Key Highlights
- Jordan Smith missed out on securing a PGA Tour card due to Tom McKibbin’s decision to join LIV Golf.
- Rasmus Hojgaard is the only player from last year’s group to secure his U.S. card for 2026 and maintain cards on both tours.
- The remaining players have two tournaments left to finish in the top 100 of the FedEx Cup or win major events to keep their PGA Tour status.
- LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler hired Monica Fee from LIV Golf as chief sales and partnerships officer.
Challenges for European Players on PGA Tour
The path to the PGA Tour for European golfers has been fraught with challenges, particularly after Tom McKibbin’s decision to join Saudi-backed LIV Golf. McKibbin earned the 10th and final PGA Tour card from the Race to Dubai standings in Europe last year but opted to enter LIV Golf late in January, making it too late for Jordan Smith, who was 11th on the list.
Smith expressed his frustration over missing out on securing a PGA Tour card: “It’s just one of those things you have to take on the chin and use it as fuel to get one of those cards the next time,” he told The Daily Mail in June. Currently, Smith is No. 15 in the Race to Dubai standings, holding down what would be the 10th spot to earn a PGA Tour card going into this season’s finale.
Performance and Future Prospects
Among those who secured PGA Tour cards are Rasmus Hojgaard of Denmark. He is currently No. 34 in Europe and playing the DP World Tour Championship, also having participated in his first Ryder Cup. However, out of the nine players (excluding McKibbin) who joined the PGA Tour this year, only Hojgaard has secured his U.S. card for 2026.
Two tournaments remain for the other eight players to finish in the top 100 of the FedEx Cup or win major events to maintain their full status on the PGA Tour.
Thorbjorn Olesen is currently at No. 95 in the FedEx Cup, while Jesper Svensson of Sweden is at No. 121. Other players face tougher odds, with Paul Waring of England needing to effectively shut down his year due to a shoulder injury in July.
The average number of PGA Tour starts for European tour graduates was about 20, but the bigger issue was limited access to high-profile events that carry elevated FedEx Cup points. Hojgaard managed to play three such tournaments: two as the top qualifier from Europe and one as one of the top five players not already eligible in events leading up to it.
Notable Moves and Developments
The LPGA Tour made a significant move by hiring Monica Fee, who previously worked for LIV Golf. She will now oversee global sales and partnership strategy, including title sponsorships and commercial assets. Her background includes launching the Saudi-funded league and a 15-year tenure at CAA Sports.
In other developments, Sahith Theegala, coming into the season at No. 13 in the world, faces challenges with a neck injury that forced him to withdraw from two majors, PGA Championship, and U.S.
Open. He is currently on the verge of falling out of the top 100.
The Star honored longtime Acushnet Company executive Peter Broome by conferring him an honorary member of the PGA of America. His career has spanned 30 years at Acushnet, and he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in August 2024, leading to the start of the Bridge Foundation for research and treatment of Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Conclusion
The journey towards securing a PGA Tour card remains challenging for European golfers, as evidenced by the limited success stories among those who qualified this year. The competition for top spots is intense, with financial and logistical hurdles further complicating their path to professional success in the United States.
