Matt Kuchar just wrapped up his 19th consecutive PGA Tour season with a disappointing 2025 campaign, finishing 118th in the FedEx Cup and falling short of the new top-100 cutoff for full status.
In this video, we break down what went wrong in Kuchar’s 2025 season, including his lone top-10 at the John Deere Classic and how he managed to miss only two cuts in 18 starts despite the frustrating results.
You’ll learn what conditional status at No. 118 really means, how the PGA Tour’s new cutoff and signature events affect veterans, and why Kuchar is now debating whether to use one of his valuable career-money exemptions.
We’ll also look at how many starts he might realistically get in 2026, what events he’s currently not eligible for, and what he needs to do early in the season to secure more playing opportunities.
If you’re a golf fan following PGA Tour status changes, FedEx Cup points, and the careers of long-time pros, this video will give you clear, simple context on Kuchar’s situation heading into 2026.
Matt Coocher’s 2025 PGA Tour journey ends with a twist. After a challenging season, Coocher finds himself in a unique predicament, leaving fans and experts alike intrigued about his future. The shocking conclusion. Coocher, a veteran golfer with 19 consecutive seasons on the PGA Tour, finished the 2025 season ranked number 118 in the FedEx Cup. This ranking, usually sufficient to retain his full card, becomes a hurdle due to the tour’s new cutoff rule, now limiting it to the top 100 players. A career in jeopardy. With his career money exemptions in hand, one might assume Cooer’s future is secure. However, the PGA Tour landscape has evolved since his debut in 2002. The tour now boasts eight signature events for majors. the Players Championship and three FedEx Cup playoff events and surprisingly Cooer is ineligible for all of them in 2026. Uncharted Waters Cooer’s own words after finishing T67 at the RSM Classic. He questions the value of his exemptions, admitting they won’t grant him entry into the elevated events. The dilemma. Will his conditional status provide more opportunities than the career money exemption? PGA Tour officials predict players ranked between number 101 and number 110 in the FedEx Cup will compete in 16 out of 19 tournaments. Plus, most of the FedEx Cup fall events excluding Japan. Cooer sitting at number 118 faces the risk of dropping further if he doesn’t perform well initially. a silver lining. Despite the challenges, Cooer has time on his side. His impressive career earnings of over $61 million place him at number 15, a comparable margin ahead of the player at number 25. This means delaying the top 25 exemption for another year won’t significantly impact his finances. The road ahead. Coocher’s 2025 season was marked by a single top 10 finish at the John Deere Classic, but he consistently made the cut in 16 out of 18 starts. Now he must decide his next move before the Sony Open in Hawaii. Controversial strategy. Should Cooer opt for the career money exemption or rely on his FedEx Cup ranking? Is it a strategic move to wait for the top 25 exemption? Share your thoughts on this intriguing scenario and let’s spark a discussion on the best path forward for this season golfer.
