These Former Stars Just Lost Their PGA Tour Cards

The PGA Tour season came to an end last weekend at the RSM Classic.

With a new structure that awards only 100 full-time cards, the Tour is becoming more cutthroat. Those outside the top 100 may still have conditional status or the opportunity for sponsor exemptions, but many will end up back on the Korn Ferry Tour or chasing the big leagues via Q-School.

As a reminder, here is how the Tour is now formatted:

Those in the top 50 of the previous year’s FedEx Cup standings get into signature events for the following year. They are locked into those top spots and can’t earn points in the fall. Players who finish between Nos. 51-60 (the Aon Next 10) at the end of the fall earn spots into the first two signature events of the following season. Those players are RSM Classic winner Sami Valimaki as well as Max Greyserman, Garrick Higgo, Rico Hoey, Nico Echavarria, Aldrich Potgieter, Chris Kirk, Aaron Rai, Min Woo Lee and Max McGreevy. All players within the top 100 at the end of the fall earn a full-time Tour card. Players who finish 101st through 125th in the standings earn conditional Tour status, meaning they are waitlisted for starts. They typically get a meaningful number of starts but have to make the most of their opportunities to work their way up the ladder. If you are outside the top 125, you will likely be having an even harder time fighting for starts and might have to pursue status through one of the aforementioned avenues. Exceptions to the above include if you are a recent Tour winner or have a career money list exemption. Players receive a two-year exemption for winning an event.

Here are a few of the notable players who lost their full-time cards.

1. Joel Dahmen

Dahmen became a folk hero, especially after Netflix’s “Full Swing” documentary.

He won on the Tour in 2021 but has struggled for large stretches over the past few years. Dahmen, who just welcomed his second child into the world, finished No. 122 on the points list. The 38-year-old from Washington had three top 10s and missed 16 cuts in 28 starts. 

He has conditional status but another year of poor play will put him in a tough spot.

2. Matt Kuchar

Maybe it’s not surprising that the 47-year-old Kuchar is barely holding on at this point.

He only had one top-10 finish in 18 starts this season. Kuchar is 13th on the career money list (wow) and could cash in that exemption, but it’s clear his days are numbered.

3. Brandt Snedeker

Snedeker is probably focused more on captaining the U.S. Presidents Cup team next year.

The nine-time Tour victor is 44 years old. He missed 12 of 25 cuts this year and ended up No. 126 in the standings. You will still see his name in Tour events but Snedeker hasn’t been competitive for a long time.

4. Harry Higgs

A popular player known for his good vibes and unbuttoning his golf shirt all the way down, Higgs has been in a tough spot with his game over the past few years.

He finished No. 132 on the points list and will likely be heading back to the Korn Ferry Tour.

5. Adam Hadwin

This is among the more surprising names on the list.

The Canadian spent nearly all of 2017-2024 within the top 100 (or better) of the Official World Golf Ranking. He’s now down to No. 222 and finished way outside the top 125 for the FedEx Fall standings.

Like Higgs, Hadwin might be heading to Q-School and/or the KFT.

6. Matt Wallace

Wallace is another surprising name. He pushed hard to get into the top 100 to secure full Tour status but he ended up just short at No. 103.

His exemption from the 2023 Corales Puntacana Championship has expired, but he will have options in 2026. One of those is playing more on the DP World Tour, where he has won five times.

7. Cameron Champ

A very talented driver of the ball who is just 30 years old, Champ has won three times—the last being the 2021 3M Open—in his career and has occasionally flashed brilliance.

Recently, it’s been a struggle. This season, the Californian had one just top 10 and missed nine cuts in 16 starts. 

Champ will also need to scratch and claw to regain Tour status.

8. Kevin Kisner

I think most of us had forgotten about Kisner as a player—he now works as an analyst for NBC.

He did make 17 starts this season but missed the cut in 14 of them. At No. 191 on the FedEx Fall standings, it’s safe to say Kisner’s playing days are fading fast.

9. Zach Johnson

Johnson turns 50 early next year but is expected to use a career money list exemption to stay alive in the big leagues for as long as he can.

He finished No. 141 this past season, so it’s possible 2026 is his last full-time kick at the can.

Top Photo Caption: Joel Dahmen has been on the struggle bus. (GETTY IMAGES/Raj Mehta)

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