Qualifying School

2025/2026 SEASON CHALLENGER PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA
QUALIFYING SCHOOL

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Rules and Conditions of Entry 

Entries for the Qualifying School will need to be submitted online via the following link – PGA Tour of Australisia Qualifying School Application.  Any player who has previously played in a PGATA Tour event will have log-in credentials.  Players needing assistance logging in, can contact  [email protected] 

1. DATES, VENUES & ENTRY DEADLINES

Stage	Date	Venues	Entry Deadline
First Qualifying Stage	9 – 11 April	Moonah Links (Legends & Open Course)	2pm AEDT, Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Final Qualifying Stage – Australia	14 – 17 April	Moonah Links (Open Course)	2pm AEDT, Tuesday 1 April 2025
Final Qualifying Stage – USA	15 – 18 July	Kinderlou Forest (Valdosta, Georgia, USA)	5pm EDT, Tuesday 17 June 2025

Note 1 : PGA of Australia reserves all rights to extend the entry deadline for applicants in exceptional circumstances and at its complete discretion

Note 2: The application form for the Final Stage USA will be published at a later date in 2025

2. FORMAT & CONDITIONS

The Qualifying School will be conducted in two stages of stroke play.

FIRST QUALIFYING STAGE (54 holes)

The First Stage will be contested over 54 holes of stroke play, with 18 holes being played each day. After 36 holes, there will be a cut to those players within 10 shots of the final qualifying place. At the conclusion of 54 holes, a set number of players will qualify and proceed to the Final Stage taking place in the following week. The First Stage is divided into two sections (Sections A and B) with each Section to be played on a different course as below.

SECTION A Legends Course Moonah Links Peter Thompson Drive Fingal, Victoria, 3939 Australia

SECTION B Open Course Moonah Links Peter Thompson Drive Fingal, Victoria, 3939 Australia

The exact number of qualifying positions available from the First Qualifying Stage will be announced as soon as   possible once all the participants have teed off in the first round. Players who are tied on the final qualifying position score shall be required to participate in a play-off to determine who qualifies for the Final Qualifying Stage (approximately 20% to 25% of players will advance, subject to entry numbers). 

In the event of a delay in completing the First Stage, applicants are advised that the day after the scheduled dates may be used as a full playing day to complete the relevant qualifier. 

Players at first stage must register via the Tournament Office no later than 12:00pm (noon) on Tuesday 8 April, 2025. Players who do not confirm their participation by this time may be removed from the official draw. 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

FINAL QUALIFYING STAGE  – AUSTRALIA (72 holes) 

The Final Stage will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play, with 18 holes being played each day. After 54 holes, there will be a cut to those players within 10 shots of the final qualifying place.

On the conclusion of 72 holes, the leading 26 players (and those players tied on the final qualifying place score) will be ranked according to score and will be staggered with the qualifiers from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – USA, using the order of rotation listed below. 

The leading player from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – Australia will be ranked in Category 9, followed by the leading player from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – USA. 

Players ranked 2 – 26 from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – Australia, and Players ranked 2 – 6 from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – USA will be ranked in Category 14 as follows:   

(i) Player finishing 2nd PGATA Qualifying School – Australia 

(ii) Player finishing 2nd PGATA Qualifying School – USA 

(iii) Players finishing within positions 3 – 8 PGATA Qualifying School – Australia 

(iv) Player finishing 3rd PGATA Qualifying School – USA 

(v) Players finishing within positions 9 – 14 PGATA Qualifying School – Australia 

(vi) Player finishing 4th PGATA Qualifying School – USA 

(vii) Players finishing within positions 15 – 20 PGATA Qualifying School – Australia 

(viii) Player finishing 5th PGATA Qualifying School – USA 

(ix) Players finishing within positions 21 – 26 PGATA Qualifying School – Australia 

(x) Player finishing 6th PGATA Qualifying School – USA

Each of these players will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia for the season.  Players finishing in positions 2 – 26 will be subject to the re-rank policy.  In the event of a tie for 1st position, the tie will be settled by a sudden death play-off which will be conducted immediately following the completion of the final round. The result of the play off will also determine prize money distribution (if applicable).

Those players finishing beyond 26^th place and ties, who complete 72 holes at Final Stage, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category. If a player is accepted as a Full Tournament Member, they will be ranked according to their score after the completion of the Final Qualifying Stage. 

In the event of a delay in completing the Final Stage, applicants are advised that the day after the scheduled dates may be used as a full playing day to complete the relevant qualifier. 

