Welcome to CaddyBytes' coverage of the PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, the legendary qualifying tournament that serves as the primary pathway to earning PGA Tour membership. Since its inception in 1965, Q-School has represented golf's ultimate pressure cooker, where dreams of playing on the world's premier golf tour are realized or dashed over 72 grueling holes.
The 2025 PGA Tour Q-School features a four-stage qualifying process that culminates with the Final Stage in December 2025. The top five finishers at Final Stage will earn coveted PGA Tour membership for the 2026 season, joining the world's best golfers on golf's biggest stage. The next 40 finishers and ties earn Korn Ferry Tour membership, providing another pathway to the PGA Tour.
Q-School represents one of the most dramatic events in all of sports, where unknown amateurs, mini-tour veterans, and former Tour players compete side-by-side for life-changing opportunities. The pressure is immense, with careers and livelihoods hanging in the balance with every shot. The tournament's history is filled with remarkable stories of triumph, heartbreak, and perseverance that define the spirit of professional golf.
PGA Tour Q-School
2025 PGA Tour Q-School
Final Stage Details
Date: December 11-14, 2025
Location: Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Venues: TPC Sawgrass & Sawgrass CC
Top 5 earn PGA Tour membership for 2026 season
Tournament DetailsPGA Tour Q-School History & Information
2025 PGA Tour Q-School
Upcoming Final Stage
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Final Stage: TPC Sawgrass & Sawgrass CC
Top 5 earn PGA Tour cards
Next 40 get Korn Ferry Tour status
2024 Q-School Qualifiers
Six Players Earned Cards
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
Griffin shot final round 63 to win
Hayden Buckley, Takumi Kanaya qualified
Alejandro Tosti, Will Chandler, Matthew Reidel
2020s Q-School Era
PGA Tour Cards Return
Format Evolution
PGA Tour cards returned in 2023
Top 5 and ties earn membership
Korn Ferry Tour benefits expanded
Tournament Format
Four-Stage Process
Progressive Elimination
Pre-Qualifying (54 holes)
First, Second & Final Stages (72 holes)
Stroke play, no cut at each stage
Pre-Qualifying Stage
First Hurdle
8 Sites Nationwide
September 17-19 & 24-26, 2025
8 sites across the United States
Advances to First Stage
First Stage
Second Qualification
14 Sites
October 7-10, 14-17, 21-24
14 sites across United States
Advances to Second Stage
Second Stage
Penultimate Round
5 Sites
December 2-5, 2025
5 sites across southern states
Advances to Final Stage
Final Stage
The Ultimate Test
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL
TPC Sawgrass & Sawgrass Country Club
Top 5 earn PGA Tour membership
Life-changing opportunity
Historical Context
Since 1965
Golf's Pressure Cooker
Founded in 1965 as PGA Tour Qualifying
Produced countless PGA Tour stars
Known for dramatic pressure situations
The Q-School Legacy
The PGA Tour Q-School has established an enduring legacy as golf's ultimate gateway to the PGA Tour since its inception in 1965. Originally known simply as the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament, it has evolved into a multi-stage proving ground that separates future stars from the rest of the competitive golf world. The tournament's unique format—featuring progressive elimination through four stages of competition—creates one of the most pressure-filled environments in all of sports.
Q-School's history is filled with remarkable stories of perseverance and triumph. Many of golf's greatest players earned their Tour cards through Q-School, including major champions like Tom Kite, John Daly, David Duval, and Jim Furyk. The tournament has also launched the careers of countless PGA Tour winners who might otherwise never have gotten their opportunity to compete at the highest level. The drama of Q-Sunday—the final round of Final Stage—has become the stuff of golf legend, with careers and livelihoods hanging in the balance with every shot.
Beyond the competition, Q-School represents the purest form of golf's meritocracy. Unlike many professional sports, golf provides a direct pathway from obscurity to the biggest stage based solely on performance. The tournament embodies the democratic spirit of golf, where unknown mini-tour players can compete alongside former Tour winners and highly-touted amateurs for the same life-changing opportunity. This level playing field has produced some of golf's most compelling human interest stories over the decades.
As the tournament continues to evolve with the changing landscape of professional golf, it maintains its core identity as golf's ultimate pressure cooker and dream factory. The 2025 edition continues this storied tradition, offering five PGA Tour cards and the chance for a select group of players to join the world's best golfers on the PGA Tour. The drama that unfolds each December at Final Stage continues to captivate golf fans and represents one of the sport's most authentic and compelling competitions.