With my apologies to Bobby Jonesthere is success golf and there is career-at-stake golf, and they are not at all the same.
Sunday showed the difference between them.
For the first, the lightest, the fans had the pleasure of Grant Thornton Invitational Tournament in Naples, Florida, a joint PGA and LPGA Tour production pitting 16 two-player teams against each other in a mixed-format competition infused with all the tension of a birthday party on a putt-putt course. In the third and final round of this feel-good affair at Tiburón Golf Club, Lauren Coughlin and Andrew Novak broke away from the pack with a 9-under 63 in four-ball modifieds (each hitting their own drives, then playing the other’s ball and recording the high score on each hole), giving them a tournament total of 28 under and a three-shot victory over three teams that included a trio of the LPGA Tour’s biggest names (Nelly Korda, Charley Hull and Jennifer). Kupcho).
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It was the soft stuff that filled the wallet.
For thrilling action without purses on the line, you had to look elsewhere in the Sunshine State—Ponte Vedra Beach, to be precise, where the annual dogfight known as the Q-School Finals was taking place. At Q-School, math is still unforgiving. This year, however, it was crueler than ever, as, due to a change in format during the offseason, only the top five managed to qualify. Previously, the first five and ties won their cards.
The stage was set for heartbreak and heroism on the Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass and, as usual, Sunday’s final round delivered both. One particularly nerve-wracking moment involved the famous Tour veteran Camilo Villegaswho missed a short birdie putt on 18 that he knew he probably needed. Sure enough, the miss left him at 10 under, just a tortuous playoff shot. (Villegas did, however, stick around to join in a celebration that we’ll get to shortly.)
For Spencer Levin, a 41-year-old who has played professional football for two decades with varying degrees of status, the pain came on more slowly throughout the day. After a 63 on Saturday, Levin was in position to regain the PGA Tour card he lost in 2017. But his Sunday was a frustrating 1-down struggle that dropped him to T13.
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Then there was the case of Ben Kohles, who was tied for the lead when it went viral for all the wrong reasons. His unfortunate turn occurred on the par-4 8th hole, where Kohles blocked his drive in the trees then was penalized for moving his ball while dealing with debris around his lie: double bogey. Kohles confirmed that with a water ball on the next hole and another double bogey that drowned his hopes for good.
But you know what they say: every golf shot makes someone happy. And at the end of the day, five players were particularly satisfied. Here’s a look at who made it and how they did it.
AJ Ewart
A 26-year-old Canadian and the son of a professional teacher, Ewart grew up in a cold climate but continued to play in mild weather at Barry University in Florida. He won seven times in college and turned professional in 2023. Last year, Ewart lost in a playoff at the Victoria Open, had four top 10s on the PGA Tour Americas and narrowly missed his Korn Ferry Tour card. But by winning the Q-School with a total of 14 under, he now has something better.
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Adam Svensson
Same country of origin as Ewart. Same college alma mater too. But Svensson, 31, is older and more experienced, with several Tour campaigns under his belt, as well as a victory at the 2022 RSM Classic. After finishing 167th in the FedExCup standings in 2025, Svensson needed a big week to regain his full status in 2026. He did so with a T2 finish.
Alexandre Tosti
True to its name, Tosti can get cozy. During his young career, the fiery Argentine has faced clashes with other players and tournament officials. At the 2023 Albertsons Boise Open, he was suspended for what was allegedly an outburst of profanity directed at his playing partner, Kyle Westmoreland. But more often than not, Tosti’s piece spoke for itself and stood up to the pressure. This is the second year in a row that he has achieved full Tour status through Q-School.
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Marcelo Rozo
When his par putt fell at the 18th, guaranteeing him a T2, Rozo pointed to the sky and burst into tears. It was a seemingly most emotional end to the day, and no wonder. After a serious wrist injury in 2022, Rozo thought he might never play competitive golf again. He sat out all of 2023 and earned his real estate license as a career substitute. Originally from Colombia, Rozo is 36 years old, and his triumphant moment on Sunday was long overdue.
One of the most touching scenes of the day followed soon after, as Rozo celebrated with his family members, alongside his compatriot Villegas and Villegas’ family. Villegas stayed to share Rozo’s moment after coming painfully close with his own bid.
Dylan Wu
The only American to hit his card this week, Wu did so in emphatic fashion, with a birdie on the first hole of a two-man playoff against Ben Silverman. Since turning professional in 2019, Wu, 29, has switched between the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, gaining experience that came in handy on Sunday. After two bogeys on the back nine threatened his chances, Wu responded with an eagle at the 16th and two courageous pars on the final two holes before going big in sudden death.
The position These 5 players just won their PGA Tour cards for 2026 appeared first on Golf.
