Updated September 9, 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 |
| The Bridges Golf Club | Gunter, TX | Sept. 30–Oct. 2 | Leaderboard |
| The Club at Forest Ridge | Broken Arrow, OK | Sept. 30–Oct. 2 | Leaderboard |
Results and advancing players will be posted here after each site completes.
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.
