Does PGA Tour have relegation and promotions? American circuit’s roster format explored

Earlier this year, LIV Golf announced that it would introduce the relegation and promotion system to the PGA Tour and other major circuits. On Thursday, October 26, it unveiled the LIV Golf Promotions event for promoting players to the main league.

The PGA Tour already has a system in place where players earn or lose their cards based on their performance over the season. Currently, the top 125 players in the FedEx Cup secure their cards for the next season.

While the top 50 in the FedEx standings have already received exemptions for all events, including signature ones for the 2024 season, the rest are still competing to earn spots in those events through the FedEx Fall season.

Players outside the top 125 in the FedEx standings at the end of the fall season will lose their cards. Those ranked between 126 and 200 will either compete in the weaker-field Tour events or attempt to regain their cards by playing on the Korn Ferry Tour.

For other players, there are various methods to regain their PGA Tour cards. Here's an overview of the ways to earn back their tour cards.

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How can relegated players earn PGA Tour cards?

1) Finishing in the Top 30 in the Korn Ferry Tour standings

This is the most common way to obtain a PGA Tour card. Many talented young players who do not have a Tour card or have lost their card compete on the Korn Ferry Tour.

At the end of the season, the top 30 players at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals are awarded Tour cards.

If a player wins three Korn Ferry Tour events in a season, they can earn an automatic promotion. It's not an easy task, given the high level of competition on the Korn Ferry Tour.

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2) Top 10 position on the DP World Tour season standings

The European Tour has become another way to compete on the American Tour. The players who finish in the top 10 of the Race to Dubai rankings will gain a Tour card.

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3) Qualifying school

The Q-School is another popular way to earn your way onto the American Tour. In this rigorous process, one can secure a spot for the next season by finishing in the top 5 or tying for the top-5 position in the final stage.

The Q-School has several stages: pre-qualifying, first stage, second stage, and final stage.

However, a few players have exemptions that allow them to bypass one or more of these stages. Players who finish outside the top 5 will still earn Korn Ferry Tour status.

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4) PGA Tour University

Last year, the PGA Tour introduced a membership program for the players who topped the final PGA Tour University Ranking. Ludvig Aberg became the first golfer to attain Tour status through PGA Tour University.

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5) Sponsor Exemptions

Few players can earn sponsor exemptions for a season if they don't have any official playing status.

Typically, players can participate in up to seven sponsor exemptions per season. Strong performances in these events can help them secure a Tour card for the following year.

Jon Rahm was one such player who received a few invites after topping the World Amateur Golf Rankings in 2016. After performing well in those events, he was granted Special Temporary Member status and subsequently earned enough points to acquire a Tour card for the following season.

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6) By winning on the PGA Tour

One can also secure or earn a Tour card by winning any event on the Tour. Even if a player gets into the event via a sponsor's invite or Monday qualifiers, a win will be enough to secure a Tour card for at least two years. Some signature events will award a 3-year exemption.

A victory in a major event means the player receives an exemption on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. Danny Willett won the 2016 Masters, which earned him a Tour card for five years.