Getty Image / Oisin Keniry / R&A
Vanderbilt Golf phenom Gordon Sargent just took one step closer to becoming a PGA Tour superstar and he made history in the process.
Sargent finished the 2023 NCAA Golf season as the #1 ranked individual player in the America with a 66.84 rating over 12 events where he went 46-23-5 in his matches against Top 25 opponents. He was also humbled after being mistaken for a young child at Augusta National when he arrived for The Masters.
The 20-year-old Vandy golfer is representing the United States team at the World Amateur Team Championships in Abu Dhabi this week and he’s already made history. Gordon Sargent just became the first person to earn their PGA Tour membership through the new PGA TOUR University Accelerated program by reaching the necessary 20 point threshold.
By competing at the World Amateur Team Championships in Abu Dhabi this week, Sargent was awarded the final point he needed in order to earn his PGA Tour membership through the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program.
I wrote about the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program in November of last year. At the time, it seemed like it would be a necessary tool to fight off LIV Golf Invitational from poaching top youth talent. Now with the pending merger it seems more like the Accelerated program is just a quicker way to funnel top talent to the PGA Tour from college without them lingering in lesser tours or relying on sponsors exemptions.
How Did Gordon Sargent Earn PGA TOUR Membership Through PGA TOUR University Accelerated?
In order to earn his PGA TOUR card through the new program, Sargent had to secure 20 points. Athletes earn points by winning and competing in the biggest events:
Win a major college golf award: Haskins Award (3 points), Hogan Award (3 points), D-I Nicklaus Award (3 points), D-I Outstanding Freshman Award (2 points)
Career-best rank in WAGR (No. 1 = 5 points, No. 2 = 4 points, No. 3 = 3 points, No. 4 = 2 points, No. 5 = 1 point)
Tournament wins: D-I NCAA individual (3 points), U.S. Amateur (3 points), The Amateur (3 points), Western Amateur (2 points), European Amateur (2 points), Latin America Amateur (2 points), Asia-Pacific Amateur (2 points)
Participate in a national team competition: Walker Cup (2 points), Palmer Cup (1 point), World Amateur Team Championship (1 point)
When Sargent teed it up in Abu Dhabi he was automatically awarded his 20th point and thus secured his PGA Tour membership when the 2024 NCAA season concludes.
Here is how Gordon Sargent earned the first 19 points (via PGA Tour):
Oct. 18, 2023 – Competes for United States at World Amateur Team Championships (1 point)
· Sep. 2, 2023 – Competes for United States at Walker Cup (2 points)
· July 7, 2023 – Makes cut in PGA TOUR event at John Deere Classic (1 point)
· June 16, 2023 – Makes cut at major championship at U.S. Open (1 point)
· June 15, 2023 – Makes major championship start at U.S. Open (1 point)
· June 8, 2023 – Competes for United States at Arnold Palmer Cup (1 point)
· April 6, 2023 – Makes major championship start at Masters Tournament (1 point)
· Feb. 15, 2023 – Reaches No. 1 in World Amateur Golf Ranking (5 points)
· Aug. 31, 2022 – Competes for United States at World Amateur Team Championships (1 point)
· July 1, 2022 – Competes for United States at Arnold Palmer Cup (1 point)
· June 1, 2022 – Wins 2022 NCAA Division I Outstanding Freshman Award (2 points)
· May 30, 2022 – Wins individual medalist honors at NCAA Championship (3 points)
Sargent went viral at this year’s US Open after missing a BRUTAL putt. Sadly, that was much of the golf world’s first glimpse of his talent.
Going forward, it is not unreasonable to think he’ll be a top-5 golfer in the world in the coming years. He is currently the #2 ranked amateur in the world. Sargent received an invitation to The Masters this year but missed the cut at +9.
He did, however, finish as the low amateur at the US Open and was t39 in the field. Gordon Sargent was also 4-0 on the weekend at the Walker Cup en route to the US beating Great Britain and Ireland by 4 points.