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The R&A
Registrations open for season two of Global Amateur Pathway
10 Jan 25
3 mins
The registration period for the 2025 edition of the Global Amateur Pathway – powered by the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) – is now open, with the aim of helping the very best male amateur players to take the next step in their careers.
The landmark initiative, launched by the DP World Tour, The R&A and the PGA TOUR last year, creates a pathway for non-collegiate amateur players on to the DP World Tour and partner Tours around the world. Wenyi Ding topped the rankings after year one, earning a DP World Tour card for the 2025 season. The talented young Chinese star made a fast start to his professional career, currently sitting 13th in the Race to Dubai Rankings following a tied fifth place finish at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, and consistent performances in his four other appearances so far. The Global Amateur Pathway complements PGA TOUR University – which awards membership on PGA TOUR-sanctioned Tours to the top Division-I college golfers at the end of the NCAA Championship – to ensure opportunities are available for elite players across the amateur ranks.Player pathways
Under the Global Amateur Pathway, the best eligible non-collegiate male amateur within the top 20 of the WAGR® will receive a DP World Tour card for the following season. WAGR® comprises a women’s ranking and a men’s ranking for elite amateur players and is offered by The R&A and the USGA as a global service to golf. Players competing in Global Amateur Pathway eligible championships earn points equivalent to the number of points awarded by WAGR®. The Global Amateur Pathway strengthens, and demonstrates the benefits of, the Strategic Alliances forged by the DP World Tour to provide global player pathways. As such, further exemptions are available on the European Challenge Tour – part of the European Tour Group – along with the Sunshine Tour, Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, Professional Golf Tour of India and PGA TOUR Americas. Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen, who won The Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club in Ireland last June, Luis Masaveu Roncal of Spain and Frenchman Bastien Amat gained the Challenge Tour exemptions available to European and Middle Eastern players for the 2025 season, with Skov Olesen and Amat going on to earn DP World Tour cards via Qualifying School. Skov Olesen also made a strong start to his professional career, rounding out the 2024 calendar year with a top ten finish at the AfrAsiaBank Mauritius Open.
Jacob Skov Olesen (pictured), who won The Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club in Ireland last June, Luis Masaveu Roncal of Spain and Frenchman Bastien Amat gained Challenge Tour exemptions for the 2025 season, with Skov Olesen and Amat going on to earn DP World Tour cards via Qualifying School.
First steps in professional careers
The final Challenge Tour spots for the 2025 season were then awarded to England’s Will Hopkins and Scot Gregor Graham, with Americans Nathan Petronzio, Peter Fountain, Ben Warian and Jake Hall securing PGA TOUR Americas eligibility and South African Tyran Snyders earning an exemption on the Sunshine Tour. Guy Kinnings, DP World Tour Chief Executive, said: “We were delighted to launch the Global Amateur Pathway last year alongside The R&A and the PGA TOUR, and seeing players who were awarded exemptions taking the first steps in their professional careers demonstrates how important – and valuable - the creation of these pathways are. “We look forward to seeing the next crop of players vying for opportunities to progress their careers in the 2026 season.”Nurturing and strengthening amateur golf
Mark Darbon, Chief Executive of The R&A, said: “The Global Amateur Pathway reflects The R&A’s shared commitment to create opportunities for the most talented amateur players from across the world. “The R&A is focused on nurturing and strengthening amateur golf through staging our leading championships. It was gratifying to see players perform to such high standards last year and earn exemptions to compete on professional tours through the Global Amateur Pathway. We look forward to continuing to help the very best amateur players progress in their careers.” Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA TOUR, said: “The Global Amateur Pathway, working in tandem with PGA TOUR University, ensures emerging amateurs have easily understood and achievable routes available as they enter the world of professional golf. We are highly invested in providing our stars of tomorrow with a clear path to the top of the game, and these Pathways – Global Amateur Pathway, PGA TOUR University and PGA TOUR University Accelerated – play a critical role in identifying and developing elite amateurs on their journey.” Registrations for the current Global Amateur Pathway Ranking Period are now open and will close on June 30, 2025. The Global Amateur Pathway Ranking Period will then conclude on October 13, 2025, with exemptions awarded for the 2026 season. To be eligible for the Global Amateur Pathway Ranking, amateur golfers must meet the following criteria:- Not be a current NCAA Division-I player.
- Be at least 20 years of age by the end of the calendar year of the relevant Ranking Period.
- Be within the top 200 WAGR®.
- Players who are outside the top 200 WAGR® by the end of the Registration Period who then move into the top 100 WAGR® at any time prior to the conclusion of the Late Registration Period in the relevant season (September 20, 2025).