Updated October 7, 2026
Welcome to AmateurGolf.com’s complete guide to the 2026 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry — the four-stage proving ground where careers are launched, revived, and sometimes broken. Beginning with Pre-Qualifying on September 16 and ending with the Final Stage at TPC Sawgrass, December 10–13, roughly three months of qualifying will decide who earns PGA TOUR cards for 2027 and who takes home Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas status.
Bookmark this page. We’ll update it after every stage with results, cut lines, advancing players, and the amateurs making noise along the way — just as we did with our 2025 Q-School hub.
🏆 What’s at Stake at 2026 Q-School
The top five finishers at Final Stage earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2027 season. A tie for fifth is settled by a hole-by-hole playoff — a sudden-death format first used in 2024 that produced last December’s sunset playoff between Dylan Wu and Ben Silverman.
Everyone else at Final Stage still leaves with something valuable:
- Finishers 6–45: Korn Ferry Tour membership with periodic reorder protection — the first 25 of that group receive stronger (third-reorder) status, the remainder second-reorder status.
- All other finalists: Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas membership subject to the first periodic reorder.
There are carrots earlier in the process, too: medalists at each First Stage site earn PGA TOUR Americas membership, and medalists at each Second Stage site earn Korn Ferry Tour membership (if they don’t improve on it at Final Stage).
📖 How Q-School Works: The Four Stages Explained
Pre-Qualifying (Sept. 16–Oct. 2) — The entry point for players with no status: 54 holes of stroke play at eight sites nationwide. There are no guaranteed rewards here except survival — advance and you move on to First Stage; miss and the season is over before October.
First Stage (Oct. 20–Nov. 6) — The largest wave: 72 holes at 14 sites across the country, with fields mixing Pre-Qualifying survivors, college graduates, mini-tour grinders, and exempt players entering here. Advancement is pro rata by field size (typically around 18–22 players per site), and site medalists pick up PGA TOUR Americas membership.
Second Stage (Dec. 1–4) — The pressure cooker. Five regional sites, 72 holes, and historically the most brutal cut in golf: this is where seasoned pros with real careers collide with the next wave. Site winners secure Korn Ferry Tour membership, and everyone who advances is guaranteed at least conditional Korn Ferry Tour status by reaching Final Stage.
Final Stage (Dec. 10–13) — Roughly 165–175 players, 72 holes, no cut, split between TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Five PGA TOUR cards on the table, and a reshuffle of Korn Ferry Tour priority for everyone else. Four days that can change a life.
📅 2026 PGA TOUR Q-School Schedule
| Stage | Dates | Format & Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Qualifying | Sept. 16–18, 23–25, 30–Oct. 2 | 54 holes — 8 sites |
| First Stage | Oct. 20–23, 27–30, Nov. 3–6 | 72 holes — 14 sites |
| Second Stage | Dec. 1–4 | 72 holes — 5 sites |
| Final Stage | Dec. 10–13 | 72 holes, no cut — TPC Sawgrass (Dye’s Valley) & Sawgrass CC, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL |
👀 Who’s Chasing a Card — and How They Got Here
Every Q-School field is really four tournaments in one, because players arrive from very different places:
The college stars. The PGA TOUR University Class of 2026 gives the top finishing seniors a head start. No. 1 Ben James (Virginia) skipped the line entirely, earning a PGA TOUR card through 2027. Nos. 2–5 — Christiaan Maas (Texas), Jase Summy (Oklahoma), Filip Jakubcik (Arizona), and Luke Potter (Texas) — earned Korn Ferry Tour membership plus exemptions straight into Final Stage. Nos. 6–10 — Tommy Morrison (Texas), William Sides (SMU), Mahanth Chirravuri (Pepperdine), Frankie Harris (South Carolina), and Wells Williams (Vanderbilt) — are exempt into Second Stage, as are Nos. 11–25, who also picked up PGA TOUR Americas membership.
The veterans. Former PGA TOUR winners and longtime members who lost full status routinely enter at Second or Final Stage — last year’s Final Stage field included Adam Hadwin, Camilo Villegas, and 2024 Final Stage winner Lanto Griffin. Expect another wave of familiar names when the exempt entries are announced this fall.
The Korn Ferry Tour and mini-tour pros. For players just outside the Korn Ferry Tour’s card-earning positions, Q-School is the fastest way to improve 2027 priority — and for mini-tour players, it’s the only door in the building.
