The culmination of the Korn Ferry Tour season always brings with it tension, celebration, and fresh storylines. In 2025, the stakes were higher than ever: only 20 PGA Tour cards would be awarded, and the final event–the Korn Ferry Tour Championship at French Lick–was where dreams would either be sealed or slip away.
Over four grueling days, the pressure mounted as players jockeyed not just for prize money, but for a chance to join golf’s biggest stage. Many entered the week already with status secured; others needed one final push to break into the top 20. And by the end, 20 stories of perseverance, momentum, and clutch play emerged victorious.
How the System Works: A Higher Bar in 2025
The Korn Ferry Tour is golf’s primary pathway to the PGA Tour, and in 2025, the promotion threshold sharpened considerably. Only the top 20 finishers on the points list after the season-ending Championship would earn full PGA Tour membership for 2026.
Unlike past years, where broader classes of graduates advanced, this reduced window placed even more importance on consistency, clutch performances, and timing. Many players finished the regular season with momentum; others used the four playoff events to surge upward.
French Lick served as the final proving ground, with 75 or so competitors (after withdrawals) fighting for those career-changing spots. The focus wasn’t just on winning the tournament; it was on securing enough points to stay in the top 20.
The Big Winner and Key Graduates
At the top of the leaderboard, Chandler Blanchet won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship, firing a final-round 66 to finish at -14 and win by two strokes over Barend Botha. He entered the week already assured of his PGA Tour promotion, allowing him to play with freedom down the stretch.
“I knew there was a TOUR card coming at the end of the day, but this is just the cherry on top,” Blanchet said.
But the real drama unfolded among those chasing spots. Names like Johnny Keefer, Neal Shipley, Austin Smotherman, Hank Lebioda, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, S.T. Lee, and Jeffrey Kang all locked in their status with strong campaigns in the finale.
Here’s the full list of 2025 Korn Ferry graduates:
What’s Next for the Graduates
Graduating to the PGA Tour is just the beginning. These 20 new members will face deeper fields, tougher courses, and higher expectations. Their priority will be maintaining status, earning starts, and building momentum in a league that rewards consistency.
For many, their ability to compete early in 2026–especially in events where reshuffles and priority rankings can make or break access–will matter just as much as their performance in majors or big tournaments. The tour’s priority system places Korn Ferry graduates behind fully exempt PGA Tour categories and those gaining status via alternate paths.
At the same time, the PGA Tour’s structural changes–including reducing field sizes and tightening membership criteria–will put added pressure on these newcomers to hit the ground running.
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