip Kendall
Masahiro Kuramoto
Perry Moss
Brett Ogle
Neale Smith
 United States
 Japan
 United States
 Australia
 Australia
43
1991Mike Standly United States48
1990Duffy Waldorf United States49
1989David Peoples United States59
1988Robin Freeman United States52
1987John Huston United States54
1986Steve Jones United States53
1985Tom Sieckmann United States50
1984Paul Azinger United States50
1983Willie Wood United States57
1982Donnie Hammond United States50
Fall 1981Tim Graham
Robert Thompson
 United States
 United States
34
Spring 1981Billy Glisson United States25
Fall 1980Bruce Douglass United States27
Spring 1980Jack Spradlin United States27
Fall 1979Tom Jones United States27
Spring 1979Terry Mauney United States25
Fall 1978John Fought
Jim Thorpe
 United States
 United States
27
Spring 1978Wren Lum United States28
Fall 1977Ed Fiori United States34
Spring 1977Phil Hancock United States26
Fall 1976Keith Fergus United States29
Spring 1976Woody Blackburn
Bob Shearer
 United States
 Australia
15
Fall 1975Jerry Pate United States25
Spring 1975Joey Dills United States13
1974Fuzzy Zoeller United States19
1973Ben Crenshaw United States23
1972John Adams
Larry Stubblefield
 United States
 United States
25
1971Bob Zender United States23
1970Robert Barbarossa Canada18
Fall 1969Doug Olson United States12
Spring 1969Bob Eastwood United States12
Fall 1968Grier Jones United States30
Spring 1968Bob Dickson United States15
1967Bobby Cole South Africa30
1966Harry Toscano United States32
1965John Schlee United States17

References

  1. Wilson, Johnny (October 26, 1965). "PGA Sends Pros To School". The Miami News. p. 5B. Retrieved June 21, 2021 via newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Past champions: PGA Tour National Qualifying Tournament". PGA Tour. December 7, 2009. Archived from the original on October 26, 2012.
  3. "Q-School Finals - Tournament Information". PGA Tour. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  4. "PGA Tour announces changes". ESPN. March 21, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  5. 1 2 Dell, John (July 10, 2012). "Web.com impact expanded with qualifying changes". PGA Tour. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
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