It's getting harder to stay on the PGA Tour. Here's why

The PGA Tour is making the most sweeping changes to its eligibility in more than 40 years by eliminating 25 tour cards, along with shrinking the size of its fields.

The all-exempt tour had been in place since 1983, meaning the top 125 players from the official money list — now the FedEx Cup standings — kept a full PGA Tour card the following season.

That changes in 2026 after the PGA Tour policy board approved a new priority list on Monday.

Only the top 100 players will earn full tour cards for the following year. The top 30 from the developmental Korn Ferry Tour used to advance to the PGA Tour. That number now goes to 20. Five players from qualifying school will get cards — it previously was the top five and ties.

The tour also is doing away with 156-man fields except for two tournaments held on multiple courses. Most tournaments will have 120 players before Daylight Saving Time, then 132 players in spring and a maximum of 144 players in the summer months.

Here's a look at what's behind the changes and what it means:

Why is there a need to reduce the number of full PGA Tour cards?

The all-exempt tour led to a bloated membership in which nearly 200 players were on the membership rolls through one exemption or another, and those toward the bottom of the priority list could not get into all the tournaments they wanted to play.

Those who graduated from the Korn Ferry Tour, for example, could only get in three or four tournaments over the first few months of the season, giving them a disadvantage.

The PGA Tour believes that limited full status to the top 100 instead of the top 125 will give everyone who earns a card a fair chance at getting into regular tournaments.

How does the PGA Tour priority list work?

Priority to get into tournaments starts with winners of the majors and The Players Championship over the last five years; winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial and Genesis Invitational the last three years; tournament winners the last two years and career money leaders.

Next are the top 125; players who have been given a medical extension; and then the 45 players who earned cards from the Korn Ferry Tour, European tour and Q-school. After that are those who finished from No. 126 to No. 150 in the FedEx Cup.

All of them have PGA Tour cards. But there's not room for them in every tournament.

Who benefits from the PGA Tour changes?

The most common refrain in golf is to play better to get better status. Those who perennially finish in the top 100 should have no trouble keeping their cards, and they will have fewer players to beat because the fields will be smaller.

It also helps newcomers from the Korn Ferry Tour, European tour and Q-school. They can expect to get into every regular tournament, increasing their odds of getting into some of the $20 million signature events.

The PGA Tour, already the strongest circuit in golf, is likely to be even more competitive with a greater chance of the top names in contention.

The tour also hopes — this is still to be determined — it will improve the pace of play and keep rounds from spilling over into the next day.

Who is hurt by the new PGA Tour rules?

Players like Peter Malnati and Taylor Pendrith come to mind. Under the new system, neither would have had a full PGA Tour card this year and likely would not have been in the fields for the tournaments they won — Malnati at the Valspar Championship and Pendrith at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Those wins make them exempt through 2026.

Players who have not performed consistently well, who seem to struggle each year just to finish in the top 125, will have to be at their best to stay on tour.

What happens to the dreamers of pro golf?

The PGA Tour also is reducing the four spots from Monday qualifiers at open tournaments. Now there will only two spots for the 132-man fields and none for fields of 120 players.

One of golf's charms is how one week can change a career. Then again, there has been only one Monday qualifier to win in the last five years — Corey Conners in the 2019 Texas Open.

When do the PGA Tour changes start?

The new eligibility starts in 2026, so that puts a huge emphasis on playing well this year knowing that only the top 100 will keep full status.

Does this affect golf's majors?

The four majors are not run by the PGA Tour. The Masters has the smallest field, typically fewer than 100 players. The U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship have 156-man fields.

The Players Championship, the premier event run by the PGA Tour, is reducing its field from 144 players to 120.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf