The dreams of “10,000-plus” aspiring PGA Tour Champions players were shattered this week with the circuit’s Player Advisory Council (PAC) voting to eliminate its annual qualifying tournament.
Rumoured for several months, the change was confirmed on Tuesday – during the hubbub of Ryder Cup week, an event the PGA Tour plays no part in. Now, the only pathway to the over-50s offshoot circuit for those without a notable history on the PGA Tour will be via tournament-by-tournament pre-qualifying, which is a dicey proposition at best.
“After thorough discussions, including multiple meetings and calls, the 2025 PAC and player directors have come to the agreement to eliminate the qualifying tournament for PGA Tour Champions beginning this year,” began the tour’s statement.
“This decision was made in alignment with the PGA Tour Champions’ objective of providing playing opportunities to members that have competed on the PGA Tour during their careers. We will continue to provide qualifying opportunities through pre-qualifying and event qualifying at all open, full-field events, as well as qualifying spots for several majors.”
The move leaves accomplished Australian golfers such as Andre Stolz [above], Scott Barr, Terry Pilkadaris, Jason Norris and others in limbo, to say nothing of those already on the tour or planning to attempt to gain a card in the years ahead.
In an impassioned social-media post on Tuesday morning, Stolz said the decision had ruined the hopes and dreams of thousands of golfers 45 years and older around the world.
When Australian Golf Digest reached the 55-year-old, he didn’t hold back his disappointment: “There’d have to be 10,000 golfers in the world who are 45-plus that have all just been devastated when they found this out,” he said.
“My whole mission to get out of bed for the past six years has been to see if I can get my game good enough and get back over there,” said Stolz, who had wrist surgery at 44 and didn’t play for five years while he rebuilt his swing.
A winner on the PGA Tour in 2004 and in Japan a year earlier, Stolz has dominated the local PGA Legends Tour in recent years, winning the Order of Merit the past four seasons and earlier this week capturing his 50th title on the domestic senior circuit. Stolz also finished T-6 at PGA Tour Champions Q-School last December – one spot and one shot away from earning full playing rights. If another Aussie was poised to make an impact there, it was him.
“It’s nice, I’ve won the four moneylists the past four years here in Australia, I won my 50th event the other day. All those are nice, but it’s not what’s been driving me,” Stolz said. “To me, it was all just like a dress rehearsal for, Is my game going to be consistent enough to play over there? I know I’m good enough, but you’ve got to get lightning in a bottle for that week.
“Golfers are dreamers. We all dream our next round is going to be the one that gets us back on track. And if you haven’t got motivation in life, you’re screwed, really.”
The one avenue onto the PGA Tour Champions left open to players like Stolz is incredibly narrow.
“As a past [PGA Tour] winner, I’m still a member of the PGA Tour Champions. They send me an up-to-date moneylist each week of where I’m at,” Stolz says. “But the difference is for anyone who’s not a member.
“Something that wasn’t mentioned in [the statement] but this is what all the guys have told me: you have to play seven events for your money to count on the moneylist. At the majors with the European guys, they give about 20 spots – maybe 30 – into the majors. So if you win, sure, you’re covered as always. But if you finish second [or lower], your money won’t show up on the moneylist until you’ve played seven events. That wasn’t written on this thing, but I’d presume it’d be in the fine print.
“So the only benefit I would get is: my money would count on the moneylist straight away. Whereas, say, a Scott Barr or someone like that goes over? Their money isn’t going to show up until they’ve played seven events. And to get into seven? Good luck. It’s just not going to happen.”
The “providing playing opportunities to members that have competed on the PGA Tour” portion of the tour’s statement reveals more than a little nepotism at play with the PGA Tour Champions. The circuit has become dominated by non-Americans in recent years, with players like Kiwi Steve Alker, Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez and the ageless German, Bernhard Langer, the driving forces. As it stands, only one American (second-ranked Stewart Cink) sits inside the top dozen on the 2025 moneylist.
