As the DP World Tour alliance with the PGA Tour entered its third year, the anticipated boost from awarding 10 PGA Tour cards annually to DP World graduates has failed to materialize in 2025. Despite earlier successes, only Rasmus Hojgaard managed to finish inside the top 100 of the FedEx Cup, highlighting the challenges these players face adapting to the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour DP World Graduates Performance this season reveals a stark contrast to previous years, where players like Robert MacIntyre and Matthieu Pavon claimed multiple victories and earned millions in 2024. This year, all nine of the new PGA Tour members missed the FedEx Playoffs, while the only other graduate, Tom McKibbin, has found his greatest success outside the PGA Tour, competing on the LIV Golf League.
Rasmus Hojgaard Stands Out Among Struggling Graduates
Rasmus Hojgaard was the only graduate to secure a spot within the FedEx Cup’s top 100, finishing 85th by the end of the regular season. He also recorded the only runner-up finish by a DP World Tour graduate this year, placing second at the Zurich Classic alongside his brother Nicolai. Hojgaard’s $1.647 million in earnings was one of just two seven-figure totals among the graduates, underscoring his relative success amid widespread disappointment.
Jesper Svensson of Sweden was the second-best performer, finishing 110th in the FedEx Cup thanks to 15 cuts made in 21 starts and four top-25 finishes. Together, the nine graduates seeking PGA Tour success combined for 153 starts, made 85 cuts, but only posted seven top-10 finishes, a modest output compared to expectations.
Challenges Faced by DP World Tour Graduates on the PGA Circuit
Many factors have contributed to the graduates’ struggles transitioning to the PGA Tour. The unfamiliarity with courses, different travel demands, and a higher level of competition have made adaptation difficult for several players. South African Thriston Lawrence expressed how the constant new environments affected his confidence this season.
“In Belgium I finished fourth on a golf course that I know. I’ve played there two years before that. So that obviously gives you confidence. Here on the PGA Tour every single golf course is new. I think Myrtle Beach is the only one that I’ve played. Missed the cut by one there,”
—Thriston Lawrence, PGA Tour rookie
Lawrence added that he expects to feel more comfortable next year if he retains his card, as the PGA courses will then be more familiar:
“I think if I manage to keep my card this year on the PGA Tour, next year I will feel like I’m back on the DP World Tour, like everything, all golf courses are familiar. You know where is the range and where is everything.”
—Thriston Lawrence, PGA Tour rookie
He also acknowledged the diverse experiences of players adapting at different rates:
“Some guys get that quickly. For me, I feel like I’ve adapted because I travel all around the world. But it just doesn’t always work as planned.”
—Thriston Lawrence, PGA Tour rookie
Robert MacIntyre, one of the more successful graduates in the prior season, described the isolation he felt as a newcomer on the PGA Tour:
“You come out here to the PGA Tour, and it’s also so unfamiliar. There’s less chatting. There’s less dinners. There’s just less of that big family feel that you get on the DP World Tour,”
—Robert MacIntyre, DP World Tour graduate and PGA Tour player
The step from the DP World Tour to the PGA Tour is significant, not only in competition level but also in lifestyle and culture, factors that have left many struggling to thrive in their first full season.
Impact of Exclusion from PGA Tour Signature Events
Another major obstacle for DP World Tour graduates is their inability to compete in the PGA Tour’s lucrative $20 million Signature Events. Since they do not qualify for these limited-field tournaments, climbing the FedEx Cup standings becomes substantially harder. This limitation reduces their chances to amass significant points and earnings, hampering their ability to secure status on the PGA Tour long-term.
As a result, despite the opportunity to compete on a bigger stage, the pathway has exposed the difficulties for these players attempting to establish themselves as regular contenders.
Tom McKibbin’s Alternative Route and Success in LIV Golf
While the nine DP World Tour graduates on the PGA Tour for 2025 have struggled, Tom McKibbin—who opted for the LIV Golf League—has thrived financially and competitively. The young Northern Irishman earnestly defied advice from Rory McIlroy by joining the Saudi-backed tour and has already amassed over $4 million in 11 starts.
