Tommy Gainey has withdrawn from the Korn Ferry Tour opening tournament for selfless reasons.
The 2026 Korn Ferry Tour’s opening event will take place without a former champion, as Tommy Gainey will not participate in the Bahama Golf Classic to give younger players a chance to break through. The 50-year-old won the tournament in 2020 and was eligible to play until this year.
Tommy Gainey: \”It’s Ten Times Harder Than in My Day\”
Gainey joined the Korn Ferry Tour (formerly Nationwide Tour) in 2007 and won two events in 2010 to secure his full PGA Tour card. He quickly found success there, peaking in 2012 with a win at the McGladrey Classic after shooting a final round 60, marking his only PGA Tour victory.
After years of struggles on the course and controversies off it, Gainey returned to the winner’s circle at the 2020 Bahamas Great Exuma Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour. This third tour victory granted him an exemption to play at this event through 2026.
However, Gainey declined the invitation from tournament director Josh Franklin, preferring to give young players the opportunity to prove themselves and advance to the PGA Tour. He expressed his love for the tournament and desire to play but acknowledged how difficult it is to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour nowadays. Given the changes in both the Korn Ferry and PGA Tours, he believed it more important that someone who worked their way up benefits from the exemption.
He was quoted saying, \”It’s ten times harder than in my day. I didn’t want to take anyone’s spot. These young players are so good that any one of them can win, even the last player in the field.\”
Champions Tour Win Makes It Possible
After turning 50 in August, Gainey had another path through the Champions Tour. He played nine events last year on the senior tour and won the Constellation Furyk & Friends tournament in October. His results earned him a full Champions Tour card for this year, freeing him from relying on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Still, it is commendable that Gainey forgoes a chance at $1,000,000 prize money to give other players an opportunity to establish themselves in professional golf.
Tommy Gainey was in the @BahamasKFTour next week as a past champion of the event. It’s his last year for his past champion exemption.
A friend of his called me and said he WD, so a young guy could get a start. So I called him.
Of course Tommy picked up. Said he loves the…
— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) January 3,