The amateurs. Q-School is open to amateurs who play to a 0.0 course handicap or better, and every year a handful of them crash the party — like Jake Hall, who reached Final Stage as an amateur in 2024. Amateurs can advance through every stage, but must turn professional to accept tour membership. We’ll track every amateur in every field right here.
⏮️ What Happened Last Year: 2025 Q-School Recap
The 2025 edition ended with one of the best stories of the golf year. Canada’s A.J. Ewart — a Barry University alum who had never held Korn Ferry Tour status — went 66-67-67-66 to win Final Stage at 14-under 266 and jump straight to the PGA TOUR. He led a group of five card earners:
| Pos | Player | Score | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A.J. Ewart (Canada) | -14 | Medalist at 26 — straight to the PGA TOUR |
| T2 | Adam Svensson (Canada) | -12 | Former TOUR winner regained his card |
| T2 | Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) | -12 | Back-to-back Q-School cards |
| T2 | Marcelo Rozo (Colombia) | -12 | First TOUR card at 36, after 255 career starts |
| 5 | Dylan Wu (USA) | -11 | Won a sunset playoff over Ben Silverman for the last card |
The week had everything: Rozo — who once lost a Korn Ferry Tour playoff to Scottie Scheffler — finally breaking through in his 14th professional season, Spencer Levin firing a Saturday 63, and a two-for-one playoff decided by a birdie in near darkness. The year before, recent Vanderbilt graduate Matthew Riedel earned his card at Final Stage. That’s the promise of Q-School: every December, somebody’s life changes at Sawgrass.
🚦 Stage-by-Stage Tracker
Results, cut lines, and advancing players will be posted below as each stage completes. All times and fields via the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament office; leaderboard links go to full scoring.
Pre-Qualifying (Sept. 16–Oct. 2) — 8 Sites
| Course | Location | Dates | Leaderboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bull Valley Golf Club | Woodstock, IL | Sept. 16–18 | Leaderboard |
| Kinderlou Forest Golf Club | Valdosta, GA | Sept. 16–18 | Leaderboard |
| Yolo Fliers Club | Woodland, CA | Sept. 16–18 | Leaderboard |
| Cambrian Ridge (Canyon/Loblolly) | Greenville, AL | Sept. 23–25 | Leaderboard |
| La Quinta Country Club | La Quinta, CA | Sept. 23–25 | Leaderboard |
| The Golf Club at Irish Creek | Kannapolis, NC | Sept. 23–25 | Leaderboard |
| Sugar Tree Golf Club | Lipan, TX | Sept. 30–Oct. 2 | Leaderboard |
| The Club at Forest Ridge | Broken Arrow, OK | Sept. 30–Oct. 2 | Leaderboard |
Seven sites down, one result to go. Through seven of eight Pre-Qualifying sites, 271 players have advanced to First Stage. The final window (Sept. 30–Oct. 2) was played at Sugar Tree Golf Club in Lipan, Texas, and The Club at Forest Ridge in Broken Arrow, Okla.
Week three (Sept. 30–Oct. 2): play complete. Forest Ridge final results below; the full Sugar Tree advancing list will be added once official results are posted.
The Club at Forest Ridge (Broken Arrow, Okla.) — 37 advance
Medalist: Scott Newell, Tulsa, Okla., 7-under par. Newell went from two back after 36 holes to the top of the board, leading 37 players into First Stage. Durant, Okla., native Jessie Rouse finished at −5 and Broken Arrow’s Dylan Teeter at −4. Other Oklahomans moving on: Matthew Sparks (Owasso, E), James Roller (Jenks, +3), Jordan Wilson (Edmond, +5) and Austin Schmidt (Tulsa, +6). Amateur Cooper Scheck of Dodge City, Kan., led alone through 36 holes at −8. Broadcaster and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who played the final round the same day his CBS exit was announced, finished at 9-over and did not advance.
Sugar Tree Golf Club (Lipan, Texas) — final results pending
After 36 holes: Jay Nimmo (65-68), Christian Clark (66-67), BJ Rogillio (67-66), Jerry Fang (65-68) and Jack Beauchamp (second-round 63) shared the lead at 9-under 133, with Hunter Swanson, David Harrison and Joseph Kim two back at −7. The projected line was 3-over 145, with amateurs Tyler Kowack (T16, −1) and Daniel Choi (T23, +1) inside the number heading into Friday.
Week two (Sept. 23–25): 116 advance, 24 amateurs.