All tied scores shall be ranked by card play-off as follows: 

(a) the best last 18, (b) the best last 36 holes, (c) the best last 9, 6, 3 & 1 holes (holes 10 – 18).  

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

FINAL QUALIFYING STAGE  – USA (72 holes) 

The Final Stage USA will be contested over 72 holes of stroke play, with 18 holes being played each day. 

On the conclusion of 72 holes, the leading 6 players (and those players tied on the final qualifying place score) will be ranked according to score and will be staggered with the qualifiers from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – Australia, using the order of rotation listed in the section above.  Each of these players will be eligible to for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia for the season.  Players finishing in positions 2 – 6 will be subject to the re-rank policy. 

The leading player from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – USA will be ranked in Category 9, behind the leading player from the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School – Australia.  In the event of a tie for 1st position, the tie will be settled by a sudden death play-off which will be conducted immediately following the completion of the final round. The result of the play off will also determine prize money distribution (if applicable).   

Those players finishing from 7^th – 20^th place and ties, will be eligible for Full Tournament Membership of the PGA of Australia, however, they will not hold an exemption category. If a player is accepted as a Full Tournament Member, they will be ranked according to their score after the completion of the Final Qualifying Stage. 

In the event of a delay in completing the Final Stage, applicants are advised that the day after the scheduled dates may be used as a full playing day to complete the relevant qualifier. 

All tied scores shall be ranked by card play-off as follows: 

(a) the best last 18, (b) the best last 36 holes, (c) the best last 9, 6, 3 & 1 holes (holes 10 – 18).  

Note:  Should the number of entries at the Final Stage – USA not reach maximum entries (78), the number of players obtaining membership will be proportionately reduced.  Should the number of entries at the Final Stage – USA not reach the minimum number of entries (30), the PGA of Australia reserves the right to cancel this qualifier no later than the close of entries deadline. Entrants will be a refund of their entry fee.  

3. ELIGIBILTY FOR ENTRY

a) All male professional golfers; and

b) All male amateur golfers with a handicap index of 1.0 or less under the handicapping scheme adopted by the recognised authority controlling golf in the country from which they elect to enter. An official certificate from the relevant home club affiliated with the national Golf Union or Golf Association verifying an applicant’s handicap must accompany this application before it can be considered.

NOTE 1:  It is not a breach of the Rules of Amateur Status for an amateur golfer to file an entry for and play in any Stage of the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School. A player who is an amateur golfer when commencing play at the Final stage of the Qualifying School is not eligible to win any prize money on offer at Final Stage 

A player who enters the Qualifying School as an amateur may change his status to professional for any Stage of the Qualifying School but must do so in writing (to the PGA Tour of Australasia, prior to participating at the relevant stage. 

NOTE 2:  A player is not eligible to enter both the Final Stage in Australia and the USA.  A player who is unsuccessful at First Stage is not eligible to enter the Final Stage USA 

4. EXEMPTIONS FOR FINAL STAGE

4.1 AUSTRALIA

The following players are exempt from participating in PGA Tour of Australasia First Qualifying Stage and are exempt into Final Qualifying Stage:

1. Any former tournament winner, from January 1, 2015, on:
   • Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia (Tournaments with $400k prize purse or greater)
   • PGA TOUR
   • DP World Tour
   • European Tour
   • Japan Tour
   • Asian Tour
   • Korn Ferry Tour (or previous equivalent)
   • Sunshine Tour
     
