It’s that time of year for those touring professionals who must look at where they stand status-wise and measure their options.
For Evan Harmeling of North Reading, Mass. – the 2013 Mass. Open champion and former standout at Princeton – it means taking out an insurance policy in Europe. He recently took a week off from the Korn Ferry Tour to travel to England where he comfortably got through the first stage of the DP World Tour qualifying tournament.
“I want two cracks at it,” said Harmeling, a reference to his willingness to chase a potential card to play on Europe’s top circuit while at the same time giving pursuit to better KFT status.
Here at the tail end of a lackluster season on the KFT, Harmeling ranks 97th on the points list with just one tournament remaining – this week’s stop in Columbus –before the season-ending Tour Championship. The ultimate goal is to finish in the top 30, which earns you PGA Tour status for 2024. Nos. 31-75 are fully exempt on the KFT for next season, while those up to No. 85 only get exemptions into the first stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Q School.