La Quinta Country Club (La Quinta, Calif.) — 41 advance
Medalist: Dylan Block (a), Mission Viejo, Calif., 14-under 202 (68-71-63). Block closed with a 9-under 63, the low round of the week, and led the field with 18 par-breakers including two eagles. Sean Maruyama was second at −12, and Ethan Klose, Tucker Allen and Isaac Rodea tied for third at −10. The line was 1-over 217. The site produced the week’s biggest amateur haul: 14 amateurs advanced — Dylan Block (1st), Aiden Krafft (6th), Collin Hodgkinson (T7), Riccardo Fantinelli (T7), Andrew Gianaros (T10), Jackson Suh (T13), Ian Maspat (T17), Amaan Patel (T20), Kyle Dougherty (T20), Davis McDowell (T24), Easton Phillips (T27), Chandler Barch (T32), Nathan Wang (T32), Yuki Bannai (T36). Fantinelli and Wang both came through DP World Tour First Stage in August, too.
Cambrian Ridge, Canyon/Loblolly (Greenville, Ala.) — 36 advance
Co-medalists: Ross Funderburke, Travelers Rest, S.C., and Jay Gould-Healy, Carmel, Calif., 15-under 201. Funderburke opened 65-65 and led the field with 21 par-breakers; Gould-Healy closed 66 to catch him. Tempe’s Kiko Coelho was third at −13. The line was 3-over 219 (top 36 and ties). Amateurs advancing (6): Ryley Heath (4th), Gustavo Rangel (T6), Joseph Lenane (8th), Nick Fowlkes (T21), Jacob Joiner (T26), Larry Daugherty (T26).
The Club at Irish Creek (Kannapolis, N.C.) — 39 advance
Medalist: Dean Greyserman (a), Boca Raton, Fla., 9-under 204 (66-73-65). Greyserman’s closing 65 gave him a two-shot win over Manuel Torres of Venezuela; Daniel Suter and Kaleb Wilson tied for third at −6. Amateur Keaton Vo of Austin, Texas, shot 64 in the final round to jump 18 spots into a tie for fifth. The line was 5-over 218 (top 38 and ties). Amateurs advancing (4): Dean Greyserman (1st), Keaton Vo (T5), Gareth Steyn (T21), Ayush Bodhale (T24).
Week one is in the books. The opening Pre-Qualifying window (Sept. 16–18) sent 118 players on to First Stage from Bull Valley, Kinderlou Forest and Yolo Fliers — and 20 of them are amateurs, including two of the three medalists.
Yolo Fliers Club (Woodland, Calif.) — 39 advance
Medalist: Jack Cantlay (a), Los Alamitos, Calif., 19-under 197 (67-64-66). The amateur ran away with it, winning by six over Travis Miller (−13) and leading the field with 22 birdies. Peter Lansburgh and Kobe Valociek tied for third at −11. The qualifying line fell at 2-over 218. Amateurs advancing (7): Jack Cantlay (1st), Steen Zeman (T6), Tyson Shelley (T18), Jake Beber-Frankel (T20), Mitchell Hoey (T20), Naoki Easterday (T23), Conner Conley (T30).
Kinderlou Forest Golf Club (Valdosta, Ga.) — 41 advance
Co-medalists: Patton Samuels, Clarksville, Tenn., and Aidan Tran (a), Morgan Hill, Calif., 10-under 206. Tran closed with a 5-under 67 to catch Samuels; it’s the second Q-School stage the California amateur has survived this month after also advancing through DP World Tour First Stage at Hulencourt. Dain Richie (−9, closing 65) was third and William Love (−8) fourth. PGA TOUR veteran Steve Wheatcroft advanced at T17. The line was 7-over 223. Amateurs advancing (6): Aidan Tran (T1), Aidan O’Donovan (T10), Bennett McNabb (12th), Drew Zielinski (T15), Andrew Riley (T17), Anthony Amoroso (T36).
Bull Valley Golf Club (Woodstock, Ill.) — 38 advance
Medalist: Billy Basham, Jupiter, Fla., 9-under 207 (71-65-71). Bradley Goldstein of Highland Park, Ill., made the biggest move of the week with a closing 9-under 63 to tie Gunnar McCollins and Andrew Walker for second at −7. The line was 4-over 220 (top 38 and ties). Amateurs advancing (7): Hugo Thyr (T6), Andrew Gwilliams (T22), Daniel Griffiths (T22), Aiden Spampinato (T22), Parker Wisdom (T22), Connor McNeely (T29), Jackson Hulsey (T29).
