[PHOTO: Scott Taetsch]

Most of the focus was on the top five of the leaderboard, but status for 2025 was on the line all over the leaderboard during the final-round of PGA Tour Q-School at Dye’s Valley at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Yes, the top five and ties secured PGA Tour status for next year, but the next 40 finishers and ties earned starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, the next 20 earned starts on PGA Tour Americas and the remainder of the field will hold conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas for 2025.

Lanto Griffin, a 36-year-old who won the 2019 Houston Open, took home medallist honours after shooting an opening-nine 29 on the final day. He made only one birdie in the last nine holes, but shot 63 and separated himself from the field to cruise home. He shot nine-under-par in total, three shots ahead of Hayden Buckley.

Griffin has played in 148 PGA Tour events but has dealt with back injuries. He underwent microdiscectomy surgery in 2020 and then developed rib and back injuries just last year but now says he’s completely healthy.

Six players officially #TOURBound! ✅

Meet the newest PGA TOUR members for the 2025 season who qualify via PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry! pic.twitter.com/Oz6xxr0g9T

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 15, 2024

“I guess when your back is against the wall you kind of just have to – you don’t have a choice,” Griffin said. “Obviously it could have gone different route this week for me, but my focus was good. Obviously the drive and everything is still there and I really didn’t want it to end.

“Yeah, that was the goal coming out here this week and compete as hard as I can. Worst-case scenario, go home to a beautiful baby and a new family. It’s crazy to think that I was able to do what I did today.”

Buckley, 28, birdied two of the last three holes to save his tour card. He shot consecutive 67s in the last two rounds to end in second place. He’s played in 90 career PGA Tour events, including 29 this season. But he’s made only one cut since July and ended 156th in FedEx Cup points, which sent him back to the final stage of Q-School.

Takumi Kanaya was in third place while Alejandro Tosti, Will Chandler and Matthew Riedel tied for fourth place to earn the final tour cards.

https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1868404750183514587

Kanaya, 26, was steady all week in shooting 68-70-68-69. He’s a seven-time winner in Japan and leads the Japan Tour moneylist this year. Although he’s never had PGA Tour status, he has already played in 11 major championships.

Tosti, 27, shot 71-74 in the first two rounds and was well down the leaderboard. But 65-66 over the weekend vaulted him up the standings to earn a second straight year in the big league. He was a PGA Tour rookie this year and almost won the Houston Open in March, where he lost to Stephan Jaeger by a shot. But he collected only one more top-10 finish the rest of the season.

“It’s been the challenge for me my whole life, dealing with myself,” said the Argentine, who is known to run hot when he is not playing well. “It’s super-hard, super-competitive. The edges are like very little and just every decision, every thought that you have might have an impact on your result, on your shots.

“Those shots might cost you one or two and it’s just like crazy how quick it can turn around one way and then it’s really hard to turn it around the other way. But I was able to do it this week, stayed patient and had a heck of a last two rounds. Now going to be happy on my holidays.”

Chandler, 27, shot a back-nine 30 today to tie for fourth place and earn PGA Tour status for the first time. Riedel, 24, needed to get up and down from short of the green on the last hole and did so, converting a four-footer for par that just caught the side of the hole and dropped in. He will be a PGA Tour rookie next year.

An emotional, life-changing week 🥹

Jin Chung had never had status on any tour. After a T8 finish at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, he locked up 12 guaranteed starts for the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season. pic.twitter.com/gcOgywK8gS

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) December 15, 2024

Jin Chung, a 36-year-old who turned pro in 2009 and has never held status on any tour affiliated with the PGA Tour, shot a final-round 67 to tie for eighth place and earn 12 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. Nick Watney, a five-time PGA Tour winner who is now 43, shot a final-round 65 to tie for eighth place.

Among the group who tied for 19th place are several notable names including Matt NeSmith, Austin Smotherman, Tommy Gainey, Christo Lamprecht and Pierceson Coody. They’re in the group that earned starts on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Rhein Gibson (T-72) was the lone Australian in the field and didn’t improve his playing status.