2. Any former tournament winner, from January 1, 2020, on: 
   • PGA Tour of Australasia tournament with prize purse lower than $400k 
   • PGA Tour Americas (or previous equivalents)  
   • Challenge Tour 
3. Any player ranked inside the Top 500 of the Official World Golf Rankings as at close of entries.
4. 61^st to 100^th ranked Full Members, plus Temporary Tournament Tour Members (TTTM) within those positions from the 2024/25 Final PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit 
5. Any player from the Top 30 of the PGA Tour of Australasia Career Money List at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season
6. The leading 5 players, not otherwise exempt above, to a limit of 10^th place, off the Final 2024 Charles Tour OoM (New Zealand) 
7. The leading graduating PGA of Australia Associates to a to a limit of 10^th place as at the close of entries 
8. Amateurs who meet the following criteria:
   • The leading 3 entrants to a limit of 10th place in the R & A World Amateur Ranking at the close of entries. 
   • The current amateur champions of Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, United States, Canada, Japan, Asia and the Junior World Amateur Champion at close of entries 
   • Any amateur that was selected by their country to play in the most recent World Amateur Teams Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) 
   • Any amateur that was selected and played in the most recent Walker Cup and / or Arnold Palmer Cup 
   • Winner of the last played Asia Pacific Championship. 
   • Applicants who played in the semifinals of the 2022, 2023 or 2024 U.S. Amateur, or the final of the 2022,  2023 or 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur.   
   • The leading five (5) players within the Top 10 from the 2024 Dogwood Invitational. 
   • Any Future Tour Affiliate Member who would have accumulated points throughout the 2024/25 PGA Tour of Australasia season to the equivalent of 100^th place or higher.  A player’s accumulative points will be calculated by determining the amount of points the player would have earned in PGA Tour of Australasia Tournaments if they were a Professional. Should the player turn Professional throughout the season, any points earned as a Professional will not be counted for the sake of determining the players accumulative points as an amateur.  
9. Any player who has already gained a PGA Tour of Australasia Tournament Exemption Category for the 2025/26 season to the equivalent of Category 15 (as per the 2024/25 Tournament Exemption Categories) or higher. 
10. Any additional player at the discretion of the General Manager of Tournaments, PGA of Australia.

Players competing at Final Qualifying Stage must register in person with the PGA at Moonah Links no later than 12:00 noon on Sunday 13^th April 2025. 

The PGA Tour of Australasia reserves the right to add additional qualifying venues should this be necessary and amend the conduct, format, and cut marks for the Qualifying School at any time.  Every effort will be made to complete the prescribed number of holes for each Stage of the Qualifying School but if fewer holes can only be completed over the days allotted to each Stage, the PGA Tour of Australasia may reduce the number of holes required to complete each Stage or reschedule a Stage. 

4.2 FINAL STAGE – USA 

The following players are exempt into Final US Qualifying Stage:  

a. Any former tournament winner, from January 1, 2015 on: 

• PGA Tour of Australasia  

• PGA TOUR  

• DP World Tour  

• KPGA 

• Japan Tour  

• Asian Tour  

• Korn Ferry Tour (or previous equivalent)  

• Sunshine Tour  

b. Any former tournament winner, from January 1, 2020 on: 

• PGA Tour Americas (or previous equivalents)  

• Challenge Tour 

c. Any player ranked inside the Top 500 of the Official World Golf Rankings as at close of entries 

d. Applicants ranked sixth through twenty-fifth (6-25) on the current season’s Final Official 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking. 

e. Applicants finishing sixty-one through to one hundred (61-100) on the final 2024 Official Korn Ferry Tour Points List 

f. Applicants ranked inside the top 80 on the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas Official FINAL Points List. 

g. 61^st to 100^th ranked Full Members, plus Temporary Tournament Tour Members (TTTM) within those positions from the 2024/25 Final PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit   

h. Any player from the Top 30 of the PGA Tour of Australasia Career Money List at the conclusion of the 2024/25 season  

i. The leading 5 players, not otherwise exempt above, to a limit of 10th place, off the Final 2024 Charles Tour OoM (New Zealand) 

j. Any applicant who finished top 20 at any PGA TOUR Americas Qualifying Tournament Stage. 

k. 5 players nominated at the discretion of the Georgia Section, PGA of America 

l. Amateurs who meet the following criteria:  

1. The leading 3 entrants to a limit of 50th place in the (WAGR) World Amateur Golf Ranking at the close of entries.   

2. The current amateur champions of Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, United States, Canada, Japan, Asia and the Junior World Amateur Champion at close of entries 

3. Any amateur that was selected by their country to play in the most recent World Amateur Teams Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) 

4. Applicants who played in the semifinals of the 2022, 2023 or 2024 U.S. Amateur, or the final of the 2022, 2023 or 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur 

5. the NCAA DII Player of the Year  

6. Any amateur that was selected and played in the most recent Walker Cup and / or Arnold Palmer Cup 

7. Winner of the last played Asia Pacific Championship. 

8. The leading five (5) players within the Top 10 from the 2024 Dogwood Invitational. 

9. Any Future Tour Affiliate Member who would have accumulated points throughout the 2024/25 PGA Tour of Australasia season to the equivalent of 100^th place or higher.  A player’s accumulative points will be calculated by determining the amount of points the player would have earned in PGA Tour of Australasia Tournaments if they were a Professional. Should the player turn Professional throughout the season, any points earned as a Professional will not be counted for the sake of determining the players accumulative points as an amateur.  