First Stage (Oct. 20–Nov. 6) — 14 Sites
| Course | Location | Dates | Leaderboard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilderness Ridge Country Club | Lincoln, NE | Oct. 20–23 | Leaderboard |
| Champions Pointe Golf Club | Henryville, IN | Oct. 20–23 | Leaderboard |
| UNM Championship Course | Albuquerque, NM | Oct. 20–23 | Leaderboard |
| RTJ Magnolia Grove (Crossings) | Mobile, AL | Oct. 20–23 | Leaderboard |
| Country Club of Ocala | Ocala, FL | Oct. 20–23 | Leaderboard |
| Sand Creek Station Golf Course | Newton, KS | Oct. 27–30 | Leaderboard |
| Bermuda Run Country Club (East) | Bermuda Run, NC | Oct. 27–30 | Leaderboard |
| The Preserve at Ironhorse | West Palm Beach, FL | Oct. 27–30 | Leaderboard |
| Abilene Country Club (South) | Abilene, TX | Oct. 27–30 | Leaderboard |
| Soboba Springs Golf Course | San Jacinto, CA | Nov. 3–6 | Leaderboard |
| Lake Caroline Golf Club | Madison, MS | Nov. 3–6 | Leaderboard |
| Bayonet Golf Course | Seaside, CA | Nov. 3–6 | Leaderboard |
| Arizona National Golf Club | Tucson, AZ | Nov. 3–6 | Leaderboard |
| Lakewood National Golf Club (Piper) | Lakewood Ranch, FL | Nov. 3–6 | Leaderboard |
Results, cut lines, and advancing players will be posted here after each site completes.
Second Stage (Dec. 1–4) — 5 Sites
| Course | Location | Leaderboard |
|---|---|---|
| Valencia Country Club | Valencia, CA | Leaderboard |
| The Club at Starr Pass (Gambler/Pioneer) | Tucson, AZ | Leaderboard |
| Kinderlou Forest Golf Club | Valdosta, GA | Leaderboard |
| RTJ Trail at Highland Oaks (Highlands/Marshwood) | Dothan, AL | Leaderboard |
| The Club – Hammock Beach (Conservatory) | Palm Coast, FL | Leaderboard |
The Final Stage field will be set here on December 4.
Final Stage (Dec. 10–13) — TPC Sawgrass & Sawgrass CC | LEADERBOARD
Four rounds across TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course (host) and Sawgrass Country Club (remote) in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, with no cut. Five PGA TOUR cards will be awarded on Sunday, December 13 — and if there’s a tie for fifth, it goes to a hole-by-hole playoff.
Field, tee times, storylines, and round-by-round coverage will be posted here in December.
📜 Why Q-School Matters
The Qualifying Tournament has been minting PGA TOUR players since 1965, and the list of Final Stage medalists reads like a Hall of Fame wing: Ben Crenshaw (1973), Fuzzy Zoeller (1974), Paul Azinger (1984), and Mike Weir (1998) all won Q-School before winning majors. For fans, it’s the rawest week in professional golf — no guaranteed money, no next week, just a number on a board deciding whether you’re a PGA TOUR player. And for the amateur game, it’s the bridge: the same names atop college leaderboards and amateur rankings all summer show up here every fall, chasing the day job.
❓ 2026 Q-School FAQ
What is PGA TOUR Q-School?
Q-School (officially the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament presented by Korn Ferry) is the annual multi-stage qualifying competition for the PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, and PGA TOUR Americas. In 2026 it runs from September 16 through December 13.
How many PGA TOUR cards are awarded?
Five. The top five finishers at Final Stage earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2027 season, with a hole-by-hole playoff breaking any tie for the fifth spot.
Where is the 2026 Final Stage?
TPC Sawgrass (Dye’s Valley Course) and Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, December 10–13, 2026.
Can amateurs play in Q-School?
Yes — amateurs with a course handicap of 0.0 or better are eligible. They can advance through every stage, but must turn professional to accept PGA TOUR, Korn Ferry Tour, or PGA TOUR Americas membership.
What do players who miss the top five get?
Finishers 6–45 at Final Stage earn Korn Ferry Tour membership with reorder protection; everyone else at Final Stage receives Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas status. First and Second Stage site medalists also lock in PGA TOUR Americas and Korn Ferry Tour membership, respectively.
How many players advance from each stage?
Advancement is pro rata based on field size at each site — historically around 18–22 players per First and Second Stage site, producing a Final Stage field of roughly 165–175.
Compiled by AmateurGolf.com Staff — the leading source for amateur and professional golf coverage since 1999. This page is updated throughout the 2026 Q-School season.
