"That one program changed our lives."
These were the words of Michael Thorbjornsen, who won the Rocket Classic after sinking an 8-meter birdie putt on the final hole on the 2nd.
The "program" he referred to is the "PGA Tour University Program." It is a kind of industry-academia cooperation program introduced by the tour in 2020. Designed to provide top players competing in U.S. college golf (NCAA Division 1) with a systematic pathway to the professional stage, it officially recognizes achievements on the college stage and helps players advance to the PGA Tour, the top professional stage, after graduation.
Among prospective graduates from NCAA Division 1 schools, the player who finishes No. 1 in the U Program's own final ranking is immediately granted PGA Tour membership. There is a condition, however, that the player must properly complete the college curriculum. Those ranked second to 10th are given eligibility to compete on the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA's secondary tour.
There is also the "PGA Tour Accelerated" program. It is a bold system that grants PGA Tour playing privileges to freshmen through juniors—not just prospective graduates—if they perform well enough. The points needed for early promotion total 20. Reaching No. 1 in the amateur world ranking earns five points immediately, for example.
After Jackson Koivun, a former amateur world No. 1, won the 3M Open and Thorbjornsen won the very next week, Jay Monahan, the former PGA Tour commissioner who led the introduction of the U Program, is drawing renewed attention. Previously, to enter the PGA Tour, a player had to compete on the Korn Ferry Tour or take the Qualifying School.
Koivun, born in 2005, is a rookie who advanced to the tour early through the Accelerated program, while Thorbjornsen, born in 2001, is a newcomer who debuted in 2024 through the regular U Program.
The U Program was previously made widely known through Ludvig Aberg. Aberg claimed the No. 1 spot in the U ranking in 2023 and immediately turned professional, then wrote a comic-book-like story by even winning on the PGA Tour a few months later.
At the Players Championship in March this year, a major event called the PGA Tour's "fifth major," Aberg and Thorbjornsen faced off in the champion group on the final day, drawing attention.
Thorbjornsen is a former winner of the 14-15 age division of "Drive, Chip and Putt," the youth event of the Masters Tournament. He is, in a sense, a model answer of someone who "grew up well" by fully utilizing the programs the U.S. golf world has established to cultivate elite talent. In 2023, Thorbjornsen faced a major crisis in his playing career due to a serious stress fracture in his back, but thanks to the U Program serving as a safety net, he was able to invest sufficient time in treatment and rehabilitation.
The U Program is a "win-win" for promising players, universities, and the tour alike. It is naturally good for players because they can enter the top stage faster, and universities gain the honor of having produced such players. The tour can secure young and excellent talent early, allowing it to expect long-term development.
Korea's system and culture are quite different. In many cases, players enroll in college after they have already turned professional. They establish themselves on the tour while receiving support from their school as members of the university. There is also an expectation that a university's reputation will help secure sponsors. It is a culture completely different from the United States, where in principle, regardless of which school you attend, you can go straight to the PGA Tour as long as you reach the No. 1 ranking.
Attending a distance-learning high school that allows online classes during high school to devote time to training, then enrolling in college after turning professional to secure a training environment and support system, is a common path among Korean golfers.
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