The PGA Tour Qualifying School Final kicks off this Thursday in Florida and will do so, however, without any Spanish presence among the 176 players competing for one of the five available spots for the PGA Tour 2026.
The competition is played over 72 holes, without a cut, spread between the Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass and Sawgrass Country Club, and with the novelty compared to last year of resolving any ties affecting those five direct promotion spots through a playoff. Those who do not make it into the top five will be eligible for different categories. Players finishing between 6th and 45th place, including ties, will have a Korn Ferry Tour card for 2026, with differentiated priority according to their position within that range.
The 2025 edition features an especially strong lineup. Cameron Champ, a three-time winner on the PGA Tour and considered a top emerging talent a few years ago, arrives at Sawgrass needing to rebuild his career after several seasons of modest results. Lanto Griffin also faces a challenging situation, having won this same School last year but re-entering the process after finishing 142nd in the FedEx Cup. Adam Hadwin, winner of the Valspar Championship and with a recognised track record on the tour, seeks to regain status after a season where he failed to maintain the necessary consistency. Joining them is Harry Higgs, who lost his card after falling outside the top 100, as well as the Scotsman Russell Knox, a former WGC-HSBC Champions winner, who is trying to find his way back to the elite after several challenging seasons.
One of the particular focuses is on the Australian Travis Smyth, who could become the first former LIV Golf player to obtain a PGA Tour card through the School. His presence adds an additional element of interest to an already pressure-filled week. Another name drawing attention is Colombian Camilo Villegas, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour who returns to the School after losing his card despite winning a tournament just two years ago.
Among the players arriving in good form are Brazilian Fred Biondi, a university champion with a very suitable profile for long tournaments without a cut, and Mexican Álvaro Ortiz, winner of the Latin America Amateur and with experience in Korn Ferry and PGA Tour events. Both present themselves as solid contenders to fight for the top five if they maintain a steady line on the two Sawgrass courses. There will be no Spaniards, but there are ten European players, with the presence of three French players standing out.
Two very demanding courses, no cut, and only five players will leave with a PGA Tour card. Sawgrass once again delivers the verdict.
