Final Stage also sets the rest of the 2026 ladder:

• Next 40 finishers and ties: earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2026.
• All remaining players: gain conditional Korn Ferry status and secure PGA TOUR Americas membership for 2026.

In short: even outside the top five, a strong week at Sawgrass can shape an entire season.

📍 Courses & Setup

Final Stage uses two par-70 tests that stress precision, patience, and nerve:

• TPC Sawgrass – Dye’s Valley Course: par 70, 6,850 yards. Designed by Pete Dye with Bobby Weed and Jerry Pate, the Valley Course is tight off the tee and demanding into firm, angled greens.
• Sawgrass Country Club – East/West: par 70, 7,054 yards. A classic Florida exam that previously hosted THE PLAYERS Championship (1977–81) and still rewards disciplined ball-striking.

How the rotation works: Everyone plays two rounds on each course. Groups stay the same for Rounds 1–2, then get re-paired for Rounds 3–4 based on position. There is no cut, but the course assignment flips at the halfway point: the top half after 36 holes finishes at Sawgrass CC then Dye’s Valley, while the bottom half finishes Dye’s Valley then Sawgrass CC.

🔥 Who’s Here: Winners, Medalists, and Big-Name Resumes

The Final Stage field blends rising talent with proven TOUR winners looking for a reset. The headline names include:

• Doug Ghim, the highest-ranked player in the field, chasing a return to full TOUR status.
• Adam Hadwin, a decade-long FedExCup Playoffs fixture, now fighting his way back through Q-School.
• Lanto Griffin, last year’s Final Stage medalist, back in the mix after narrowly missing a fall title.
• Camilo Villegas, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, leading a group of players with TOUR trophies on their shelves.

Also worth tracking are the players who earned performance benefits by winning earlier stages:

Second Stage medalists (earned 2026 Korn Ferry Tour membership):

• Ryan Burnett — Kinderlou Forest GC, Valdosta, GA
• Sam Choi — RTJ Highland Oaks, Dothan, AL (weather-shortened)
• Hunter Eichhorn — The Landings (Deer Creek), Savannah, GA (weather-shortened)
• Tyler Leach and James Song — Starr Pass, Tucson, AZ (co-medalists)
• Nick Gabrelcik — Hammock Beach Conservatory, Palm Coast, FL

First Stage medalists (earned 2026 PGA TOUR Americas membership):

• Andrew Kozan — The Preserve at Ironhorse, West Palm Beach, FL
• RJ Manke — Champions Pointe, Henryville, IN
• Travis Smyth — Wilderness Ridge, Lincoln, NE

That mix of momentum and experience is why Final Stage so often produces both instant TOUR contributors and long-term TOUR staples.

🧠 What to Watch This Week

• The “only five cards” pressure. With the playoff rule now in place for fifth, expect Sunday nerves to be very real.
• Sawgrass demands total games. Dye’s Valley punishes lazy lines; Sawgrass CC tests speed control and wedges. There’s no hiding for four rounds.
• Amateurs vs. veterans. Q-School is one of the rare places where elite amateurs stare down TOUR winners on equal footing, and the leaderboards usually reflect it.

📺 How to Follow Final Stage

Live scoring runs all week through the PGA TOUR Q-School portal. Broadcast coverage begins this weekend:

• Saturday: 1–3 p.m. ET (NBC Sports App), 3–5 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
• Sunday: Noon–2 p.m. ET (NBC Sports App), 2–4 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

Final Word

Q-School is golf at its most raw: no guaranteed paycheck, no safety net, and no place to blink. Four rounds at Sawgrass decide who’s headed to the PGA TOUR in 2026 — and who has to find another route.

We’ll have round-by-round updates, notable amateur trackers, and live leaderboard notes throughout Final Stage. Stay locked in here all week.

Compiled by AmateurGolf.com Staff — the leading source for amateur and professional golf coverage since 1999.