PGA Tour announces changes to PGA TOUR U Accelerator program
By Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com
Luke Clanton (USGA Photo)
This week, the PGA Tour announced changes to the PGA Tour College Accelerator Program.
Over the past few years, PGA Tour College has proven to be an effective way to help college players get their start in the professional ranks.
The following are changes to the program.
- No. 1 on WAGR for 26 consecutive weeks: 1 point
- WAGR #1 for 52 consecutive weeks: 1 point
- Top 5 in an official PGA Tour event or designated DP World Tour event: 1 point
- NCAA Division I Championship top 10 and ties: 1 point
- Jones Cup winner: 1 point
- Northeastern Amateur Champion: 1 point
- Southern Amateur Champion: 1 point
- African Amateur Champion: 1 point (previously 2 points)
- Asia Pacific Amateur Champion: 1 point (previously 2 points)
- DI NCAA individual championship: 2 points (previously 3 points)
- European Amateur Champion: 1 point (previously 2 points)
- Latin American Amateur Champion: 1 point (previously 2 points)
- Amateur champion: 2 points (previously 3 points)
- U.S. Amateur Championship: 2 points (previously 3 points)
- Western Amateur Championship: 1 point (previously 2 points)
Unfortunately for Luke Clanton, points will not be awarded retroactively, so he will jump from his current 17 points to 20 thanks to his top-five finish on the PGA Tour.
Following the National Championships, the top 10 adult players on the PGA U Tour will be fully exempt from competing on the Korn Ferry Tour. This is an increase from the five Korn Ferry cards issued in the past.
The top five players in total points earned between the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour in their first post-graduation season will also retain their KFT status. Previously, only three players had this ability.
One final adjustment is that if the runner-up in the PGA Tour Collegiate Rankings scores more than 13,000 points, he will also receive a PGA Tour card. While no runner-up has reached this threshold in the past, it is another step forward in providing a pathway for seniors to enter the PGA Tour.
