Changing the Q-School rules could cause chaos amid a crowded leaderboard

As stars from the PGA and LPGA Tours team up in a fun off-season event at the Grant Thornton Invitational, presenters from aspiring PGA Tour professionals battle for their careers in the final stages of Q-School.

Q-School has always been an intense battle, with only a few PGA Tour cards going to the top winners. But thanks to a rule change this year, there are even fewer Tour tickets up for grabs this week.

And with a busy ranking halfway through the tournament, that rule change could lead to serious chaos next Sunday.

Here’s what you need to know.

A tight Q-School ranking invites weekend drama

Halfway through the final leg of this week’s PGA Tour Q-School, 169 pros remain. And the stakes are huge: PGA Tour cards for the top 5 finishers. With 36 holes remaining at host venues Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass and Sawgrass Country Club, the competition couldn’t be fiercer.

A total of thirteen players are within one shot of the lead.

In the lead are five players tied at seven under: Trevor Cone, AJ Ewart, John Pak, Michael Feagles and Kota Kaneko.

But those leaders are just one shot ahead of a group of eight chasers tied at six under: Chad Sewell, Camilo Villegas, Marcelo Rozo, Brett White, Adam Svensson, Ian Holt, Ben Kohles and Chan Kim.

The picture doesn’t get clearer the further down the leaderboard you go, with another six pros two shots back at five under.

All of which is to say that anything can happen during the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Some players’ dreams will be extinguished, perhaps for good. While a select few professionals will get their tickets for the PGA Tour and potential career renaissances.

But because of the aforementioned rule change, that ‘select few’ is even fewer this year.

The Q-School playoff could decide the winners of the PGA Tour card

Ahead of the 2025 PGA Tour season, the Tour has implemented a host of new rules regarding membership and how players earn their way onto the Tour. The biggest change was a reduction in the total number of PGA Tour cards from 125 to 100.

But a less dramatic change in the new rules could have a big impact on Q-School this weekend.

Before the new changes came about, the top-5 finishers and ties the final phase of Q-School would see full PGA Tour cards awarded for the following season. According to the new rules, only the top 5 players on the scoreboard will receive Tour cards. Point. No ties included.

Since there are almost twenty players within two strokes entering the third round, it is possible that there will be a tie between the top five in the rankings at the end of the tournament.

It is even possible that after 72 holes no of the PGA Tour card winners will be decided, for example if there are six or more ties for first place.

If that happens, the PGA Tour card recipients will be determined through the playoffs.

If there is a tie in the top 5, a play-off per hole will be played immediately after the last round. In other words, several pros’ hopes on the PGA Tour card could come down to a single hole in the twilight.

Stay informed.

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