In a dramatic finale that saw PGA TOUR cards hang in the balance until the final putt, Braden Thornberry captured his first PGA TOUR card with a 6-under 66 in the final round of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance. Thornberry finished at 9-under to edge out Brian Campbell, Alistair Docherty and Doc Redman, who finished in a three-way tie for second. With the victory, Thornberry vaulted to No. 16 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List with the top 30 at the conclusion of play declared #TOURBound and earning full PGA TOUR status for the 2025 season. The Fred Haskins Award winner during his time at Ole Miss was the only player to move within the top 30 this week and knocked Sam Bennett into 31st as the first odd man out.

Thornberry, a Korn Ferry Tour member for the past three seasons, found himself among four players who had PGA TOUR cards on the line when the final group headed to the 18th tee. Entering the week at 51st in the Points List, he needed a solo-second finish to move into the top 30. After posting the clubhouse lead at 9-under, he simply had to wait and hope, knowing an eagle or birdie from Campbell or an eagle from Redman on the reachable par-5 18th hole would have jeopardized his positioning.

“It’s amazing,” Thornberry said tearfully after he was declared #TOURBound. “I played good all year and just hadn’t quite got it to work out for me. For this to all come together today is just special … A lot of stuff hasn’t gone my way over the past five years or so. To finally have something go my way and play well at the right time is amazing.”