Is It Really Just Top 70 Who Will Keep Their PGA Tour Cards in 2024?

For the first time in 40 years, some high-earning PGA Tour players are going to be stressed about keeping their playing privileges. Next season, only the top 70 in FedEx points for this year will advance into 2024 in terms of being guaranteed a spot in any PGA Tour event.

However, it doesn’t mean those farther down the list won’t participate. It just means their guarantees or opportunities are different.

Those below 70 have five weeks, counting this one, to get inside that 70 number or their place at the PGA Tour table will go to someone else first. They will be farther down the money food chain. Except for exceptions.

For some, this looks serious. Right now, Justin Thomas is 70th. If he messes up between now and the Wyndham, just on the number alone, it looks like he could be in trouble. Adam Scott is 79th.  Gary Woodland is 98th. Jimmy Walker is 117th.

You’d think that some golfers, even major champions, have really heavy lifting to do, like Webb Simpson, who is mired in some kind of golf misery at a surprising 161st place. Francesco Molinari is 168th. PGA Tour Champions player Padraig Harrington is 172nd, but that is just for comparison because he mostly plays the older guys’ circuit now.

"However, some, like Jimmy Walker, aren’t so lucky. Walker is currently playing on a top 50 in career money exemption and really can’t afford to be this far down in the rankings…"

While it looks like doom and gloom, there are other forces at work here. Adam Scott, for instance, has exempt status for his victory at the Genesis Invitational. He doesn’t have to really grind this season.

But next year on the PGA Tour, he will need to.

Gary Woodland has another season or two on his exemption for winning the U.S. Open. But there’s a good chance he will miss out on the big cash grab at the FedEx Cup finale this year.

Francesco Molinari is in a similar situation. As a past British Open winner, he has a five-year exemption that works through next season. At that point, he can work to maintain his PGA Tour card or go back to the DP World Tour where he may never have to buy a glass of wine again because he’s the first and only Italian to win the British Open.

Similarly, for Justin Thomas. He just started working on his five-year exemption for winning last year’s PGA Championship. So, while he may want to get into the top 70 to advance in the FedEx Cup playoffs, it’s more of a matter of pride for him.  He doesn’t really have to worry about an exemption for 2024. He has one for that year and several that follow.

Webb Simpson has the golden ticket through 2026 from his victory at The Players, so even though he’s 161st, it doesn’t matter because he can play in any regular PGA Tour event and may qualify for some invitationals.

However, some, like Jimmy Walker, aren’t so lucky. Walker is currently playing on a top 50 in career money exemption and really can’t afford to be this far down in the rankings, although, with his pedigree as a past PGA Champion, it’s likely he will still make it onto the invitation list for many tournaments. Walker is now 44 and will be 45 in January. He may be biding his time until he can go to the original no-cut tour, PGA Tour Champions.

Padraig Harrington has made the jump to PGA Tour Champions but continues to straddle both Tours. He’s playing the Genesis Scottish Open this week, and as a former British Open champion, he’ll go on to Royal Liverpool the following week.

Harrington played on the PGA Tour from 2005 to 2022.

He is now a member of PGA Tour Champions with five victories in less than two full seasons. He’s a winner of three majors: the British Open twice and the PGA Championship once. He has won 15 tournaments in Europe and six in the U.S. and numerous in other countries. There’s a pretty good chance he can get an invitation to any PGA Tour event where he wants to play, whether he’s exempt or not.

However, regarding who is in the top 70 and who’s not, sometimes a top 70 isn’t really a top 70.  Sometimes, it’s infiltrated with major champs and players who have other kinds of exemptions, which is how many will find their way into tournaments next season and in subsequent years.

So, from now on, Top 70 is important, but for some players, it’s not the only way they get into a tournament. There are plenty of different ways to secure playing spots, like being a past champion of an event.

But unless you are Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy, it can be hard to build a schedule without being top 70 or having a lengthy exemption for a victory.