Vanderbilt junior Gordon Sargent locked up his PGA Tour card for next summer, becoming the first player to earn it through PGA Tour University Accelerated.

Sargent satisfied the 20-point requirement when he teed off in the first round of the World Amateur Team Championship on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi.

PGA Tour U Accelerated was announced in November 2022 as a track for college underclassmen to turn pro.

“It’s really special. Seeing all of what the PGA Tour U has done for college golf is really cool,” Sargent said. “It used to be that if you feel like you’re ready to turn pro, you kind of had to take your chances, but now knowing where you are and to have some status is huge.”

Sargent will be eligible for open, full-field events at the conclusion of the NCAA Championship in late May 2024.

“Since winning the NCAA Championship as a freshman, Gordon has consistently proven himself as one of the top amateurs in the game, and he’s very deserving of becoming the first underclassman to earn PGA Tour membership through PGA Tour University Accelerated,” said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. “We look forward to welcoming him to the PGA Tour after he concludes his collegiate career at Vanderbilt.”

–Field Level Media