Wrapping Up the 2025 PGA Tour Season (And Looking Ahead to 2026)

For the first time in PGA Tour history, we officially have a winner from Finland. Sami Valimaki led entering the final round of the RSM Classic and staved off the field in breezy conditions to grab his maiden Tour victory by one shot. The win earns him a two-year exemption on Tour, spots at the first two signature events of 2026, and an improved Official World Golf Ranking all but guarantees him a spot in the Masters.

The RSM Classic marks the end of the PGA Tour fall swing, ushering in the cut-throat era on Tour. Starting next year, only the top-100 finishers in the FedEx Cup standings are fully exempt on Tour, down from 125. Priority order can be a little confusing, so here is a high-level overview of what status on Tour will look like in 2026.

Signature events will work just like this past season. To qualify for one in 2026, you must A) have finished in the top-50 of the FedEx Cup standings through the 2025 BMW Championship, B) have won a PGA Tour event in the current season, C) be ranked in the top 30 of the OWGR at the time of the event, or D) be a trending player (i.e. play in via the Aon Next 10 or Swing 5). Or, of course, you can get a sponsor exemption.

Speaking of sponsor exemptions, after finishing outside the top 50 in the FedEx Cup standings and missing the playoffs in August, Jordan Spieth did not tee it up in a single tournament this fall. Following the RSM, Spieth slipped to 61st in the standings, one spot outside the required position to automatically qualify for next season’s first two signature events. Go ahead and pencil him in for sponsor invites into both the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Genesis Invitational.  

In 2026, non-signature event fields will be composed of however many players from the aforementioned categories elect to tee it up, plus the remainder of the top-100 FedEx Cup finishers through the weekend’s RSM Classic. The 10 DP World Tour members who earned dual status via the Race to Dubai, 20 Korn Ferry Tour graduates, the top-five from Q-School, No. 1 from PGA Tour U, and a couple of other categories (like career money leaders) are also fully exempt.  

Thus, players who finished barely outside the top 100 will only have conditional status on Tour next year. That said, players with conditional status will still get PGA Tour starts, the number depending on their ranking. For example, Lee Hodges, Ricky Castillo, and Matt Wallace, who finished 101-103 in the standings, will only have conditional status on the PGA Tour in 2026. They will still gain entry into the vast majority of non-signature events, though.  

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CEO Brian Rolapp’s long-term vision for the PGA Tour schedule remains to be seen. For now, the PGA Tour fall functions to secure status in the ensuing year and give players an opportunity for competitive reps and decent-sized purses. It also serves as a platform and springboard for the next generation of talent.

On the heels of solid play through the fall, here are three fully-exempt PGA Tour players aged 25 or younger worth keeping an eye on in 2026:

Michael Thorbjornsen – The 24-year-old Stanford product has begun to find his footing in pro golf. After battling injuries shortly after turning pro, Thorbjornsen is now piecing together consistent results. He made the cut in 15 of his last 16 events, in no small part due to elite driving ability. This weekend, Thorbjornsen led the field at +4.1 Strokes Gained: Off the Tee en route to a T-7 finish. Given his illustrious amateur career and the direction in which he is trending, Thorbjornsen is one of the top young names to monitor headed into 2026.

Michael Brennan – Avid college golf fans likely knew Brennan’s name prior to his breakout performance this fall. The 23-year-old out of Wake Forest captured eyeballs when he coasted to a four-shot win at the Bank of Utah Championship in October, fresh off three PGA Tour Americas wins. Since then, he’s made three PGA Tour appearances with lackluster finishes, but he made the cut in all three. Another exceptional driver of the golf ball, Brennan has the potential to rise through the pro ranks over the next 12-24 months.

Johnny Keefer – Keefer dominated the Korn Ferry Tour ranks in 2025, winning twice and finishing first in the KFT points list. Not only has Keefer’s sound play secured his status on Tour in 2026, but his Official World Golf Ranking (projected No. 47) also puts him on pace to earn a Masters invitation should he remain inside the top 50 at the end of the calendar year. A clutch T-7 finish at the RSM boosted the 24-year-old’s chances of punching a ticket to Augusta National.