Tommy Gainey has withdrawn from the Korn Ferry Tour season opener for selfless reasons.
The 2026 Korn Ferry Tour season opener will take place without a past champion competing. Tommy Gainey has decided not to participate in the Bahamas Golf Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour to give younger players a chance to break through. The 50-year-old won the tournament in 2020 and therefore had eligibility to play until this year.
Tommy Gainey: “It’s Ten Times Harder Than In My Day”
Tommy Gainey joined the Korn Ferry Tour (then Nationwide Tour) in 2007 and won two tournaments in 2010 to earn his full PGA Tour card. He quickly found success on the PGA Tour, reaching his peak in 2012 when he won the McGladrey Classic with a final-round 60, his only PGA Tour victory.
After years of struggles on and off the course, Gainey returned to the winner’s circle at the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2020 Bahamas Great Exuma Classic. That was his third victory on the tour, granting him an exemption to play in this event through 2026.
However, Gainey declined this invitation from tournament director Josh Franklin, wanting to give younger players the opportunity to prove themselves on the Korn Ferry Tour and advance to the PGA Tour. He said he loves the event and would enjoy playing, but understands the difficulty of qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour today. Given all the changes in the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour, he believes it is more important that players who have worked their way up benefit from the exemptions.
He was quoted saying, “It is ten times harder than in my day. I didn’t want to take the spot away from anyone. These young players are so good that any one of them can win, even the last player in the field.”
Champions Tour Victory Makes It Possible
Upon turning 50 in August, Gainey gained another pathway beyond the Korn Ferry Tour—the PGA Tour Champions. Last year, he played in nine senior tour events and won the Constellation Furyk & Friends tournament in October. His performance earned him a full tour card for the Champions Tour this year, meaning he no longer relies on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Still, it is commendable that Gainey is giving up a chance at a $1,000,000 prize purse to let other players establish themselves in professional golf fields.