m. Any player who has already gained a PGA Tour of Australasia Tournament Exemption Category for the 2025/26 season to the equivalent of Category 15 (as per the 2024/25 Tournament Exemption Categories) or higher 

n. Any additional player at the discretion of the General Manager of Tournaments, PGA of Australia 

Note:  The application form for the Final Stage USA will be published at a later date in 2025 

5. ENTRY FEES – AUSTRALIAN STAGES

Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School:

1. A$2,090 (incl. GST); irrespective of which Stage the applicant is applying to enter; or
2. A$1,155 (incl. GST); former PGA Tour of Australasia Tournament Winners, members who fall under the ‘10 season tournament members’ category for 2025/26 season or is ranked in the Top 30 of the Final 2024/25 PGA Tour Career Money List and any player who has already gained a PGA Tour of Australasia Tour Exemption Category for the 2025/26 season to the equivalent of Category 15 or higher.

Payment may only be made by credit card or debit card and must be made at the end of the entry application process. 

6. WITHDRAWALS 

A player may withdraw at any time provided notification of their withdrawal is received by the PGA of Australia in writing.  Players who withdraw prior to the Entry Deadline will receive a full refund of their Entry Fee.  Players who withdraw after the Entry Deadline will be refunded no more than AUD$1,155 (incl. GST). Unless extreme personal circumstances exist, once a participant tees off (or is absent on the tee) the player is no longer eligible for any type of refund. 

7. REGULATIONS

By submitting a completed Qualifying School application form, each applicant: 

a) acknowledges the sole authority of the Tournament Players Committee and Board of PGA of Australia to establish: (i) the Qualifying School Rules and Conditions of Entry as published in this application form; and (ii) any subsequent rules and regulations of which the applicant is notified of prior to any stage of the Qualifying School  

b) agrees to abide by the QS Rules and Regulations and any amendments made from time to time by the Tournament Players Committee or the Board of PGA of Australia, or persons acting with their authority. This may include but is not limited to changes to the format, conditions, field sizes and schedules referred to in this form. 

c) accepts and abides by the decisions of the Tournament Players Committee, Board of the PGA of Australia, Chief Executive of PGA of Australia, Qualifying School Tournament Director or such other authorised persons of PGA of Australia. 

d) agrees to conduct himself in accordance with and agree that he is bound by the Code of Behaviour and Disciplinary Procedure of the PGA of Australasia (in each case references therein to ‘Members’ are deemed to be a reference to the relevant applicant). 

8. GENERAL POLICY

The PGA Tour of Australasia reserves the right to reject an application for entry at any time. Conduct unbecoming a professional or non-competitive performance during a previous Qualifying School can be a basis for the rejection of an application to enter. The PGA Tour of Australasia also reserves the right to remove a player from a tournament at any time due to conduct or non-competitive performance (+14 or more in any given round with weather factors considered).   An entrant who is removed from a tournament for any of these reasons, after he has commenced play, will not be entitled to any type of refund of his entry fee. 

The PGA of Australia reserves the right to apply other reasonable criteria (including, but not limited to, judgements as to character, conduct and other criteria in accordance with the current PGA of Australia Member Regulations) to all those who apply to become Full Members of the PGA of Australia.   

Accordingly, the PGA of Australia may, in its absolute discretion, determine whether to extend the undersigned an invitation to join the PGA of Australia as a result of their successful completion of the Qualifying School or whether to accept an application for membership once an invitation to join the PGA of Australia has been extended. If the undersigned successfully completes the Qualifying School and wishes to apply to become a Full Member of the PGA of Australia, they must pay the prescribed membership fee and complete a Membership Form before an application can be considered.  

9.  MEMBERSHIP SEMINAR AND ONLINE ASSESSMENTS 

All players eligible for Tournament Membership at the completion of Final Stage of Qualifying School must attend the prescribed PGA of Australia Membership Seminar and those who have been a Member for less than 3 years in total and have yet to complete the On-line Education Module must complete the required on-line study programmes. Any player who fails to attend the Membership Seminar(s) will be ineligible to be considered for Full Membership and those who fail to complete the required on-line study programmes by the prescribed dates may have their membership revoked.  Session date(s), time(s) and agenda(s), along with on-line learning deadlines will be made available to all eligible participants in due course. 

10.  PRIZE MONEY

Prize money allocated to competitors at Final Stage will be confirmed prior to Round 1 of Final Stage.  

11. ENQUIRIES 

All Qualifying School queries can be made to the PGA of Australia’s Tournament Division by the following methods:  

Email: [email protected] Tel: +61 (0) 3 8320 1921