The 2025 PGA TOUR season concludes at The RSM Classic, where the top 100 players in the FedExCup Fall standings will secure exempt status for the 2026 season. This video breaks down what’s at stake, including the Aon Next 10 eligibility, Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year considerations, and the impact on players’ priority rankings. Learn how the final event of the FedExCup Fall determines the future of PGA TOUR players and their access to Signature Events and Full-Field Events in 2026. Key players like Ryo Hisatsune, Thorbjørn Olesen, and Adam Schenk are highlighted as they fight for their positions. Don’t miss this in-depth analysis of the high-stakes drama at The RSM Classic!
What a thrilling finish to the 2025 PGA Tour season. Picture this. Golfers battling it out at the RSM Classic in St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. Not just for glory and prize money, but with their entire 2026 careers hanging in the balance. For many players, this isn’t just another tournament. It’s a makeorb breakak moment that could define their professional futures. But here’s where it gets controversial. Is this intense pressure fair, pushing athletes to their limits in the name of competition? or does it unfairly advantage the elite while leaving others scrambling? Stick around as we dive into the details and you might find yourself questioning the systems balance yourself as the curtain falls on the 2025 PGA Tour season this week at the RSM Classic. It’s the capstone of the FedEx Cup fall series Series. For those new to golf’s complex ranking systems, think of the FedEx Cup as a pointsbased leaderboard that tracks a player’s performance throughout the year. kind of like a season-long battle royale where every stroke counts toward bigger opportunities. This event wraps up the FedEx Cup fall, a series of tournaments that started after the main season, and it’s packed with high stakes outcomes for 2026 eligibility. Under the PGA Tours updated rules for next season, only the top 100 players in the FedEx Cup fall standings after the RSM Classic will secure what’s called exempt status on the tour. This means they’re guaranteed spots in most major events without having to qualify each time. Imagine it as a VIP pass to the sport’s biggest stages. Meanwhile, other big decisions will hinge on this week’s results, including who makes the AON Next 10 list. More on that shortly, plus considerations for the 2025 PGA Tour Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards. The RSM Classic stands as the seventh and final official PGA Tour event in the FedEx Cup fall. And each one comes with sweet perks for the winner, a two-year exemption on the tour, 500 FedEx Cup points, and invites to prestigious tournaments like the Players Championship, the RBC Heritage, and the PGA Championship in 2026. It’s also a chance for players to solidify or boost their standing in the priority rankings, which determine who gets into events when spots are limited. To put this in perspective for beginners, players who made it into the FedEx Cup playoffs earlier in the year, the top 70, already have their 2026 exempt status locked in along with access to the players and all full field events. Those are the bigger tournaments with 125 or more players. Those who reach the BMW Championship top 50 get invites to all eight signature events next year. And the elite top 50 even preserve their FedEx Cup positions. everyone below that keeps racking up points through these fall events to climb as high as possible. Now, let’s zoom in on the top 100. That’s the magic cutoff for full exempt status, granting access to all full field events and the players championship in 2026, ending up between 101 and 150. That’s conditional status splitting into tiers 101 to 110, 111 to 125, and 126 to 150 with varying degrees of event access. Plus, these players earn exemptions on the Cornferry Tour, which is like the PGA Tours Developmental League, a stepping stone for rising stars. And this is the part most people miss. As per recent announcements, anyone who gained tour membership in 2025 via the Cornferryy Tour or Q School, but slips out of exempt status by seasons will still get Cornfairy Tour exemptions for 2026, no matter their FedEx Cup fall finish. It’s a safety net to keep the talent pipeline flowing. Heading into the week, several players in the 95 to 110 range are teeing off, each with a shot at breaking into the top 100. names like Rio Hisitsun number 95, Thorbjorn Olison number 96, Danny Walker number 97, Michael Brennan number 98, Takumi Kaya number 99, Carl Phillips number 100, Matt Wallace number 102, Bohassler number 103, Isaiah Celinda number 104, David Lipsky number 105, Victor Perez number 108, Patrick Fishburn number 109, and Pierce Sunudi number 110 are in contention. Brennan and Phillips already have exemptions thanks to their tournament wins. Proof that victories can be game changers. Just last week at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, three players surged into the top 100. Winner