CARLSBAD, Calif. — Michael Thorbjornsen joined an exclusive club Monday.
He became the second player in the history of the PGA Tour to earn his Tour membership via PGA Tour University, following in Ludvig Aberg’s footsteps from last year. And it became official as soon as stroke play ended Monday at the 2024 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.
The fourth PGA Tour University rankings were finalized Monday, and the top-25 golfers secured status on varying professional tours. But it was Thorbjornsen taking home the top prize.
Players who finished Nos. 2-5 in the final PGA Tour U rankings earned fully exempt Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2024, as well as an exemption to final stage of 2024 PGA Tour Q-School.
NCAA: Team scores | Individual scores | Photos
Players who finished Nos. 6-10 earned conditional Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2024, fully exempt membership on PGA Tour Americas for 2024, as well as an exemption to second stage of 2024 PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.
Then, Nos. 11-25 earned fully exempt membership on PGA Tour Americans for 2024, as well as an exemption to second stage of 2024 PGA Tour Q-School.
The program is designed to streamline the process for college players to advance to the professional level while also rewarding those who honor their college commitments. Players must play on the NCAA Division I level and complete a minimum of four years in college to be eligible for PGA Tour U.
Stanford’s Michael Thorbjornsen. (Photo: Stanford Athletics)
Thorbjornsen capped his collegiate career this week at Omni La Costa’s North Course, finishing a senior season that saw him as one of 10 players on the final watch list for the 2024 Haskins Award. After battling a back injury in the fall, he finished his career strongly in the spring and is now a PGA Tour member.
“It’s been a long journey, and I’m happy that it’s over,” Thorbjornsen said. “But I mean, as one door closes, another one opens. So this is just a start.”
Georgia Tech’s Christo Lamprecht at the 2024 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship. (Photo: Georgia Tech Athletics)
After an opening 2-under 70 at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship, Lamprecht was subbed out because of a back injury that resulted in him missing out a chance to clinch the top spot in PGA Tour U in his final college start. Nevertheless, it was a stellar college career for the 6-foot-8 South African.
North Carolina’s Austin Greaser. (Photo: UNC Athletics)
Greaser won the 2024 NCAA Chapel Hill Regional and has helped the Tar Heels into match play at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.
Vanderbilt’s Matthew Riedel. (Photo: Vandy Athletics)
Riedel is a key piece to Vanderbilt’s team that earned the second seed for NCAA match play.
North Florida’s Nick Gabrelcik. (Photo: North Florida Athletics)
Gabrelcik rewrote the record books at North Florida, and he capped his career Monday at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.
6. William Moll, Vanderbilt
7. Cole Sherwood, Vanderbilt
8. Frederik Kjettrup, Florida State
9. Gustav Frimodt, TCU
10. Karl Vilips, Stanford
- Mats Ege, East Tennessee State
- Michael Brennan, Wake Forest
- Ben Lorenz, Oklahoma
- Sampson-Yunhe Zheng, California
- Dylan Menante, North Carolina
- Jonas Baumgartner, Oklahoma State
- Ryggs Johnston, Arizona State
- Canon Claycomb, Alabama
- Herman Wibe Sekne, Purdue
- Maxwell Moldovan, Ohio State
- Petr Hruby, Washington
- Bryce Lewis, Tennessee
- Santiago De la Fuente del Valle, Houston
- Ben Van Wyk, Georgia
- John Keefer, Baylor