The PGA Tour finale is a rollercoaster of emotions, where dreams are made and shattered in the span of a few strokes. For some players, this tournament is their last chance to secure their status for the upcoming season—a high-stakes battle that can define their careers. But here’s where it gets controversial: the PGA Tour’s recent decision to reduce the number of fully exempt spots from 125 to 100 has left many players on the edge, questioning the fairness of the system.
Take Justin Lower, for example. The 36-year-old golfer needed a stellar performance at the RSM Classic, the final PGA Tour event of the year, to secure his spot in the top 100. Ranked 118th in the FedEx Cup standings, Lower’s hopes were pinned on this tournament. Unfortunately, he missed the cut by just two strokes, finishing at 5 under. The emotional aftermath was raw and heartfelt. ‘I went to an NAIA school. I lost my dad and brother when I was 15,’ Lower shared with reporters, his voice trembling. ‘For me to get four years on Tour, I don’t know what to say. I love it here. I love everyone involved with the Tour. But right now, I’m just so mad.’ His frustration was palpable, a stark reminder of the human stories behind the scores.
And this is the part most people miss: the RSM Classic may not feature the biggest names in golf, but for players like Lower, it’s a career-defining moment. It’s their shot at locking in a Tour card or facing the possibility of falling off the world’s top circuit. Is the PGA Tour’s new system too harsh, or is it a necessary evolution to maintain competitiveness?
Adam Hadwin, ranked 139th, summed it up perfectly: ‘Every point matters, every point counts. It’s an extra guy that I can jump ahead of if I do end up with nonexempt status.’ Hadwin, unlike Lower, managed to keep his hopes alive with a dramatic up-and-down for par from 52 feet on his final hole, securing a weekend tee time. Yet, even he is eyeing conditional status, which offers no guarantees. ‘I’ve accepted the situation, but I’m not at peace with it,’ Hadwin admitted. ‘For the first time in 11 years, I don’t have a place to call home next year.’
Sam Ryder, Grayson Sigg, and Ricky Castillo are also in the mix, fighting for conditional status or a spot in the top 100. Sigg’s 62-shot round propelled him 20 spots to 123rd, while Castillo climbed from 135th to 125th. But the pressure is relentless. ‘You drive yourself insane if you start looking at where you’re projected,’ Sigg noted, highlighting the mental toll of the chase.
Meanwhile, players like Matt Wallace, Beau Hossler, and Ryo Hisatsune are clinging to their positions near the 100 mark, knowing one bad weekend could change everything. A year ago, the fully exempt threshold was 125. Now, 25 fewer players get that security. Is this progress, or is it pushing players too far?
Lower doesn’t hold back his opinion: ‘I totally get the need for the changes, but do I agree with them? No. I don’t think our product is that bad to where we have to blow everything up.’ Yet, he acknowledges the harsh reality: ‘I had a sh—y year. I missed a lot of cuts, I shot 27 over at the U.S. Open. But I worked my ass off this fall, and to come up this short, it sucks.’
Good golf, as they say, takes care of everything. But in a season filled with countless shots that could alter a player’s fate, the margin for error is razor-thin. Is the PGA Tour’s new system fair, or does it unfairly penalize players who’ve dedicated their lives to the sport? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation about the future of golf and the players who make it great.