Sunday at Q-school: What's really at Stake

This is what makes Q-School great. One round left. Careers on the line. Some guys playing for a PGA Tour card, others just trying to secure a place to play next year. The leaderboard tells part of the story, but the real drama is in the numbers, the categories, and what moving a few spots up—or down—can actually mean. With 18 holes to go, here’s what matters and who’s in Important facts

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Five
The number of PGA Tour cards available. A strict five. No ties. If players are tied for fifth, there will be a playoff. And yes, that’s going to be chaos.

The next 40 and ties
After the PGA Tour cards are handed out, the next 40 finishers (and ties) earn Korn Ferry Tour cards. It won’t be the focus of the TV coverage today, but for the players, this number is massive. Miss it and you don’t know if—or when—you’ll get starts next season.

Move up regardless
For guys without any status locked up for 2026, today matters no matter where they start on the leaderboard. Moving up 10 or 20 spots, even from the bottom third, could mean one early-season start. And one start can turn into everything.

The current top five

Ben Kohles
The veteran has played 112 PGA Tour events and finished 145th in points this season, so no matter what happens tomorrow, he’ll have at least some starts in 2026. That takes a bit of pressure off, but don’t confuse that with a carefree round. A top-five finish here could mean 10 or more additional starts. That’s life-changing even for someone who’s been around.

Marcelo Rozo
The Colombian has been a pro for 13 years and has never held PGA Tour status. Injuries hit him so hard recently that he seriously considered stepping away from the game. Now he’s 18 holes away from a PGA Tour card.

Cooper Dossey
After turning pro in 2021, Dossey dominated mini-tours, and I called him the best player without status in 2023. He earned Korn Ferry Tour status in 2024, backed it up with a solid 2025 season, and already has his KFT card locked up for next year. Now he’s chasing the bigger prize. Brentley Romine wrote about how Dossey was considering skipping Q-School because he and his wife just had their first baby. That context makes this even better.

A.J. Ewart
The Golf Canada pipeline keeps producing players, and Ewart looks like the next one. Players in the program live together in Arizona, play a full schedule, and work on their games year-round. Ewart had a great season on the Americas Tour and now has a legitimate shot at a PGA Tour card.

John Pak
The former Florida State star has found something over the last month. He made his final three cuts of the PGA Tour season, including a T17 in Mexico and a T7 at the RSM. Unfortunately, the early-season struggles were too much to overcome and he finished 152nd in points. Still, the timing of this run couldn’t be better.

Some of the chasers

Spencer Levin
GOAT.

Matt Atkins
Better known as “Crashkins” from the Bryan Brothers YouTube channel, the 35-year-old has a habit of playing his best when his career is on the line. In 2023, after losing his KFT card, he Monday-qualified into the RSM, made the cut, and earned $35,000—money that literally kept his career alive. After a good 2024, he struggled this season and again lost his card. With his back against the wall once more, Atkins advanced through first and second stage and now finds himself in contention for a PGA Tour card. Again.

Kota Kaneko
The 23-year-old has two Japan Tour wins this year and is ranked 174th in the world. It doesn’t look like he’s played much professional golf outside Japan, which makes this even more impressive. He’s just one shot outside a PGA Tour card. Blood type: B.

Davis Shore
The 27-year-old had a solid Korn Ferry Tour season, finishing 39th in points. That gives him security, so today is almost a free roll. Almost. There’s only one goal: get inside the top five.

Ian Holt
Same deal as Shore. The Kent State product finished 42nd in KFT points and now has a clean swing at something bigger.

Other chasers

Christian Salzer
Probably the least known name near the top. Salzer played at NC State and, as a sophomore, averaged over 76. His senior season was a different story, and he’s been grinding on mini-tours since turning pro in 2020. He finished 74th on the Americas Tour last year and now sits just two back.

Raythan Thomas
Starts the day four shots back, but it’s great to see him playing well. Thomas was the first alternate for a late-season KFT event and never got into the field—despite the fact that he should have. A clerical error allowed MJ Daffue into the field ahead of him when he shouldn’t have been. Thomas finished 88th in points, and the Tour told him he’d be given one extra start in 2026 that would count toward 2025 points. It looks like he may not even need it, as a decent day today should lock up full KFT status.

Ryo Ishikawa
He doesn’t have a path to a PGA Tour card, but he’s currently inside the number for full Korn Ferry Tour status heading into the final round. It’ll be interesting to see if he plays any KFT events before the Japan Tour starts. At just 34 years old, there’s still plenty of runway if he wants to make a push in the States.

There are plenty more storylines that will develop throughout the day. We’ll be doing a live watch party for the final hour or so—come hang out. I’ll post the link later.

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