Cole Hammer Misses PGA Tour Card by Two Spots at Korn Ferry Finale
By Staff Writer
3 min read
Key takeaways
- Cole Hammer fell from 20th to 22nd in the final Korn Ferry Tour points list after a closing 73 at the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
- Five bogeys in the final round, including back-to-back bogeys on his eighth and ninth holes of the day, ended his bid for a first PGA Tour card.
- David Lamb climbed from 23rd to 20th in the standings to take the last available card.
- Hammer's previous best finish in a full Korn Ferry Tour season was 65th in the points list.
- The 27-year-old helped Texas win the 2022 NCAA title and was ranked the world's top amateur in 2019.
Cole Hammer entered the final round of the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Championship sitting 20th in the season-long standings, the last position that earns a PGA Tour card for 2027. A closing 73 dropped him to 22nd, and the card went instead to David Lamb, who moved up from 23rd.
What happened in Hammer's final round?
Hammer opened the Tour Championship with a 72, then shot 67 on Friday and 69 on Saturday to put himself in position to clinch the card he had chased for years. In Sunday's final round, he made five bogeys, including one on his eighth hole of the day and another on his ninth, a stretch that erased the cushion he needed. He signed for a two-over 73 and finished the tournament tied for 43rd.
| Round | Score |
|---|---|
| 1 | 72 |
| 2 | 67 |
| 3 | 69 |
| 4 (Final) | 73 |
How did Hammer's season come down to the last event?
Hammer's 2026 season included three early T4 finishes and a runner-up finish at the Utah Championship, where he lost a five-way playoff. A mid-season slump dropped him out of card contention before back-to-back finishes of T6 and T7 in September pushed him to 18th. A T53 at the following week's Compliance Solutions Championship dropped him back to 20th heading into the Tour Championship.
Hammer played college golf at Texas, where he was part of the Longhorns' 2022 NCAA championship team, and was rated the world's top amateur in 2019. He turned pro in 2022 and made 10 PGA Tour starts that season on sponsor exemptions and past affiliate status, with a tied-for-fifth finish at the RSM Classic as his best result. Without a card since, he has played most of his pro career on the Korn Ferry Tour.
A two-stroke swing over 72 holes was the difference between a PGA Tour card and another season on the Korn Ferry Tour.
What did Hammer say after missing the card?
"It was a battle all day, I didn't have it," Hammer said afterward, adding that his putter had kept him in contention before his ball striking faded late. He said he still believes in himself after what he called a multi-year "journey" toward a PGA Tour card.
Frequently asked questions
How many players earn PGA Tour cards from the Korn Ferry Tour?
The top 20 players in the season-long Korn Ferry Tour points standings earn PGA Tour cards for the following season.
Who won the final PGA Tour card at the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Championship?
David Lamb took the last card, moving from 23rd to 20th in the final standings after Cole Hammer fell to 22nd.
What is Cole Hammer's golf background?
Hammer played at the University of Texas, helping the Longhorns win the 2022 NCAA title, and was ranked the world's No. 1 amateur in 2019 before turning pro in 2022.
Has Cole Hammer played on the PGA Tour before?
Yes. He made 10 PGA Tour starts in the 2022-23 season, with a tied-for-fifth finish at the RSM Classic as his best result.
What's next for Cole Hammer?
Hammer will play another season on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2027 as he looks to finish inside the top 20 and earn his first PGA Tour card.
- Cole Hammer
- Korn Ferry Tour
- PGA Tour card
- Korn Ferry Tour Championship
- David Lamb
- Texas Longhorns golf
- RSM Classic