McKibbin achieved four top-10 finishes this year and sits 15th in the LIV Golf standings. His 2025 earnings more than double those of the highest PGA Tour DP World graduate, highlighting the stark contrast between the two pathways.
His success echoes Adrian Meronk’s decision last year to turn down a PGA Tour card in favor of LIV Golf, where he earned over $5 million—a model that may prompt more DP World Tour graduates to reconsider their options moving forward.
Detailed 2025 Performance of Each DP World Tour Graduate on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf
1. Rasmus Hojgaard
- Starts: 18
- Wins: 0
- Runner-up: 1 (Zurich Classic with brother Nicolai)
- Top 10 finishes: 1
- Top 25 finishes: 5
- Cuts made: 13
- Missed cuts: 5
- FedEx Cup position: 85th
- Earnings: $1.647 million
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €3.527 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 77th (down from 37th at end 2024)
2. Thriston Lawrence
- Starts: 18
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 1
- Top 25 finishes: 2
- Cuts made: 6
- Missed cuts: 12
- FedEx Cup position: 149th
- Earnings: $713,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €2.918 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 89th (down from 45th at end 2024)
3. Paul Waring
- Starts: 12
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 0
- Top 25 finishes: 0
- Cuts made: 2
- Missed cuts: 10
- FedEx Cup position: 221st
- Earnings: $26,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €2.224 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 180th (down from 95th at end 2024)
4. Jesper Svensson
- Starts: 21
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 1
- Top 25 finishes: 4
- Cuts made: 15
- Missed cuts: 6
- FedEx Cup position: 110th
- Earnings: $1.057 million
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.664 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 120th (down from 106th at end 2024)
5. Niklas Norgaard
- Starts: 17
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 1
- Top 25 finishes: 2
- Cuts made: 7
- Missed cuts: 10
- FedEx Cup position: 161st
- Earnings: $412,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.723 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 130th (down from 93rd at end 2024)
6. Matteo Manassero
- Starts: 15
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 1
- Top 25 finishes: 3
- Cuts made: 9
- Missed cuts: 6
- FedEx Cup position: 150th
- Earnings: $604,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.677 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 145th (down from 88th at end 2024)
7. Thorbjorn Olesen
- Starts: 18
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 2
- Top 25 finishes: 3
- Cuts made: 12
- Missed cuts: 6
- FedEx Cup position: 120th
- Earnings: $920,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.665 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 95th (down from 66th at end 2024)
8. Antoine Rozner
- Starts: 17
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 0
- Top 25 finishes: 3
- Cuts made: 15
- Missed cuts: 2
- FedEx Cup position: 148th
- Earnings: $646,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.729 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 149th (down from 144th at end 2024)
9. Rikuya Hoshino
- Starts: 17
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 0
- Top 25 finishes: 0
- Cuts made: 6
- Missed cuts: 11
- FedEx Cup position: 183rd
- Earnings: $164,000
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.263 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 284th (down from 147th at end 2024)
10. Tom McKibbin (LIV Golf League)
- Starts: 11
- Wins: 0
- Top 10 finishes: 4
- Top 25 finishes: 8
- Missed cuts: N/A (54-hole format)
- LIV Golf standings: 15th
- Earnings: $4.026 million
- 2024 DP World Tour earnings: €1.593 million
- Official World Golf Ranking: 152nd (down from 110th at end 2024)
Looking Ahead: A Pivotal Moment for DP World Tour Graduates and Their PGA Tour Aspirations
The 2025 campaign for DP World Tour graduates on the PGA Tour has posed significant obstacles, with many players unable to reach the financial success or world-ranking progress they achieved in Europe. With no graduates making the FedEx Playoffs, pressure mounts to perform during the FedEx Cup Fall series, beginning right after the Tour Championship, to secure PGA Tour cards for 2026.
This year’s outcomes bring into sharp focus the challenges of transitioning between tours and highlight the complexities of competing at the highest level in unfamiliar environments. It also raises questions about the pathway’s long-term benefits, especially as alternative routes such as LIV Golf attract top talent by offering lucrative rewards and fewer qualification restrictions.
For the DP World Tour players, 2025 serves as a critical test of resilience and adaptation, with the coming months determining their future on the PGA circuit and their place in the evolving global golf landscape.