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Starting next season, the PGA Tour will reduce the number of fully exempt players via the FedExCup points list from 125 to 100. This change means that many golfers hovering around the current cutoff will face intensified pressure during the fall schedule.
Players Feel the Shift at Silverado
At Silverado Resort, players acknowledged the uphill battle ahead. Peter Malnati noted that although he’s safe for next year due to a previous win, the reduced number of exempts makes the race tighter and more uncertain for those just outside the top margin.
The Points Difference: Big Stakes for Every Shot
To illustrate the pressure: under the old system, being No. 125 vs. No. 100 in the FedExCup standings could be the difference of about 114 points, roughly a top-5 finish in a non-major, non-signature event. That gap is no small margin.
Unknowns for Those Falling Just Short
One of the biggest concerns is what happens to players who finish between 101st and 125th now that full exempt status is only for the top 100. The Tour has indicated that players in that range will still have some starts in 2026, but exactly how many is unclear. Roland “Lanto” Griffin, who has experienced life just on the periphery of safety, emphasized how every event will become more critical.
