When Nick Dunlap won the Amex in January on a sponsor’s exemption he became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in 1991. With his win Dunlap collected zero dollars ($0.00) and zero FedEx Cup points. The first prize amount of $1,512,000.00 and the winner’s share of Cup points went to runner up Christian Bezuidenhout. What the youngster did walk away with, however, is decidedly more important: A winner’s exemption into PGA Tour events for the remainder of this year and all of 2025 and 2026, an invitation to this year’s majors and entry into all of the 2024 PGA Tour “Signature” events. He also doesn’t need to go to Q School, play on lower tours and attempt to Monday qualify to get starts.
How difficult is it for those who play on lower tours attempting to achieve their dream of playing on the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour? Two stories this week shed light on the difficulties talented aspiring tour players face.
Hannah Gregg’s First LET Event
Yesterday professional golfer Hannah Gregg posted about her experience playing in her first Ladies European Tour event. On X she detailed her expenses for her very first week on tour. Without sponsors, it would be financially impossible for her to even attempt to play her way to the LPGA.
KFT: “You’ve failed to make the Cut…oh wait…”
As if getting into Korn Ferry Tour events and gaining/keeping status isn’t difficult enough, try this one out. The KFT had to suspend the second round of the Veritex Bank Championship Friday due to darkness. Saturday morning the cut line was hovering between -7 and -8. When all the scores were official exactly 65 golfers sat at -8 or better. Included in the 65 was amateur Preston Stout. For 45 minutes the official computer scoring and scoring around the course showed the cut at -8. Eventually somebody remembered the KFT rules. The cut line is set at the low 65 professional golfers. 18 trunk slammers had to be notified that they had made the cut and were scheduled a third round tee time. Luckily organizers opted for a “reverse horseshoe” starting grid which allowed the 18 “cut” players enough time to return to the course for their starts. Hopefully they didn’t cancel their hotel reservations.