Hitt wins Korn Ferry finale as Brown, Lamb join PGA Tour graduates

Austin Hitt won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship on Sunday, closing with a 5-under 66 to finish at 20 under and secure his first PGA Tour card for 2027.

Hitt beat Blades Brown by two strokes at The Federal Club in Glen Allen, Virginia. He entered the finale 22nd in the season points standings, outside the top 20 who earn promotion, and finished sixth. Brown’s runner-up finish also delivered a card, moving him from 14th to ninth.

The decisive stretch came around the turn. Hitt birdied the eighth and ninth holes, then holed out from 109 yards for eagle on the par-5 10th. Golf Channel reported that the eagle moved him four strokes clear of Brown, the 54-hole leader. Brown responded with four back-nine birdies but finished with a 69 and a 266 total, two behind Hitt’s 264.

Golf Channel’s final-round highlights show the closing day at the championship.

Hitt’s rounds of 68, 62, 68 and 66 produced his first Korn Ferry Tour victory and the $270,000 winner’s share. His closing round included four birdies, an eagle and one bogey, followed by four straight pars to finish.

The tournament settled both a winner and the season’s promotion places. Davis Lamb was the other player to begin the week outside the top 20 and finish inside it. He rose from 23rd to 20th, claiming the final PGA Tour card. Carson Young held the 19th spot, while Cole Hammer dropped from 20th to 22nd and Ben Kohles fell from 19th to 23rd.

Ross Steelman finished first in the season standings with 2,221.371 points, ahead of Sandy Scott’s 2,190.801. Steelman had entered the championship second and Scott first; their final standings reversed after Steelman tied for 12th in the tournament and Scott tied for 43rd.

Brown’s promotion completed a week that had included a second-round 61. The 19-year-old did not get his first professional win, but his second-place finish was enough to move him comfortably inside the graduation line.

For Hitt and Lamb, the final event changed their status for next season. Both arrived needing to improve their positions, and both finished among the 20 players who earned PGA Tour membership.

Sources

Korn Ferry Tour: Official final leaderboard · Korn Ferry Tour: Official final season points · Hitt wins as 20 players secure cards · Korn Ferry Tour: Official 2026 graduates report