Procore Championship kicks off PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Fall in Napa, Calif., Korn Ferry Finals begin near Nashville
Video: Augusta National gives first look at The Patch
Augusta National Golf Club, along with First Tee and Augusta Tech, continue work on the redevelopment of Augusta Municipal Golf Course, or The Patch.
- The PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Fall schedule begins this week with the Procore Championship in Napa, California.
- Players ranked outside the top 100 on the FedEx Cup points list are competing to retain their tour cards for the 2026 season.
- The Korn Ferry Tour also begins its playoff series, with several area players vying for a spot on the PGA Tour.
The chase is on for First Coast and South Georgia players on two professional tours, in events in Napa, Calif., and near Nashville, Tenn., this week.
The Procore Championship opens the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Fall schedule Sept. 11-14, with the tournament at the Silverado Resort the first of seven events in four countries that will determine the final subset of Tour players for 2026.
There will be stops in Mississippi and Utah, and in Japan, Mexico and Bermuda. The series ends 96 miles from PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach with the RSM Classic Nov. 20-23 at the Sea Island Resort on St. Simons Island, Ga.
The top 100 on the FedEx Cup points list will retain their playing privileges for next season.
Where area players stand on FedEx Cup points
Here’s what it looks like for First Coast and South Georgia residents entering the Procore Championship:
Within the top 100: Nico Echavarria (62), Davis Thompson (71), Keith Mitchell (75), Karl Vilips (83), Danny Walker (98).
Outside looking in: Sam Ryder (108), Ricky Castillo (116), Lanto Griffin (142), Ben Kohles (153), Philip Knowles (187).
Miles Russell is also playing
Jacksonville Beach resident Miles Russell, who turns 17 years old in November, is also playing in Napa this week, making his fourth PGA Tour start.
Russell did not make the cut in his first three and missed playing on the weekend by only one shot in his last attempt at the ISCO Championship in July.
Adding juice to the tournament is the presence of 10 of the 12 U.S. Ryder Cup players, who captain Keegan Bradley urged to play an event before the matches against Europe Sept. 26-28 at Bethpage State Park on Long Island, N.Y. That means six of the world’s top-10 players are at Napa, led by No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 4 Russell Henley, No. 6 Justin Thomas, No. 7 J.J. Spaun, No. 8 Collin Morikawa and No. 10 Harris English.
Julian Suri is surging on the Korn Ferry Tour
Trying to get his PGA Tour card through another avenue is Bartram Trail graduate Julian Suri, who has been among the hottest players on the Korn Ferry Tour in recent weeks. The Korn Ferry Tour begins its playoff series Sept. 11-14 with the Simmons Bank Championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.
Suri was 57th on the points list after missing his sixth cut in eight starts in July. But in his last four starts, he’s tied for 15th in the NV5 Invitational, won the Utah Championship (his first KF Tour victory), tied for 28th at the Pinnacle Bank Championship and tied for seventh in the Albertson’s Boise Open.
Suri is now 14th on the points list and needs to finish among the top 20 to secure his PGA Tour card for 2026.
Chandler Blanchet of Atlantic Beach leads area players on the Korn Ferry points list at eighth. Adrien Dumont de Chassart of Ponte Vedra Beach is 21st and JU graduate Russell Knox of Ponte Vedra Beach, a two-time PGA Tour winner, is 28th.
Also with a decent shot is University of North Florida graduate Nick Gabrelcik, who is 45th on the points list.
What’s the Korn Ferry Tour Playoff format?
- The top 156 players on the points list are in the field this week at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
- The top 144 after the tournament will advance to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship Sept. 18-21 at the Ohio State Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.
- The top 120 will then move on to the Compliance Solutions Championship at the Patriot Golf Club in Owassa, Okla.
- The playoffs conclude with the top 75 in the Korn Ferry Tour Championship Oct. 9-12 at the French Lick (Ind.) Golf Resort.
Who are the area players in the Procore Championship field?
First Coast: Ricky Castillo, Vince Covello, Nico Echavarria, Lanto Griffin, Philip Knowles, Ben Kohles, Miles Russell, Sam Ryder, Karl Vilips, Danny Walker.
Golden Isles: Jonathan Byrd, Harris English, Will Gordon, Ben Griffin, Patton Kizzire, Keith Mitchell, Paul Peterson, Greyson Sigg, Davis Thompson.
Purse: $6 million ($1,080,000 and 500 FedEx Cup points to the winner.
Defending champion: Patton Kizzire.
TV: Golf Channel (Sept. 11, 6-9 p.m.; Sept. 12, 1-4 p.m.; Sept 13-14, 6-9 p.m.).
Other pro tours this week
Korn Ferry Tour
Event: Simmons Bank Championship, Sept. 11-14, Vanderbilt Legends Club, Franklin, Tenn.
Purse: $1.5 million ($270,000 to the winner).
2024 champion: Paul Peterson.
Area players: Area players (points standing): Chandler Blanchet (8), Julian Suri (14), Adrien Dumont de Chassart (21), Russell Knox (28), Rick Lamb (32), Tyson Alexander (39), Sebastian Cappelen (43), Nick Gabrelcik (45), Samuel Anderson (72), Carl Yuan (74), Luke Guthrie (82), Cody Blick (92), Travis Trace (110), Marcus Plunkett (129), Doc Redman (137), Derek Bard (140), Dawson Armstrong (150).
TV: Golf Channel (Sept. 11-, 4-6 p.m.; Sept. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Sept. 13-14, 4-6 p.m.).
LPGA
Event: Kroger Queen City Championship, Sept. 11-14, TPC River’s Bend, Hamilton Township, Ohio.
Purse: $2 million ($300,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Lydia Ko.
Area players: Jessica Porvasnik.
TV: Golf Channel (Sept. 11, 1-4 p.m.; Sept. 12, 4-7 p.m.; Sept. 13-14, 1-4 p.m.).
PGA Tour Champions
Event: Sanford International, Sept. 12-14, Minnehaha Golf Club, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Purse: $2.2 million ($330,000 to the winner).
Defending champion: Steve Stricker.
Area players: David Duval.
TV: Golf Channel (Sept. 12-14, 9:30-11:30 p.m.).
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