Francesco Molinari, Zac Blair and Wesley Bryan were among the standouts who missed out on a top 125 finish for the FedEx Cup Fall.
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Forty-eight tournaments in 47 weeks brought the 2024 PGA Tour calendar to its official conclusion on Sunday, the RSM Classic as the pros’ last attempt to qualify for the top 125 in the FedEx Cup Fall and retain full playing rights on the Tour in 2025.
The sweat was there earlier in the week, with all but one player ranked 122 through 140 in the FedEx Cup tournaments competing at RSM. Many hearts were broken right on the cutting line, and a few were kept alive. Take Joel Dahmen, for example, who bogeyed after 36 holes knowing he was halfway to his goal of qualifying full time next year.
Those two extra rounds he got himself on Friday afternoon came in handy as Dahmen shot an incredible clutch 64 on Sunday to stamp his ticket to full release next year. Other players were not so lucky.
Below are six standouts – including several major winners – who missed out on the top 125 and while they will still be able to enter next year’s tour events, it won’t be nearly as easy or straightforward, plan-wise. That comes at a time when planning is more important than ever. The 2025 PGA Tour will offer only 100 fully exempt spots for the 2026 season, limiting access to 20 percent.
Francesco Molinari
The 2018 Open Champion has struggled since the final round of the 2019 Masters. It looks like he hasn’t been the same since dropping so many balls into the water hazard behind Augusta National. Molinari played 15 times but did not register a top 10 on Tour, finishing outside the top 190.
Jimmy Walker
The 2017 PGA Champion did not seek a PGA Tour card through the FedEx Cup Fall. He spent a lot of time playing in Europe, competing in the Irish Open and the Spanish Open, where he finished in the top 15 twice. It’s possible we’ll see him take that form back to America next year, but he’ll have to get lucky for some tournaments first.
Zac Blair
Blair entered the final week ranked 123rd, knowing that a well-executed cut and a solid game should be enough to see him through to next year in full form. He was paired with bubble teammate Dahmen in the first two rounds and finished one shot behind him. One main problem: Dahmen made the cut no. Blair missed the cut, a number one deficit. That made him an absolute leaderboard watcher all weekend, with plenty of players jumping on him.
Wesley Bryan
Like Blair, the PGA Tour’s top YouTuber entered the week in the clear. He was joined by Dahmen, too, and likewise missed one shot short of the number. He took to Twitter afterwards to thank his fans for their support and encouragement.
Parker and Pierceson Coody
The Coody Brothers both enjoyed their seasons early in their rookie seasons, but both struggled to make enough cuts to hold onto a FedEx Cup berth. Parker earned a top ten finish at the Corales Punta Cana event and Pierceson nearly won the ISCO Championship in Kentucky in July. Pierceson will retain conditional status for next season, and will earn his way to multiple tour events. Parker, on the other hand, will have to try to find a way back through Q-School or find himself on the Korn Ferry Tour next season.
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