Following the 2023 season-closing DP World Tour Championship, 10 players received PGA Tour cards for next year as part of the two tours’ strengthened strategic alliance.
With the regular PGA Tour season coming to a close with the Wyndham Championship ahead of the FedEx Cup playoffs, it’s a good time to assess the impact of the rookies — even though only nine of them are playing in the 2024 PGA Tour season.
The first is a player who has not participated in the tour. Adrian Melonc He won two DP World Tour titles in 2023, helping him become the player with the most card.
That earned him berths in the first two signature events of the season, but even that wasn't enough to convince him to play. Instead, he joined LIV Golf for the season opener at Mayakoba in February and was immediately suspended by the PGA Tour.
Unlike Meronc, the French Matthew Pavin He grabbed the opportunity on the PGA Tour with both hands. He started the season with a T7 finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii, and two tournaments later, he made it even better by winning the Farmers Insurance Open.
Matthew Pavin wins Farmers Insurance Open
(Image source: Getty Images)
More strong performances followed, including a third-place finish at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, which put him firmly in the top 50 of the FedEx Cup standings, which meant that not only did he retain his place in the tournament, but he will also be seen at the iconic event next year.
Scott has a similar story Robert McIntyrethough it took him a little longer to establish himself on the PGA Tour. But he finally put in impressive performances to win the RBC Canadian Open and the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open, solidifying his place in the top 50 in the standings and in all of next year’s signature events.
French Victor Perez In the 2023 DP World Tour season, he made a splash by winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, which played a big role in him getting a PGA Tour card.
He has yet to win a single tournament this season but has notched some notable results, including third-place finishes at the Puerto Rico Open and the RBC Open. He is one step away from making the FedEx Cup playoffs, currently sitting at No. 71, and needs to finish in the top 70, which he is confident he can do at the Wyndham Championship.
Finn Sami Valimaki He was runner-up at the Mexican Open, but other than that highlight, he has struggled this year and is 94th in the FedEx Cup standings. That means he will play on the PGA Tour again next season, but he gave up a chance to play in the FedEx Cup playoffs by not competing at this week's Sedgefield Country Club event.
New Zealander finishes T4 at Myrtle Beach Classic, T7 at RBC Canadian Open Ryan Fox He needed enough points to stay in the top 125 of the FedEx Cup standings, where he is ranked 102nd. But overall, his results were mixed, with six missed cuts.
Still, with 500 points for a win at the Wyndham Classic, he still has a chance to make the playoffs, which is his goal this week.
Only 5 places behind Fox is Jiu ChangliangHe finished tenth and last in the Race to Dubai, earning himself a race card.
The Japanese player is still seeking his first top-10 on the PGA Tour this season, having missed the cut in his last two tour events. This week he will be looking to earn an unlikely FedEx Cup playoff spot, or at least end his PGA Tour season on a high note.
Jiu Jingliang ranks 107th in the FedEx Cup standings
(Image source: Getty Images)
Three DP World Tour graduates, Jorge Campillo, Thorbjorn Olsen and Alexander Bjorkface the prospect of giving up their full PGA Tour status after just one season as they all sit outside the top 125 in the FedEx Cup standings.
Aside from a tie for 11th at the American Express, Swede Bjork has struggled for much of the PGA Tour season, and his performance won't improve this week as he's not playing in the Wyndham Championship.
However, the opportunity to cross the threshold and retain full game rights still lies ahead for Campillo and Olson as they will compete in North Carolina.
Campillo will be looking to draw on the experience of his best performance this season, a T4 finish at the Myrtle Beach Classic, while Olson, who won in 2024, albeit at the DP World Tour’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship, will be looking to get his first PGA Tour top-10 of the year.
DP World Tour tops FedEx Cup standings
- 16: Matthew Pavin
- 17: Robert McIntyre
- 71: Victor Perez
- 94: Sami Valimaki
- 102: Ryan Fox
- 107: Jiu Changliang
- 136: Jorge Campillo
- 155: Thorbjorn Olsen
- 167: Alexander Bjork
- not applicable: Adrian Melonc
