Matt Kuchar just wrapped up his 19th straight PGA Tour season, but finishing 118th in the 2025 FedEx Cup means he no longer holds full status under the new top‑100 cutoff. In this video, we break down why his 2025 season was considered subpar despite missing only two cuts in 18 starts, and how a single top‑10 at the John Deere Classic wasn’t enough to secure his card. You’ll learn what “conditional status” really means, how it affects the number and type of PGA Tour events he can enter in 2026, and why he currently isn’t eligible for any signature events, majors, The Players, or playoff events. We’ll also explain Kuchar’s options with his two career‑money exemptions, why being 15th on the PGA Tour’s all‑time earnings list gives him flexibility, and what he must decide before the Sony Open in Hawaii. Finally, we look ahead to what a realistic 2026 schedule could look like for Kuchar, what he needs to do early in the season to improve his status, and what fans should watch for as he chases a full season on tour again.
After a disappointing 2025 season, Matt Cooer is hoping for a full season in 2026. The 47year-old golfer finished his 19th consecutive season on the PGA Tour at number 118 in the FedEx Cup, which is just enough to keep his full card in most years. However, with the tour’s cutoff dropping to the top 100, Coocher’s future looks uncertain. The issue lies in the fact that Cooer is not eligible for any of the eight signature events for majors, the players championship, or the three FedEx Cup playoff events in 2026. He will have to decide whether to use one of his career money exemptions, but it’s not a straightforward decision. Cooer admits, “I don’t know how many starts I’ll get. It’s a tricky situation. Using an exemption won’t get me into any elevated events. The question is whether his conditional status will grant him similar access to events as taking a career money exemption. PGA Tour officials estimate that players ranked between number 101 and number 110 in the FedEx Cup will participate in about 16 out of 19 tournaments and all of the FedEx Cup fall events except for Japan. Cooer, currently ranked number 118, is just eight spots below this group and could drop further if he doesn’t perform well initially. Despite his uncertain future, Cooer has time to make a decision. He has played exceptionally well over the years, ranking number 15 in career earnings at $61,538,738. This puts him over $15.4 million ahead of the player at number 25. Therefore, waiting another year to take the top 25 exemption won’t significantly impact his earnings. Coocher’s 2025 season was frustrating with only one top 10 finish and a tie for fifth in the John Deere Classic. He missed only two cuts in 18 starts but struggled to consistently perform well over the course of the season.
Matt Kuchar just wrapped up his 19th straight PGA Tour season, but finishing 118th in the 2025 FedEx Cup means he no longer holds full status under the new top‑100 cutoff.
In this video, we break down why his 2025 season was considered subpar despite missing only two cuts in 18 starts, and how a single top‑10 at the John Deere Classic wasn’t enough to secure his card.
You’ll learn what “conditional status” really means, how it affects the number and type of PGA Tour events he can enter in 2026, and why he currently isn’t eligible for any signature events, majors, The Players, or playoff events.
We’ll also explain Kuchar’s options with his two career‑money exemptions, why being 15th on the PGA Tour’s all‑time earnings list gives him flexibility, and what he must decide before the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Finally, we look ahead to what a realistic 2026 schedule could look like for Kuchar, what he needs to do early in the season to improve his status, and what fans should watch for as he chases a full season on tour again.
After a disappointing 2025 season, Matt Cooer is hoping for a full season in 2026. The 47year-old golfer finished his 19th consecutive season on the PGA Tour at number 118 in the FedEx Cup, which is just enough to keep his full card in most years. However, with the tour’s cutoff dropping to the top 100, Coocher’s future looks uncertain. The issue lies in the fact that Cooer is not eligible for any of the eight signature events for majors, the players championship, or the three FedEx Cup playoff events in 2026. He will have to decide whether to use one of his career money exemptions, but it’s not a straightforward decision. Cooer admits, “I don’t know how many starts I’ll get. It’s a tricky situation. Using an exemption won’t get me into any elevated events. The question is whether his conditional status will grant him similar access to events as taking a career money exemption. PGA Tour officials estimate that players ranked between number 101 and number 110 in the FedEx Cup will participate in about 16 out of 19 tournaments and all of the FedEx Cup fall events except for Japan. Cooer, currently ranked number 118, is just eight spots below this group and could drop further if he doesn’t perform well initially. Despite his uncertain future, Cooer has time to make a decision. He has played exceptionally well over the years, ranking number 15 in career earnings at $61,538,738. This puts him over $15.4 million ahead of the player at number 25. Therefore, waiting another year to take the top 25 exemption won’t significantly impact his earnings. Coocher’s 2025 season was frustrating with only one top 10 finish and a tie for fifth in the John Deere Classic. He missed only two cuts in 18 starts but struggled to consistently perform well over the course of the season.
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