There have been some solo success stories from the recent addition of 10 PGA Tour cards on offer on the DP World Tour - but as a bunch the 2025/26 squad could just be the best yet.
It's tough to make the switch from the DP World Tour to the PGA Tour, but with some young guns, a charismatic player with more experience and a resurgent wily veteran, there's a great mix among the 10 players to earn cards.
Laurie Canter decided to return to LIV Golf instead of taking up a PGA Tour card, with Dan Brown getting his spot but there's still plenty of talent in the group heading across the Atlantic.
The likes of Robert MacIntyre, Ryan Fox and Matthieu Pavon have ended up winning on the PGA Tour after securing cards this way, but this year's group could be the best since the 10 cards initiative was introduced.
The star man
The highlight of the group has to be Marco Penge, the big-hitting Englishman who many expect to take the PGA Tour by storm.
He finished second on the Race To Dubai and didn't really blink when challenging Rory McIlroy down the stretch - proving he's got a big temperament to go along with his big game.
Penge only just kept his Tour card for 2025, but took full advantage by bagging three wins and five other top 10s. Big things are expected of him in the USA in 2026.
The breakthrough stars
Kristoffer Reitan, Adrien Saddier and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen all had breakout campaigns even if they have different profiles.
Saddier came through Q-School in 2023 and then won the Italian Open in 2025 on what was his 200th career start, and lost a playoff for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Reitan returned to the DP World Tour after a five-year absence and something clicked as he claimed his maiden victory at the Soudal Open to help earn his PGA Tour status before winning again at the Nedbank Golf Challenge.
Recent Australian Open champion Neergaard-Petersen is the latest young Dane to impress, and he's come flying through the ranks having only turned pro in 2023 - winning three times to finish as No.1 on the HotelPlanner Tour a year later.
His rookie DP World Tour season yielded eight top 10s and he impressed greatly with a T12 at the US Open, with a flying finish at the DP World Tour Championship to claim a PGA Tour card watch out for him next year.
Keita Nakajima is another exciting talent to watch. The Japanese man is a former World No.1 amateur with four Japan Golf Tour titles, a DP World Tour win and an impressive season featuring three runners-up finishes, including at the DP World India Championship where he pushed an in-form Tommy Fleetwood all the way.
The old heads
Adding some experience to the group is Alex Noren, Jordan Smith and Haotong Li - the charismatic 30-year-old Chinese player who played with Scottie Scheffler in the final round of The Open at Royal Portrush.
Two-time DP World Tour Smith narrowly missed out last year but has secured his US card this time after two runners-up finishes and four other top-10s this year.
Smith and Li will be joined by 43-year-old Noren, who had a massive resurgence down the second half of the season as he broke his seven-year wait for another tournament victory at the British Masters.
A huge win at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth followed soon after and he ended the year right up at No.11 in the OWGR after finishing second at the Hero World Challenge.
Yes, the OWGR has issues right now, but Noren has to be one of the best and most respected players to have won a PGA Tour card this way so far - and completes what looks like an elite group of players heading stateside next season.
Which DP World Tour graduate do you see having the most success on the PGA Tour in 2026? Let us know in the comment section below.
Which DPWT players earned 2026 PGA Tour cards?
- Marco Penge
- Kristoffer Reitan
- Adrien Saddier
- Alex Noren
- John Parry
- Haotong Li
- Keita Nakajima
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
- Jordan Smith
- Dan Brown