RELATED: Steve Allan goes from alternate to winner in a career-altering PGA Tour Champions victory
Once largely mediocre, the Australian contingent on tour has been reinvigorated by the recent deeds of Steve Allan (three times a winner this year), Cameron Percy, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Greg Chalmers, Michael Wright, Brendan Jones, Stuart Appleby and David Bransdon. It’s a far stronger contingent of Aussies than tees up on the regular PGA Tour most weeks.
All are now vulnerable after the abolishment of Q-School, as those who don’t keep their cards have no clear path back. Only the top 36 at the end of the season retain their playing rights, with gradually diminishing status going to those ranked beyond 36th. Finish lower than about 55th, however, and the dream is over – just as it is for those aspirants not yet 50 years old or already 50 but not yet PGA Tour Champions members.
Stolz’s post received strong support from his fellow Aussie tour players, past and present.
“They clearly weren’t disciplined as kids when other people wanted to play with their toys,” wrote Scott Laycock. “Get a grip, PGA Tour Champions. Wayne Grady used this line at an AGM years ago: ‘If you’re not good enough, get better.’ I’m directing this to the American players if they feel threatened.”
“Sad news indeed. There is still a road onto the tour, but it’s just got even harder, particularly for foreigners who don’t reside in the USA,” Barr added.
“Absolute rubbish,” chirped Ryan Haller. “[They’re] sick of Aussies getting all the tour cards.”
“One thing I was looking forward to in future years was getting ready for this,” lamented Kurt Barnes.
“More inept fools in high positions within PGAs making bad decisions,” opined Paul Marantz.
RELATED: Andre Stolz runs away with a second Australian PGA Senior Championship title
Stolz says he understands the decision from a business standpoint. Certain players attract sponsor, gallery and TV attention more than others, even if their on-course performances wane with the passing years. Meanwhile, strong results by foreigners doesn’t necessarily capture the imagination of American galleries. Someone like Allan, the 2002 Australian Open champion, is known to Australian fans but remains relatively unknown in the US, despite garnering three trophies this year.
“Steve Allan is one of my best mates and one of the best humans in the world, but no one is going to watch him play except his family and me,” Stolz laughed. “If Steve Allan and Michael Wright are tied for the lead coming down the stretch on Sunday, the TV execs are going to switch channels. They just don’t care. It’s not going to bring sponsorship; it’s not going to bring TV ratings.
Melbourne’s Steve Allan is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions this year.
“They’re not looking for the best players. That’s not what this [tour is about]. Stevie Allan could go out and play fantastic golf, be awesome to watch and shoot seven-under, but they’d rather watch another guy who’s an all-star from the old days chop it around and shoot even-par. That’s going to bring money in and viewers in.”
Stolz contends that this stance will hurt the PGA Tour Champions long-term as their “all-stars” continue to age. However, also changing the mood on tour is the spectre of Tiger Woods on the horizon. The icon of the sport turns 50 on December 30 and there’s chatter among the players that he will play some over-50s events from next year.
“If you’ve got Tiger playing, who cares who else is in the field?” Stolz queries. “And Tiger’s indicated – I’m not so worried what the media’s saying, but through the players I’ve spoken to over in America – they’re all talking that he’s intending to play a little bit. He said he wants to play the senior majors and a few other events.”
Tiger or no Tiger, for fans of the Australians on the PGA Tour Champions, the message is: enjoy it now, because from 2026, it will be near impossible for one of our non-exempt players to find their way there.
AUSTRALIANS ON THE 2025 PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS MONEYLIST
8. Steve Allan $US1,578,302
11. Cameron Percy $1,196,999
17. Richard Green $995,741
22. Mark Hensby $809,102
27. Greg Chalmers $640,108
30. Michael Wright $614,953
44. Rod Pampling $376,618
49. Stuart Appleby $352,539
51. David Bransdon $332,129
58. Scott Hend $291,119
79. Brendan Jones $152,244
102. John Senden $67,058
107. Mathew Goggin $61,022
T-157. Andre Stolz $5,217
168. Scott Barr $4,510
