Three Korn Ferry Tour Points Leaders Who Have Scaled the Treacherous Terrain of Professional Golf

In a volatile sport like golf, mental stability is often necessary for success; learning how to win, how to shake the demons, and, eventually, how to climb leaderboards takes time and focus. Every professional golfer has the physical ability to win a tournament, but one’s cognitive ability must complement their physical traits. For the American trio of Doc Redman, Alistair Docherty, and Ian Holt, their capacity to tackle mental challenges head-on has enabled them to break through this season on the Korn Ferry Tour. All three of the aforementioned golfers have at least one win this year, propelling them to the top of the Korn Ferry Tour Points List and within striking distance of a PGA Tour card.

Doc Redman

After bursting onto the scene with a win at the 2017 United States Amateur and an appearance on the 2017 U.S. Walker Cup team, Redman limped his way through his first couple of seasons as a pro. Since becoming a professional golfer after the 2018 Division I Men’s Golf Championship, the Raleigh, North Carolina, native never quite hit his stride. However, he did show flashes of dominance, posting numerous top-five finishes on the PGA Tour. However, in 2023, Redman’s game fell flat; he only made 10 cuts in 25+ events. After a lackluster 2023 season and narrowly missing out on a PGA Tour card by two shots at Q-School, he was relegated to the Korn Ferry Tour.

Since becoming a full-time Korn Ferry Tour member, Redman’s game has become sharper and sharper. While he did not get his hands on any trophies, the Clemson alumnus gained more and more confidence with every start; his frequent top finishes reflected this. Despite not qualifying for the PGA Tour at each of the last two Q-School events, Redman’s Official World Golf Ranking steadily increased each year. Heading into this Korn Ferry Tour season, the 28-year-old was finally on the verge of breaking through at the professional level. “I was pretty unhappy traveling and playing golf and a little lost in that sense; probably having a son exaggerated that a bit,” Redman said during this season’s trip to the Bahamas. “I think when you are out here, you have to be having fun and in the right mindset to get the best out of yourself.” After a break and some self-reflection, Redman’s dreams of winning were realized when he fired a 19-under-par winning score at this year’s Astara Chile Classic. Thanks to his victory and the fact that Redman has not missed a cut this season on the Korn Ferry Tour, he is currently fifth on his tour’s points list and well within reach of returning to the PGA Tour

Alistair Docherty

Sports have the capacity to produce a wide variety of athletes with untraditional stories and paths to stardom; the Korn Ferry Tour is no exception to this trend. Like some of his peers, Docherty has overcome a great deal of adversity to get to where he is today. Since wrapping up his collegiate playing days at the Division II level, the Chico State alumnus has faced a bumpy road on his way to second on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List. From caddying just to keep his dream alive in 2018 to grinding on numerous mini tours until the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season, Docherty is used to gutting his way through the rollercoaster that is a professional golf career. After a match with Riggs from Barstool Sports and a Barstool sponsorship, Docherty’s golf career was finally gaining traction.

With the confidence and funds necessary to play in Korn Ferry Tour events across the world, the Canadian-born journeyman put himself in multiple positions to succeed and advance in the professional golfing world, but a few below-average rounds and heartbreaking putts kept Docherty from cracking the PGA Tour ranks. A solid start to 2025 kept him in good spirits, but after being T-boned in a high-speed car crash, Docherty was lucky to be alive. After looking death in the face, he continued to chip away at his PGA Tour dreams, but pain and trauma took a toll on Docherty. A relatively pedestrian finish to the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour season kept him just shy of reaching golf’s premier tour, but a new year provided Docherty with yet another new opportunity. Since making the most of said opportunity with a victory at the 119 Visa Argentina Open, the then-31-year-old could not contain his elation and gratitude. “It has been a very crazy last few years,” Docherty said after his emotional win in Argentina. “I think I executed everything this week, mentally more than physically; I am so happy to be standing on top.” Now, Docherty has not missed a cut since leaving Argentina and, points-wise, has been one of the best golfers on the Korn Ferry Tour this season.

Ian Holt

Thanks to his efforts while on the Canadian Tour, Holt has finally found his footing in professional golf. After only making six cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, the Ohio-born Holt found himself fighting for his professional golf career, this time on the PGA Tour Americas circuit. A win at the Explore NB Open and five top-25 finishes earned Holt a spot in the 2024 PGA Tour Q-School tournament; a T-19 finish allowed him to start in the first 12 events of the following Korn Ferry Tour season. Holt made his first four cuts to begin last season and even finished in a tie for second at the 118 Visa Argentina Open. However, his positive momentum was stifled by inconsistent performances. A T-46 effort at last year’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship found Holt back at PGA Tour Q-School; once again, he missed out on earning a PGA Tour card.

This season, Holt has shown almost no signs of inconsistency or complacency. The 30-year-old has yet to miss a cut and won in back-to-back starts at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic and The Panama Championship, respectively. In an interview with Matt Adams on Adams’ YouTube golf show, Holt talked about the mentality shift that boosted his professional golf career. “A fear of failure is definitely something that I struggle with,” Holt said. “The biggest thing that I found was the fear of success and putting yourself out there. I think the fear of success was a big thing for me in the sense of almost not feeling worthy that I should be in these moments.” Since conquering the foreign feeling of being in the spotlight and near the top, Holt now controls his own destiny en route to a PGA Tour card. He comfortably resides atop the Korn Ferry Tour Points List by upwards of 300 points and is currently the 111th-best golfer in the world according to OWGR.

A common theme amongst these three Korn Ferry Tour stars is their mental fortitude and willingness to overcome what has been holding them back. Golf tends to favor patience and resilience; Redman, Docherty, and Holt seem to be reaping the benefits of possessing these traits. As this group of Americans continues their pursuit of a full-status PGA Tour membership, they must also fend off their competitors. While Redman, Docherty, and Holt appear to be well on their way to the PGA Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour season is far from over; all it takes is a few missed cuts and lapses in focus to make the rest of the season a sweat for these three golfers.