Adam Shank jumped from number 134 to number 67. Chandler Phillips moved up from number 139 to number 92 with a second place finish. And Takumi Kaya climbed to number 99 after tying for third. Meanwhile, Max McGrevy, who started at number 100, secured a T3 to land at number 89. Shifting gears to the AON Next 10, another intriguing pathway designed to spotlight rising talents. This program rewards the top 10 players outside the exempt ranks in the FedEx Cup standings, giving them entry into signature events, which are the Tours Marquee tournaments with smaller fields and higher prestige. At the end of the RSM Classic, positions 51 to 60 in the FedEx Cup fall will form the AON Next 10 for 2020 X’s first two signature events, the AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm and the Genesis Invitational. For context, it’s like a wildcard system that gives under the radar players a crack at the big leagues without needing top 50 status. Currently, three players in the potential AON Next 10 are competing this week. Chris Kirk number 54, Rico Hoy number 57, and Jake Knap number 59. Additionally, seven from the 61 to 70 bracket are in the field, including Nikico Acheavaria number 62, Patrick Rogers, number 63, Joe Heismith, number 65, Stephan Jagger, number 66, Adam Shank, number 67, McKenzie Hughes number 69, and Steven Fisk number 70. Take Maverick McNeely story from last year. He claimed his maiden PGA Tour victory at the RSM Classic, landed at number 51 in the FedEx Cup fall, and earned AON next 10 spots in the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach ProAm and the Genesis Invitational. He even finished second at the Genesis, keeping him in that elite list for the rest of the season. McNeely capped off an incredible year with four top 10s in signature events, ending number 23 in the FedEx Cup and peaking at number 10 in the official World Golf Ranking. It’s examples like this that show how the AON Next 10 can launch careers. Imagine the buzz from his family and friends celebrating that breakthrough win. But what if you’re eyeing the PGA Tour and end up outside the top 100? Don’t fret. There’s still hope through the final stage of PGA Tour Q School presented by Cornferry. This qualifier running from Thursday December 11th through Sunday December 14th at DY Valley course at TPC Srass and Srass Country Club in Ponte Vidra Beach of Florida awards tour cards to the top five finishers no ties for newcomers. Q school is essentially a grueling test of skill where pros compete for membership and final stage is the ultimate stage after earlier rounds. Exempt spots in final stage go to the top 40 available players below number 100 in the FedEx Cup fall plus non-members with FedEx Cup points matching or exceeding number 150 and anyone in the top 50 of the official World Golf ranking as of Monday, November 17th. It’s a lifeline for those without status to gain or upgrade it. Think of it as a second chance to earn that coveted tour spot. Wrapping up the season’s honors, the RSM Classic marks the last chance for consideration in the Jack Nicholas Award, Player of the Year, and Arnold Palmer Award, Rookie of the Year. This year saw a surge in rookie victories, five in total, the most since 2019 with four of those winners teeing off here. Michael Brennan, Bank of Utah Championship, Steven Fisk, Sanderson Farms Championship, William Mau Championship, and Carl Phillips Puerto Rico Open. The fifth Aldrich Piider Rocket Classic is a 21-year-old from South Africa who racked up three top 10s, including his win in a playoff loss at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. He was the sole rookie to make the FedEx Cup playoffs and climbed to number 49 in the official World Golf ranking. Winners for these awards will be revealed postseason with presentations following later. Finally, let’s touch on international flare from the DP World Tour Championship, the 2025 race to Dubai’s finale. The top 10 finishers, excluding those already exempt, earned PGA Tour memberships through the DP World Tour top 10 initiative. Here’s the list. Marco Penge, England. Lorie Caner, England. Christopher Wright, Norway. Adrienne Sadier, France. Alex Norin, Sweden. John Perry, England. Hatami, China. Kada Nakajima, Japan. Raasmus Negard Peterson, Denmark. Jordan Smith, England. A standout. Raasmus Negard Peterson tied for third, vaultting to number nine and securing his tour card. The Dane made five PGA Tour appearances in 2025 and finished second at the Puerto Rico Open. As we reflect on all these moving pieces, one can’t help but wonder, does the PGA Tour system truly promote meritocracy, or does it create an uneven playing field that favors consistency over raw talent? And this is the part most people miss these eligibility changes could reshape golf’s landscape for years. What do you think? Should rookies get more breaks, or is the current setup just right? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let’s debate whether this highstakes finale is building legends or leaving some behind.
