The 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season hits a pivotal point with the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, taking place September 11-14 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee. This $1.5 million event kicks off the four-tournament Korn Ferry Tour Finals, where every shot matters as players fight for PGA Tour cards and crucial spots on the season-long points list. The winner will take home $270,000, but the real prize is positioning for the next level.

This tournament is more than just a stop on the schedule — it’s a make-or-break moment. The top 144 players on the points list after this week will advance to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, the second event in the Finals. These events ultimately decide who earns PGA Tour membership and priority for the upcoming fall season.

The field features seasoned PGA Tour veterans like Fabian Gomez, Russell Knox, and Robert Streb, alongside 47 past Korn Ferry Tour champions, including four-time winner Robby Shelton. Shelton’s dramatic playoff win over Scottie Scheffler here in 2019 remains one of the event’s defining moments.

Adding a hometown spark, 18-year-old Blades Brown enters as a Special Temporary Member, currently ranked 75th. Brown made history last year with a runner-up finish at the Veritex Bank Championship at just 17 — the highest ever for a player under 18 — and has since added another top-10. His rise gives local fans a rising star to cheer as he battles for a spot on golf’s biggest stage.

The Simmons Bank Open hosts 137 players, but only those inside the top 144 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List after this week move on to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, making every shot crucial in the fight for PGA Tour status. The tournament offers a substantial purse, with the winner receiving $270,000, adhering to the standard 18% payout structure of the Korn Ferry Tour. The distribution of prize money is as follows:

The Simmons Bank Open offers payouts that reward a wide range of players, while also spotlighting rising stars like Vanderbilt alum Cole Sherwood and PGA Tour University standouts Brendan Valdes, Preston Summerhays, and Ian Gilligan. This blend of fresh talent and seasoned pros sets up a dynamic leaderboard.

At the top, Johnny Keefer leads the Korn Ferry Tour Points List with 2,071.911 points, trailed closely by Austin Smotherman and Neal Shipley. Keefer’s consistent play makes him a favorite for a pga tour card, but with so much on the line, the competition at Vanderbilt Legends Club promises to be intense from start to finish.

Beyond the purse: what the Simmons Bank Open means for the players

The Simmons Bank Open offers 600 Korn Ferry Tour points to the winner, a critical boost in the race for a PGA Tour card, along with an estimated 15.6 Official World Golf Ranking points. With defending champion Paul Peterson now on the PGA Tour, a new winner will emerge this year.

Every shot matters as players fight to climb the points list, secure advancement to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, and improve their priority for fall PGA Tour events. This week’s results will shape careers and reveal golf’s next wave of talent.